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<p>Page 13.</p>
<p>My three graduate lab assistants were
already in the Glass Room: Jason, Elaine, and Kathline. Kathline was
the one who wasn&rsquo;t Chinese. I was supposed to be teaching them
something while they worked for me, but I had never been sure what.
They in turn had decided I was unlikely to help their careers, and
spent their time making the robot arms perform obscene gestures and
shooting each other with cytoplasms. I only once saw them look at all
interested in what I was doing, and that was when I was in Lab 4,
tying my shirt around my stump, trying not to die.</p>
<p>There was an awkward silence. Elaine
said bravely, &ldquo;Welcome back.&rdquo; Kathline nodded. Jason
glanced at my pant leg, the one that hung off the edge of my office
chair like a flat noodle, then away. I think he was angry at me for
provoking this situation, the pressure to be sympathetic.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Thank you.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Silence descended again. Kathline
shuffled her feet. Elaine cleared her throat. &ldquo;If there&rsquo;s
anything we can do...&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Oh,&rdquo; I said. &ldquo;There
is.&rdquo;</p>