"Charles Stross - Trunk and Disorderly" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stross Charles)

TRUNK AND DISORDERLY
by Charles Stross

Charles Stross has been in rehab since 2004, recovering from the
bad attack of singularitis that led to the Accelerando outbreak. His
doctors report that he is much improved since the excision of his
dot-com gland, and may eventually be capable of writing normal SF
again, under suitably controlled circumstances, although he is
unlikely ever to return to his previous proto-Ballardian normality.
The following story was discovered cunningly encoded in a scarf he
was crocheting at the clinic; we believe it may cast some light on his
illness.

****

1. In Which Laura Departs and Fiona Makes a Request

тАЬI want you to know, darling, that IтАЩm leaving you for another sex
robotтАФand sheтАЩs twice the man youтАЩll ever be,тАЭ Laura explained as she
flounced over to the front door, wafting an alluring aroma of mineral oil
behind her.

Our arguments always began like that: this one was following the
script perfectly. I followed her into the hall, unsure precisely what cue IтАЩd
missed this time. тАЬLauraтАФтАЭ

She stopped abruptly, a faint whine coming from her ornately
sculpted left knee. тАЬIтАЩm leaving,тАЭ she told me, deliberately pitching her voice
in a modish mechanical monotone. тАЬYou canтАЩt stop me. YouтАЩre not paying
my maintenance. IтАЩm a free woman, and I donтАЩt have to put up with your
moods!тАЭ

The hell of it is, she was right. IтАЩd been neglecting her lately, being
overly preoccupied with my next autocremation attempt. тАЬIтАЩm terribly sorry,тАЭ
I said. тАЬBut can we talk about this later? You donтАЩt have to walk out right this
instantтАФтАЭ

тАЬThereтАЩs nothing to talk about.тАЭ She jerked into motion again, reaching
for the door handle. тАЬYouтАЩve been ignoring me for months, darling: IтАЩm sick
of trying to get through to you! You said last time that youтАЩd try not to be so
distant, but look how that turned out.тАЭ She sighed and froze the pose for a
moment, the personification of glittering mechanistic melodrama. тАЬYou
didnтАЩt mean it. IтАЩm sick of waiting for you, Ralph! If you really loved me youтАЩd
face up to the fact that youтАЩre an obsessive-compulsive, and get your
wetware fixed so that you could pay me the attention I deserve. Until then,
IтАЩm out of here!тАЭ

The door opened. She spun on one chromed stiletto heel, and swept
out of my life in a swish of antique Givenchy and ozone.