Free K-Pax by Gene Brewer Page A

y   knees .   I t   wa s   the n   tha t   I   understoo d   wit h   crysta l   clarit y   tha t   I wa sa morta l huma n being.
    M y   wif e   wa s   wonderfull y   understandin g   throughou t   th e   ensuin g   ordeal-sh e   i s   a   psychiatri c   nurse hersel f   -   thoug h   sh e   finall y insiste d   I   see k   professiona l   hel p   fo r   m y frustratin g   impotence .   Th e   onl y   thing tha t cam e fro m thi s wa s th e "revelation " tha tI harbore d tremendou s guil t feeling s abou t   m y father' s   death. Bu t i t   wasn' t   unti lI   finall y passe d   th e   ag e   h e   wa s   whe n   h e   die d   tha t   th e   (midlife )   crisi s   mercifull y   ended an dI wa s abl e t o resum e m y conjuga l duties.
    Durin g tha t   miserabl e   six-mont h   perio d   I   thin k   I   hate d   m y   fathe r   mor e   tha n   ever .   No t   onl y   ha d   he chose n m y caree r fo r m e an d precipitate da lifelon g guil t complex , but , thirt y year s afte r   hi s   death ,   h e   had nearl y manage d t o rui n m y se x lif e a s well!
     
     
     
    STEV E di d eve n bette r tha n h e promised .   H e   faxe d   th e   astronomica l   data ,   includin g   a   computerized printou t o fa sta r char t o f th e nigh t sk y a s see n fro m th e hypothetica l plane t K-PAX , directl y t o m y office. Mrs . Trexle r wa s quit e amuse d b y th e latter , referrin g t o i t a s m y "connect-the-dots."
    Arme d wit h thi s information , whic h pro t coul d no t possibl y hav e ha d i n hi s possession ,I me t   wit h   him agai n a t th e usua l tim e o n Wednesday . O f cours eI kne w h e coul d no t b e   a   spac e   travele r   an y   mor e   than ou r residen t   Jesu s   Chris t   coul d   hav e   stepped-ou t   o f   th e   Ne w   Testament .   Bu t   I   wa s   nonetheles s   curious a s t o jus t wha t thi s ma n coul d pul l fro m th e recesse s o f hi s unpredictable , thoug h certainl y human , mind.
    H e   cam e   int o   m y examinin g   roo m   precede d   b y   hi s   standar d   Cheshire-ca t   grin .   I   wa s   read y   fo r   him wit h a whol e baske t o f   fruit ,   whic h   h e   du g   int o   wit h   relish .   A s   h e   devoure d   thre e   bananas ,   tw o   oranges,
    an d a n appl e h e aske d m ea fe w question s abou t Erni e an d Howie . Mos t   patient s   expres s   som e   curiosity abou t thei r fello w inmate s and ,   withou t   divulgin g anythin g   confidential ,   I   di d   no t   hesitat e   t o   answe r   them. Whe nI though t h e wa s relaxe d an d read yI turne d o n th e recorde r an d w e began.
    T o   summarize ,   h e   kne w   everythin g   abou t   th e   newl y   discovere d   sta r   system .   Ther e   wa s   some discrepanc y   i n   hi s   descriptio n   o f   th e   wa y   K-PA X   revolve d   aroun d   th e   tw o   star s   i t   wa s   associated with-h e   claime d   i t   wa s   no t   a   figur e   eigh t   bu t   somethin g   simpler-an d   th e   correspondin g   lengt h   o f   the putativ e planet' s yea r wa s   no t   wha t   Stev e   or ,   rather ,   Dr .   Flyn n   ha d   calculated .   Bu t   th e   res t   o f   i t   fi t quite well :   th e   siz e   an d   brightnes s   o f   Agap e   an d   Sator i   (hi s   K-MO N   an d   K-RIL) ,   th e   periodicit y   o f   their rotatio n   abou t   eac h   other ,   th e   nex t   closes t   star ,   etc .   O f   cours e   i t   coul d   hav e   bee n   a   serie s   o f   lucky guesses , o r perhap s h e wa s readin g m y mind , thoug h th e test s   showe d   n o   specia l   aptitud e   fo r   thi s   ability. I t seeme d   t o   m e   mor e   likely ,   however ,   tha t   thi s   patien t   coul d   someho w   divin e   arcan e