"Spider Robinson - The End of the Painbow" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Spider)

birth-name he'd given us last night. "I got a feeling you belong here. And we could sure use you: luck is
what this place needs in spades. But in all honesty, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Mike to show
up."
He grimaced. "Christ, that's a break. I was bracing myself to do mouth-to-mouth on you if you tried
it. Look, you just opened this joint. I'll give it a week or two; maybe this Callahan will show up. If notтАФ"
He shrugged. "There are worse places to have a beer." He finished his glass, and tossed it negligently
over his shoulder. Behind him musical pandemonium broke out, thuds and crashes and cries of dismay,
and people lurching back and forth. I don't think I could tell you any more about it if I'd seen it happen.
All I know is, as the commotion was ending, the Duck stuck out both his hands, and his empty
glassтАФtwo-thirds full nowтАФdropped into them from above like a mortar round. He caught it well: some
beer escaped, but it impacted squarely on the bar-rag that lay curled up before me.
He took a sip. "Half Dos Equis and half Cooper's," he announced.
Behind him there was brief silence ... and then sustained applause. "Damndest thing I everтАФ" "тАФand
I tried to ... just as youтАФ" "тАФhave believed it if I hadn't seen it with myтАФ" "тАФand then it justтАФ"
"тАФgoddamn work of art!"
The Duck turned around and acknowledged their applause with an inclination of the head.
"See what I mean?" he said to me. "Some places that'll get you assaulted. These guys appreciate
beauty. A round for the house, barkeep."
The applause redoubled.
I helped Tom Hauptman pass out fresh drinks until he had it under control, then went back to the
Duck again.
"Anything in particular seem to trigger it?" I asked him.
He shrugged. "Sometimes when I'm nervous. Out of sorts, like."
"Threatened? A defense mechanism?"
"Maybe." He didn't seem crazy about the implication. The true macho man doesn't need defense
mechanisms.
No wonder he'd concentrated so hard on developing his offense mechanisms.
I decided the thing to do with the Lucky Duck was to simply accept him as he was and not worry
about it. That was what Mike Callahan would have done. "Will you excuse me for a minute, Duck? I just
remembered something I meant to ask the gang last night, and forgot. It's kind of important."
"What, end this riveting discussion? I'll have to kill myself."

Fast Eddie was just hem-stitching the final chorus of "In The Evenin' When The Sun Goes Down," to
enthusiastic applause. I came around the bar and went to the chalk line. I took my mug with me, and
whistled for attention. I had a question for this particular subset of humanity, one that could not be asked
with strangers present. So I had to bring it up now. Sooner or later, strangers would be walking in the
door and it would be too late.
"Ladies and gents," I said, "It's time to define our mandate."
"Mandate?" the Drink said. "What's mandatory around here, except having fun and makin' toasts?"
"Precisely my question," I said.
"How do you mean that, Jake?" Doc Webster asked. "You feel a need to make some new rules?"
"Not exactly," I said. "I just want a clear statement of what it is we're all here for."
"Drinking," Long-Drink said, as one explaining the obvious to a child.
"Being merry," Eddie said in the same manner as Long-Drink.
"Sharing," Maureen said.
"Those are good things to do," I agreed, "and if that's what we all say we're here for, well, we could
do a lot worse. But everyone in this roomтАФexcept you, DuckтАФwas within earshot the night I first
proposed opening this joint and agreed to run it. Anybody here remember why? Anybody recall what
we said it was gonna be for, that night?"
Light was dawning all around.