“I didn’t see you.”
“I blurred,” I said. “But you weren’t looking.”
I was back sitting on the bed. I don’t remember getting there.
“Charlie,” I said, “it’s wonderful.”
“What’s wonderful?”
“Everything. Life. Birdies in the trees. Pretzels. A story in less than a second! One second a week I have to work from now on. No more school, no more books, no more teacher’s sassy looks! Charlie, it’s wonderful! ”
He seemed to wake up. He said, “Hank, you’re just beginning to see the possibilities. They’re almost endless, for any profession. Almost anything. ”
“Except,” I said sadly, “Lili St. Cyr and Esther Williams.”
“You’ve got a one-track mind.”
“Two-track,” I said. “I’d settle for either. Charlie, are you positive— ”