Free The World Behind the Door by Mike Resnick Page A
Authors: Mike Resnick
again!"
      She laughed. "All right, you're safe. For the moment." She stared at him. "You didn't wash your face after lunch."
      "Oh?"
      "You've got something on your upper lip."
      " That ," he explained with some dignity, "is the beginning of my mustache."
      "Why are you growing a mustache?" she asked.
      "To make myself unique, as we discussed."
      "Maybe it has escaped your attention," said Jinx, obviously unimpressed, "but millions of men have mustaches."
      "Not like mine will be," answered Dali confidently. "It may take me a year, it may take me five years, but when I am done it will be the most recognizable mustache in the entire world. The ends of it will be four inches long, and I will wax them and train them to stand straight up."
      "It'll be distinctive, that's for sure," said Jinx. "What will Gala say when she sees it?"
      "What do I care?" Dali shot back. "It is my mustache." He paused uncomfortably. "Besides, I will make sure she sees it from a distance first."
      "Or perhaps in a crowd?" suggested Jinx.
      "That would not deter her," he replied grimly.
      "Deter her from what?"
      "Don't ask."
      "You make me very afraid of her," said Jinx.
      "Welcome to the club," he said wryly.
      "Then why do you keep seeing her?"
      "Because while I may occasionally fear for my life in her presence, the fact remains that I love her more than life itself," answered Dali.
      "I hope it doesn't come to a choice," said Jinx.
      "Between what?" he asked, confused.
      "Between Gala and life itself."
      "She only wants what is best for me," said Dali defensively. "Just as you do."
      "Then why are you not afraid of me?" asked Jinx.
      "Let us change the subject."
      "Whatever you wish."
      "I wish to discuss some ideas with you," said Dali.
      "I am flattered," said Jinx. "What shall we discuss?"
      "Many things," answered Dali. "It is finally time to systematize confusion and thus to help discredit completely the world of reality."
      "You have been thinking about what I said," replied Jinx happily.
      "I have. It is time for a break with my past. When I created the film, Un Chien Andalou , the Surrealists accepted me as one of their ownâbut I am not like them, any more than I am like Picasso, or for that matter Michelangelo. I am Dali, who must be like no one else." He got to his feet. "I grow weary of my world. It is time to visit yours once more."
      "Why?"
      "I have an idea of what I want to paint, but I feel I need to see it once more." He paused. "Will you be my guide?"
      She nodded her assent. "Of course. Otherwise you might get lost and never find your way back."
      "You never get lost on my side of the door," he noted almost enviously.
      "That's because I have a logical mind," answered Jinx. "You are a brilliant man, but logic is not one of your virtues."
      She held out her hand and led him to the closet, then through the door at the back of it, and a moment later he was once again in Jinx's world, where cause followed effect, up was down, and black was white.
      "Hi, there, Jinx," said a voice. "I see you've brought a friend."
      Dali turned and
      She laughed. "All right, you're safe. For the moment." She stared at him. "You didn't wash your face after lunch."
      "Oh?"
      "You've got something on your upper lip."
      " That ," he explained with some dignity, "is the beginning of my mustache."
      "Why are you growing a mustache?" she asked.
      "To make myself unique, as we discussed."
      "Maybe it has escaped your attention," said Jinx, obviously unimpressed, "but millions of men have mustaches."
      "Not like mine will be," answered Dali confidently. "It may take me a year, it may take me five years, but when I am done it will be the most recognizable mustache in the entire world. The ends of it will be four inches long, and I will wax them and train them to stand straight up."
      "It'll be distinctive, that's for sure," said Jinx. "What will Gala say when she sees it?"
      "What do I care?" Dali shot back. "It is my mustache." He paused uncomfortably. "Besides, I will make sure she sees it from a distance first."
      "Or perhaps in a crowd?" suggested Jinx.
      "That would not deter her," he replied grimly.
      "Deter her from what?"
      "Don't ask."
      "You make me very afraid of her," said Jinx.
      "Welcome to the club," he said wryly.
      "Then why do you keep seeing her?"
      "Because while I may occasionally fear for my life in her presence, the fact remains that I love her more than life itself," answered Dali.
      "I hope it doesn't come to a choice," said Jinx.
      "Between what?" he asked, confused.
      "Between Gala and life itself."
      "She only wants what is best for me," said Dali defensively. "Just as you do."
      "Then why are you not afraid of me?" asked Jinx.
      "Let us change the subject."
      "Whatever you wish."
      "I wish to discuss some ideas with you," said Dali.
      "I am flattered," said Jinx. "What shall we discuss?"
      "Many things," answered Dali. "It is finally time to systematize confusion and thus to help discredit completely the world of reality."
      "You have been thinking about what I said," replied Jinx happily.
      "I have. It is time for a break with my past. When I created the film, Un Chien Andalou , the Surrealists accepted me as one of their ownâbut I am not like them, any more than I am like Picasso, or for that matter Michelangelo. I am Dali, who must be like no one else." He got to his feet. "I grow weary of my world. It is time to visit yours once more."
      "Why?"
      "I have an idea of what I want to paint, but I feel I need to see it once more." He paused. "Will you be my guide?"
      She nodded her assent. "Of course. Otherwise you might get lost and never find your way back."
      "You never get lost on my side of the door," he noted almost enviously.
      "That's because I have a logical mind," answered Jinx. "You are a brilliant man, but logic is not one of your virtues."
      She held out her hand and led him to the closet, then through the door at the back of it, and a moment later he was once again in Jinx's world, where cause followed effect, up was down, and black was white.
      "Hi, there, Jinx," said a voice. "I see you've brought a friend."
      Dali turned and