K-Pax Read Free

here."
    "Anyon e wh o want s t o com e t o Eart h ma y d o so?"
    "Anyon e o n K-PAX . An da numbe r o f othe r PLANETS , o f course."
    "Di d anyon e com e wit h you?"
    "No."
    "Wh y di d yo u wan t t o com e t o Earth?"
    "Severa l reasons . Fo r one , EART H i sa particularl y livel y plac e a s see n an d hear d fro m space . An d   it i s a Clas s III- B PLANET."
    "Meanin g .. . ?"
    "Meanin g earl y stag e o f evolution , futur e uncertain."
    " I see . An d i s thi s you r firs t tri p t o ou r planet?"
    "Oh , no . I'v e bee n her e man y times."
    "Whe n wa s th e firs t time?"
    "I n 1963 , you r calendar."
    "An d ha s anyon e els e fro m K-PA X visite d us?"
    "No .I a m th e first."
    "I' m relieve d t o hea r that."
    "Why?"
    "Let' s jus t sa y i t woul d caus ea lo t o f peopl ea certai n amoun t o f consternation."
    "Why? " .
    "I f yo u don' t mind , I' d rathe r w e tal k abou t yo u today . Woul d tha t b e al l right?"
    "I f yo u wish."
    "Good . Now-wher e els e hav e yo u been ? Aroun d th e universe ,I mean."
    " I hav e bee n t o sixty-fou r PLANET S withi n ou r GALAXY."
    "An d o n ho w man y o f thos e hav e yo u encountere d life?"
    "Why , o n al l o f them . Th e one s tha t   ar e   barre n   don' t   interes t   me .   O f   cours e   ther e   ar e   thos e   wh o   are fascinate d b y rock s an d weathe r pattern s and-"
    "Sixty-fou r planet s wit h intelligen t life?"
    "Al l lif e i s intelligent."
    "Well , ho w man y hav e huma n being s suc h a s ourselves?"
    "EART H i s th e onl y on e wit h th e specie s hom o sapien s tha tI hav e   visite d   s o   far .   Bu t   w e   kno w   there ar ea fe w other s her e an d there."
    "Wit h intelligen t life?"
    "No , wit h huma n life .   Th e   PLANET S   tha t   suppor t   lif e numbe r   int o   th e   millions ,   possibl y   th e   billions. O f cours e w e haven' t visite d the m all . Tha t i s onl ya roug h estimate."
    `We ' meanin g inhabitant s o f K-PAX."
    "K-PAXians , NOLLians , FLORians..."
    "Thos e ar e othe r race s o n you r hom e planet?"
    "No .   The y   ar e   inhabitant s   o f   othe r   worlds. "   Mos t   delusional s   ar e   confuse d   t o   th e   poin t   tha t   they
    stutte r   o r   stumbl e   considerabl y   whe n   tryin g   t o   answe r   comple x   question s   i n   a   consisten t   manner .   This patien t   wa s   no t   onl y   knowledgeabl e   abou t   a   variet y   o f   arcan e   topics ,   bu t   als o   confiden t   enoug h   o f   his knowledg e   t o   weav e   a   cogen t   story .   I   scribble d   o n   m y   pa d   th e   speculatio n   tha t   h e   migh t   hav e   bee n   a scientist , perhap sa physicis t o r astronomer , an d mad ea furthe r not e t o determin e ho w   fa r   hi s   knowledge extende d int o thos e fields . Fo r now ,I wante d t o lear n somethin g abou t hi s earl y life.
    "Let' s bac k u p jus ta bit , i f yo u don' t mind . I' d lik e yo u t o tel l m e somethin g abou t K-PA X itself."
    "Certainly .   K-PA X   i s   somewha t   bigge r   tha n   you r   PLANET ,   abou t   th e   siz e   o f   NEPTUNE .   I t   i s   a beautifu l   world ,   a s   i s   EARTH ,   o f   course ,   wit h   it s   colo r   an d   variety .   Bu t   K-PA X   i s   als o   ver y   lovely, especiall y whe n K-MO N   an d K-RI L ar e i n conjunction."
    "Wha t ar e K-MO N   an d K-RIL.?"
    "Thos e ar e ou r tw o SUNS . Wha t yo u cal l AGAP E an d SATORI . On e i s muc h large r tha n yours ,   the othe r smaller , bu t bot h ar e farthe r fro m ou r PLANE T tha n you r SU N i s   fro m   yours .   K-MO N   i s   re d   and K-RI L blue.
    Bu t owin g t o ou r large r an d mor e comple x   orbita l   pattern ,   w e   hav e   muc h   longe r   period s   o f   ligh t and darknes s tha n yo u do , an d no t s o muc h variation . Tha t is , mos t o f   th e   tim e   o n