"Philip E. High - Butterfly Planet" - читать интересную книгу автора (High Phillip E)

“Well, Mr. Maynard, we have been through your tapes and, yes, certainly, there is a slight variation from
the norm—Oh, do sit down—no—over there in the light, please."

They drew up chairs facing him. “According to your record, you were an uninspired but conscientious
worker. You were also highly ethical—why?"

“I don't quite understand—"

“You made no money on the side, disposing of waste material. Everyone else did, why didn't you?"

“It wasn't my property."

“Quite so, and was this principle or fear of the consequences?"

Maynard flushed angrily. “I never bothered to reason it out. One abides by a set of rules or one doesn't."

“What rules, no one else abided by them, why should you?"

Maynard half rose. “The rules were there, because others brushed them off I don't have to follow suit."

“You are an individualist?"
“I stand on my own feet if that's what you mean."

“Excellent, but we should like to hear if, due to these self-imposed principles, you felt noble or superior
to your fellows."

“I don't know what you're getting at but I never really thought about it. All I considered was living
comfortably with myself."

They looked at him expressionlessly, then one of them said: “You keep yourself to yourself, do you think
you are different from other people?"

“Not really, they just don't seem to like the things I like. No common ground, if you understand me."

“Yet your popularity rating is reasonably high—how do you account for that?"

“I mind my own business and I like to listen."

“Reason enough, we can proceed from there. Can you think of anything which makes you different from
others?"

“No."

“You have no creative talents?"

“I play a harmonica, read verse and like classical music—no."

“Have you thought of, studied, or experienced any form of extra-sensory perception?"