K-PAX IV: A New Visitor From The Constellation Lyra by Gene Brewer

Author:Gene Brewer [Brewer, Gene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, sf, Science fiction, Humour
ISBN: 9781477179611
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
Published: 2007-06-01T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter seven

Karen and I had planned to do some gardening on Thursday, but the rain was still coming down so I spent most of the day (after the hangover wore off) trying to track down the primatologists I had found. Two of them worked for state universities, another at a primate sanctuary for retired chimpanzees. (For those who don’t know what a chimpanzee can be “retired” from, many have spent most of their lives living in research institutions, the subject of various stressful medical experiments.) The others were retired or deceased. I didn’t reach any of them at first—they were all teaching classes or out in the field—but one of them, Dr. Ellen Tewksbury, an ethologist from Texas, returned my call within the hour. As luck would have it she had read the K-PAX trilogy, and she proclaimed that she would give a “limb” to speak with fled.

I explained the situation: our visitor apparently harbored at least one alter ego, who appeared to be a chimpanzee, and we needed a primate who could both speak with another ape and use sign language to communicate any messages to Dr. Tewksbury, who would then relay the information to me.

She seemed barely able to contain her anticipation, so I asked her if she could get to New York by Monday.

“Filbert and I will be on our way tomorrow!” Though she seemed older, the enthusiasm in her voice reminded me of Giselle Griffin, the former reporter who was now on K-PAX with prot and the others.

“Good! You can stay with my wife and me if you like. We need to preview the session you’ll be participating in, as well as discuss your expenses and so forth.”

“Well…”

“Yes?”

“I’m not sure you want to accomodate a chimpanzee in your home, Dr. Brewer.”

“Oh. Yes, I see what you mean.”

“But that’s not a problem! I have a friend in Jersey who would be happy to put us up. He’s quite familiar with chimpanzee behavior. I’ll have to drive the van, though, so it will take us a couple of days. I’ll call you when we get in, okay?”

“Are you sure this isn’t too much trouble for you?”

“Are you kidding? This is my job. If I passed up an opportunity like this, I’d never forgive myself!”

How I wish the people down at Wal-Mart felt that way about theirs.

* * *

The government-appointed neurobiologist came early, and was considerably annoyed when Officer Wilson at the gate wouldn’t grant him entrée until I could get to the hospital. As a symbol of protest, I suppose, he stood in the drizzle like a statue until I arrived. He was bald as an egg, the man, and wore a soaking wet knee-length lab coat as he waited in the rainy street clutching an ancient medical bag as if he were planning to do a few house calls after seeing fled. Presumably it contained whatever equipment he needed for her neurological exam. He was still fidgeting and seething as I escorted him into the building. Though I had been told he was ‘nameless,’ he nevertheless glumly introduced himself as “Dr.

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