"Donald Westlake - SH4 - The World's A Stage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Westlake Donald E)

Hester said, тАЬMaybe all their weather comes from the other side.тАЭ

тАЬAre the things still out there?тАЭ

тАЬTheyтАЩre gone, Councilman Luthguster,тАЭ Pam said. тАЬYou can come out.тАЭ

тАЬTell him to leave the microphone inside,тАЭ Ensign Benson called up the ladder, then said to the captain,
тАЬletтАЩs go find out the story here.тАЭ

тАЬI suppose we have to.тАЭ

The captain and the ensign and Billy crossed the dusty field, meeting part way a frazzled woman wearing
many frilly-but-worn garments and carrying a carpetbag. Smiling rather maniacally at Billy and speaking
with an almost impenetrable southern accent complicated by many odd little pauses, she said, тАЬAh
haveтАжallwuz dependedтАжon theтАжkahndness of stranjuhs.тАЭ

тАЬMe too,тАЭ said Billy.

тАЬAs for me,тАЭ said Ensign Benson, тАЬIтАЩve never depended on the kindness of strangers. Seems to work
better somehow.тАЭ

In the living room, the man burped and yelled, тАЬStella!тАЭ

The frazzled woman stopped, frowned at Ensign Benson and said, completely without accent or
affectation,
тАЬSay. WhatтАЩs your story?тАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs what I meant to ask you,тАЭ Ensign Benson said. тАЬWhatтАЩs your story?тАЭ

тАЬA Streetcar Named Desire, of course.тАЭ

Billy said, тАЬWhatтАЩs a streetcar?тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩll tell you what my desire is,тАЭ Ensign Benson said, but the captain got there first, stepping forward to
say, тАЬMadam, if you please, take me to your leader.тАЭ

тАЬUs,тАЭ said Ensign Benson

тАЬOh, that story,тАЭ said the woman.



Royal-blue carpet with the Presidential seal in the middle. Large wooden desk, flanked by flags. The
Oval Office.

Coming around his desk, smiling, hand outstretched, the President of the United States greeted the
people from Earth. тАЬWelcome back. Your safe return from barren Aldebaran has ignited the spirit of
mankind. Welcome home to Earth.тАЭ