"We're so glad with you," the girl on Kane's lap said. She crushed her lips over his mouth and pressed her body against him. Kane couldn't say that was affecting him adversely. In fact, if there weren't all these other people around—
"We're nice together," Laura breathed against his lips.
Everyone was so damn glad to see him. All they needed were banners, little pins. Official Welcoming Party to Greet the Arrival of Professor Larry Kane.
Kane managed to look out the window as they crossed the Tri-Borough Bridge at 125th Street and started up the East River Drive.
"Things haven't changed much," Kane said. "Not nearly so much traffic though."
"The saucers," Phil said. "Most of the traffic's up in the air."
"We're looking at things," Laura said.
"Great old town," Ben said and laughed, on and on. Jenny laughed too, then said. "It looks just the same almost as when we left."
They're all speaking for me. Kane thought. Funny, a damned funny custom. It was a reflection of something else. What did it really mean? His feeling of unease seemed exaggerated. But then their efforts to make him welcome seemed pretty exaggerated too....
"Everybody happy?" the fat man yelled.