K-Pax Read Online Free PDF Page B

them?"
    "Ar e yo u stil l beatin g you r wife?"
    " I don' t understand."
     
    "You r   question s   ar e   phrase d   fro m   th e   poin t   o f   vie w   o f   a n   EART H   person .   O n   K-PA X   the y   would b e nonsense."
     
     
    "M r pro t –"
     
     
    "Jus t prot."
     
     
    "Let' s establis h som e sor t o f groun d rule s fo r thes e sessions , shal l we ? I' m sur e yo u wil l forgiv e m e i f I
    phras e m y question s fro m th e poin t o f vie w o f a n Eart h perso n since , i n fact , tha t i s wha tI am . I
    coul d   no t   phras e   the m   i n K-PAXia n   term s   eve n   i fI   wante d   t o   becaus e   I   a m   no t   familia r   wit h   your wa y   o f   life .   I   a m   goin g   t o   as k   yo u   t o   humo r   me ,   t o   bea r   wit h   m e   i n   this .   Pleas e   tr y   t o   answe r   the question s   i n th e   bes t   wa y   yo u   can ,   usin g   Eart h   expressions ,   whic h   yo u   see m   t o   b e   quit e   familia r   with, wheneve r possible . Woul d tha t b ea fai r reques t unde r th e circumstances?"
    " I a m happ y yo u hav e sai d that . Perhap s w e ca n lear n fro m eac h other."
    "I f yo u ar e happy ,I a m happ y too . Now , i f yo u ar e ready , mayb e yo u coul d tel l m ea littl e abou t your parents . Fo r example , d o yo u kno w wh o you r mothe r an d fathe r are ? Hav e yo u eve r me t them?"
    " I hav e me t m y mother .I hav e no t ye t ru n acros s m y father." It' s hi s fathe r th e patien t hates ! `Ru n across'?"
    "K-PA X i sa bi g place."
    "Bu t surely-"
    "O r i f I hav e me t him , n o on e ha s pointe d ou t ou r biologica l relationship."
    "Ar e ther e man y peopl e o n you r plane t wh o don' t kno w wh o thei r father s are?"
    H e   grinne d   a t   this ,   quickl y   pickin g   u p   o n   th e   doubl e   meaning .   "Mos t   d o   not .   I t   i s   no t   a n   important thing."
    "Bu t yo u kno w you r mother."

"Purel ya coincidence .A mutua l acquaintanc e happene d t o mentio n ou r biologica l connection."
    "Tha t   i s   difficul t   fo r   a n   Eart h   perso n   t o   understand .   Perhap s   yo u   coul d   explai n   wh y   you r   `biological connections ' ar e no t importan t t o you."
    "Wh y shoul d the y be?"
    "Because-uh , fo r now , le t m e as k th e questions , an d yo u giv e th e answers , al l right?"
    "Sometime sa questio n i s th e bes t answer."
    " I suppos e yo u don' t kno w ho w man y brother s an d sister s yo u have."
    "O n K-PA X w e ar e al l siblings."
    " I mean t biologica l siblings."
    " I woul d b e surprise d   i f ther e   wer e   any .   Almos t   n o   on e   ha s   mor e   tha n   on e   child ,   fo r   reason s   I   have alread y explained."
    "Isn' t ther e pee r pressur e o r governmen t incentive s t o mak e sur e you r specie s doesn' t di e out?"
    "Ther e i s n o governmen t o n K-PAX."
    "Wha t d o yo u mean-it' s a n anarchy?"
    "That' s a s goo da wor d a s any."
    "Bu t wh o build s th e roads ? Th e hospitals ? Wh o run s th e schools?"
    "Really , gene , it' s no t tha t difficul t t o understand . O n K-PAX , on e doe s wha t need s t o b e done."
    "Wha t i f n o on e notice s tha t somethin g need s   t o   b e   done ?   Wha t   i f someon e   know s   somethin g   needs t o b e don e bu t refuse s t o d o it ? Wha t i f a perso n decide s t o d o nothing?"
    "Tha t doesn' t happe n o n K-PAX."
    "Never?"
    "Wha t woul d b e th e point?"
    "Well , t o expres s dissatisfactio n ove r th e wage s bein g paid , fo r on e thing."
    "W e don' t hav e `wages ' o n K-PAX . O r mone y o f an y kind." I jotte d thi s down . "N o money ? Wha t d o yo u barte r with?"
    "W e   don' t   `barter. '   Yo u   reall y   shoul d   lear n   t o   liste n   t o   you r   patients ,   doctor .   I   tol d   yo u   befor e   -   if somethin g   need s   t o   b e