k　is　normal。　It's　not　a　story；　and　the　warden　won't　appreciate　you　dragging　it　out　to　heighten　the　suspense。〃

〃I　won't。〃

〃Okay。　Off　you　go。〃

He　started　for　the　door；　then　turned　back。　The　one　thing　you　could　count　on　with　him　was　contrariness。　I　desperately　wanted　him　gone；　my　groin　was　on　fire；　and　now　he　didn't　seem　to　want　to　go。

〃Are　you　all　right；　Paul？〃　he　asked。　〃Running　a　fever；　maybe？　Got　a　touch　of　the　grippe？　Cause　there's　sweat　all　over　your　face。〃

〃I　might　have　a　touch　of　something；　but　mostly　I'm　fine；〃　I　said。　〃Go　on；　Percy；　tell　the　warden。〃

He　nodded　and　left　…　thank　Christ　for　small　favors。　As　soon　as　the　door　was　closed；　I　lunged　into　my　office。　Leaving　the　duty　desk　unmanned　was　against　regulations；　but　I　was　beyond　caring　about　that。　It　was　bad　…　like　it　had　been　that　morning。

I　managed　to　get　into　the　little　toilet　cubicle　behind　the　desk　and　to　get　my　business　out　of　my　pants　before　the　urine　started　to　gush；　but　it　was　a　near　thing。　I　had　to　put　a　hand　over　my　mouth　to　stifle　a　scream　as　I　began　to　flow；　and　grabbed　blindly　for　the　lip　of　the　washstand　with　the　other。　It　wasn't　like　my　house；　where　I　could　fall　to　my　knees　and　piss　a　puddle　beside　the　woodpile；　if　I　went　to　my　knees　here；　the　urine　would　go　all　over　the　floor。

I　managed　to　keep　my　feet　and　not　to　scream；　but　it　was　a　close　thing　on　both　counts。　It　felt　like　my　urine　had　been　filled　with　tiny　slivers　of　broken　glass。　The　smell　ing