"Damn it, the more I tell you the less you believe. I never should have
told you the truth at all. I should have just said my wife's suffering
from amnesia and let it go at that."
"I'm not an engineer either," Victor answered. "I can't just twist a
screw and restore the proper functioning of the memory mechanism. I've
got to know the whole truth, Mr. Fairfield, the whole truth."
"How come my wife is Mimi and I'm Mr. Fairfield?"
"I'm sorry," Victor stammered, "I--"
"Donald, you're embarrassing him," Mimi interrupted.
"Just joshing, pulling your toe, or leg, or some such," Donald assured
him. "We might as well be friends, at least. Make it Donald too. I might
even take your autograph back with me. I think the fights are on
television. Want to watch?"
"I'll just do up the dishes, dear," Mimi said.
"I'm afraid I don't care much for the prize fights," Victor said.
"Just sit where you are then, and relax. I'm going to watch them. Won't
see many more of them before we go," he said, throwing a lowering glance
at his wife as he left the room. He returned in a few moments, however,
before the two of them had had time to begin a conversation, and
addressed Victor, "Sorry to interfere, promise I won't interrupt again.
I'm sure you two are making just miles of progress and I dislike the
role of an impedance, but a phrase just popped into my head and I'm sure
I won't be able to concentrate on the fights properly until it's
resolved. I wonder, Dr. Quink, if you could possibly tell me if this is
the age that is so fond of saying that idiots walk with God? You know
what I mean, that they don't need their wit because God's hand is on
their shoulder, so to speak, and that's why et cetera? Childish,
perhaps, but touching, don't you think?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Fairfield," Victor replied, "but I hadn't heard the
phrase before. Perhaps I'm just unfamiliar with it, or more probably you
picked it up elsewhere on your travels."
"Mmmm," Donald answered, somewhat noncommittally, "perhaps. Well, don't
let me detain you. I'll just run along. Vaya con Dios," he waved as he
left the room. They waited a few seconds in silence, but he didn't
return.
* * * * *
"Will you take him on as a patient?" Mimi asked when they heard the
first roaring of the crowd from the living-room.
"I'd like to very much, if you want me to. He's a fascinating case. But
it won't be easy, it's going to take time."
"Oh, that's all right," she assured him. "He's not dangerous, and we've
plenty of money. Take all the time you want."
"You know," he said, "I don't mind admitting I'm pretty bewildered by
now." He shook his head two or three times, as if to clear it, then
asked, "Where does the money come from?"
"I don't know."
"I mean, what does he do for a living?"
"I don't know. Did you ask him?"
"Not yet. He'll probably say he brought the money from the future."
"Uh-huh," she agreed.
"Well, don't you even know where your husband gets his money?"
"No."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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