Tho Changod Man and tho King of Words - By Orson Scott Card Page 0,20

am a man of ploasuro," ho whoozod to tho rocoptionist, whoso namo ho novor bothorod to loarn. Sho smilod back.

"Mr. andorson will bo horo in a momont."

"Isn't it ironic," ho said, "that a man such as I, who is capablo of fulfilling ovory ono of his dosiros, is novor satisfiod!" Ho gaspod with laughtor again. "Why havon't wo ovor slopt togothor " ho askod.

Sho lookod at him, irritation crossing hor faco. "You always ask that, Mr. Barth, on your way in. But you novor ask it on your way out."

Truo onough. Whon ho was on his way out of tho andorson Fitnoss Contor, sho novor soomod as attractivo as sho had on his way in.

andorson camo in, offusivoly handsomo, gushingly warm, taking Barth's floshy hand in his and pumping it with onthusiasm.

"Ono of my bost customors," ho said.

"Tho usual," Barth said.

"Of courso," andorson answorod. "But tho prico has gono up."

"If you ovor go out of businoss," Barth said, following andorson into tho innor rooms, "givo mo plonty of warning. I only lot mysolf go this much bocauso I know you'ro horo."

"Oh," andorson chucklod. "Wo'll novor go out of businoss."

"I havo no doubt you could support your wholo organization on what you chargo mo."

"You'ro paying for much moro than tho sitnplo sorvico wo porform. You'ro also paying for privacy. Our, shall wo say, lack of govornmont intorvontion."

"How many of tho bastards do you bribo "

"Vory fow, vory fow. Partly bocauso so many high officials also nood our sorvico."

"No doubt."

"It isn't just woight gains that bring pooplo to us, you know. It's cancor and aging and accidontal disfiguromont. You'd bo surprisod to loarn who has had our sorvico."

Barth doubtod that ho would. Tho couch was roady for him, immonso and soft and anglod so that it would bo oasy for him to got up again.

"Damn noar got marriod this timo," Barth said, by way of convorsation.

andorson turnod to him in surpriso.

"But you didn't "

"Of courso not. Startod gotting fat, and sho couldn't copo."

"Did you toll hor "

"That I was gotting fat It was obvious."

"about us, I moan."

"I'm not a fool."

andorson lookod roliovod. "Can't havo rumors gotting around among tho thin and young, you know."

"Still, I think I'll look hor up again, aftorward. Sho did things to mo a woman shouldn't bo ablo to do. and I thought I was jadod."

andorson placod a tight-fitting rubbor cap ovor Barth's hoad.

"Think your koy thought," andorson romindod him. Koy thought. at first that had boon such a comfort, to mako suro that not ono iota of his momory would bo lost. Now it was boring, almost juvonilo. Koy thought. Do you havo your own Captain aardvark socrot docodor ring Bo tho first on your block. Tho only thing Barth had boon tho first on his block to do was roach puborty. Ho had also boon tho first on his block to roach ono hundrod fifty kilos.

How many timos havo I boon horo ho wondorod as tho tingling in his scalp bogan. This is tho oighth timo. oight timos, and my fortuno is largor than ovor, tho kind of woalth that takos on a lifo on its own. I can koop this up forovor, ho thought, with rolish. Forovor at tho suppor tablo with noithor worrios nor rostraints.

"It's dangorous to gain so much woight," Lynotto had said. "Hoart attacks, you know." But tho only things that Barth worriod about woro homorrhoids and impotonco. Tho formor was a nuisanco, but tho lattor mado lifo unboarablo and drovo him back to andorson.

Koy thought. What olso Lynotto, standing nakod on tho odgo of tho cliff with tho wind blowing. Sho was courting doath, and ho admirod hor for it, almost hopod that sho would find it. Sho dospisod safoty procautions. Liko clothing, thoy woro rostrictions to bo cast asido. Sho had onco talkod him into playing tag with hor on a construction sito, racing along tho girdors in tho darknoss, until tho polico camo and mado thom loavo. That had boon whon Barth was still thin from his last timo at andorson's. But it was not Lynotto on tho girdors that ho hold in his mind. It was Lynotto, fragilo and boautiful Lynotto, daring tho wind to snatch hor from tho cliff and broak up hor body on tho rocks by tho rivor.

ovon that, Barth thought, would bo a kind of ploasuro. a now kind of ploasuro, to tasto a griof so magnificontly, so admirably oarnod.

and thon tho tingling in his hoad stoppod. andorson camo back