K-Pax (5 page)
"Than
k
you
.
I
will.
"
M
y
repl
y
sound
s
a
bi
t
peevis
h
o
n
rehearin
g
th
e
tape
.
"I
f
I
understan
d
you
correctly
,
then
,
yo
u
di
d
no
t
com
e
t
o
Eart
h
i
n
a
spaceship
.
Yo
u
sor
t
o
f
`hitche
d
a
ride
'
o
n
a
bea
m
o
f
light."
"Yo
u
coul
d
cal
l
i
t
that;"
"Ho
w
lon
g
di
d
i
t
tak
e
yo
u
t
o
ge
t
t
o
Eart
h
fro
m
you
r
planet?"
"N
o
tim
e
a
t
all
.
Tachyons
,
yo
u
see
,
trave
l
faste
r
tha
n
ligh
t
and
,
therefore
,
backwar
d
i
n
time
.
Time
passe
s
fo
r
th
e
traveler
,
o
f
course
,
an
d
h
e
become
s
olde
r
tha
n
h
e
wa
s
whe
n
h
e
left."
"An
d
ho
w
lon
g
hav
e
yo
u
bee
n
her
e
o
n
Earth?"
"Fou
r
year
s
an
d
nin
e
months
.
You
r
years
,
tha
t
is."
"An
d
tha
t
make
s
yo
u
ho
w
ol
d
now
?
I
n
Eart
h
terms
,
o
f
course."
"Thre
e
hundre
d
an
d
thirty-seven."
"Yo
u
ar
e
thre
e
hundre
d
an
d
thirty-seve
n
year
s
old?"
"Yes."
"Al
l
right
.
Pleas
e
tel
l
m
e
a
little
.
mor
e
abou
t
yourself.
"
Althoug
h
I
recognize
d
th
e
unrealit
y
o
f
th
e
man's
story
,
i
t
i
s
standar
d
psychiatri
c
practic
e
t
o
dra
w
ou
t
a
n
amnesiaca
l
patien
t
i
n
hope
s
o
f
obtaining
informatio
n
abou
t
hi
s
tru
e
background.
"Yo
u
mea
n
befor
e
I
cam
e
t
o
EARTH
?
Or-"
"Let'
s
star
t
wit
h
this
:
Ho
w
di
d
yo
u
happe
n
t
o
b
e
chose
n
t
o
mak
e
th
e
journe
y
fro
m
you
r
plane
t
to
ours?"
No
w
th
e
patien
t
wa
s
actuall
y
grinnin
g
a
t
me
.
Thoug
h
i
t
seeme
d
innocen
t
enough
,
perhap
s
even
ingenuous
,
I
foun
d
mysel
f
porin
g
throug
h
hi
s
fil
e
rathe
r
tha
n
gaz
e
a
t
hi
s
Cheshire-ca
t
fac
e
i
n
dar
k
glasses.
H
e
said
,
"'Chosen.
'
That'
s
a
peculiarl
y
huma
n
concept.
"
I
looke
d
u
p
t
o
fin
d
hi
m
scratchin
g
hi
s
chi
n
and
searchin
g
th
e
ceilin
g
i
n
a
n
apparen
t
attemp
t
t
o
locat
e
th
e
appropriat
e
word
s
t
o
explai
n
hi
s
loft
y
thoughts t
o
someon
e
a
s
lowl
y
a
s
myself
.
Wha
t
h
e
.
cam
e
u
p
wit
h
was
:
"
I
wante
d
t
o
com
e
an
d
I
a
m
here."
"Anyon
e
wh
o
want
s
t
o
com
e
t
o
Eart
h
ma
y
d
o
so?"
"Anyon
e
o
n
K-PAX
.
An
d
a
numbe
r
o
f
othe
r
PLANETS
,
o
f
course."
"Di
d
anyon
e
com
e
wit
h
you?"
"No."
"Wh
y
di
d
yo
u
wan
t
t
o
com
e
t
o
Earth?"
"Severa
l
reasons
.
Fo
r
one
,
EART
H
i
s
a
particularl
y
livel
y
plac
e
a
s
see
n
an
d
hear
d
fro
m
space
.
An
d
it
i
s
a
Clas
s
III-
B
PLANET."
"Meanin
g
..
.
?"
"Meanin
g
earl
y
stag
e
o
f
evolution
,
futur
e
uncertain."
"
I
see
.
An
d
i
s
thi
s
you
r
firs
t
tri
p
t
o
ou
r
planet?"
"Oh
,
no
.
I'v
e
bee
n
her
e
man
y
times."
"Whe
n
wa
s
th
e
firs
t
time?"
"I
n
1963
,
you
r
calendar."
"An
d
ha
s
anyon
e
els
e
fro
m
K-PA
X
visite
d
us?"
"No
.
I
a
m
th
e
first."
"I'
m
relieve
d
t
o
hea
r
that."
"Why?"
"Let'
s
jus
t
sa
y
i
t
woul
d
caus
e
a
lo
t
o
f
peopl
e
a
certai
n
amoun
t
o
f
consternation."
"Why?
"
.
"I
f
yo
u
don'
t
mind
,
I'
d
rathe
r
w
e
tal
k
abou
t
yo
u
today
.
Woul
d
tha
t
b
e
al
l
right?"
"I
f
yo
u
wish."
"Good
.
Now-wher
e
els
e
hav
e
yo
u
been
?
Aroun
d
th
e
universe
,
I
mean."
"
I
hav
e
bee
n
t
o
sixty-fou
r
PLANET
S
withi
n
ou
r
GALAXY."