”Emmanuelwavedherawayarrogantlylikeabigshotandsaid,

    “Nothankyou.Wewillnotbeback.”Thewomanhurriedlyopehedoorforthem,thankingthemfortheirbusinessandbidthemfarewell,bowiedlyastheywalkedoutontothestreet.

    Thefirstthingthatgreetedtheireyeswasawrinkledoldwomaniricwheelchair.ShewasMelissa,theowheantiqueshopthatalsotoldfortunes.SeeingEmmanuel,sheshouted,

    “Robber!Rivemebackmytortoise!It’smyantique.Whatmadeyouthinkyoucouldtakeitandjustleaveme10!Robber!Robber...”Hershoutingcausedseveralpedestrianstoturntheirheadsandstoptoseewhattheotionwasabout.Salinaimmediatelywenttoher,putsomethinginherpalmwhispering,”Shutup,doyouhearme?”Theoldenedherhandandsawahugesquarenakedrubyrgeasadicefshinginallitsbrilliantcrimsonglory.Shebecamespeechless.HereyeswidenedandhermouthopenedinshockasEmmanuendSalinaughedaloudandwalkedcarelesslyaway.Shecalledafterthem,“Hey!You’reweletodropinanytimetomyantiqueshop!Ifyougolookingforantiques,don’tfetme!Mytarotcardsareveryaccurate.ebyifyouwantyourfortuold…eagain.”Butthetwohadwalkedfarawayanddidurntheirheads.

    Thetwoofthemwalkedaimlesslyarouy.Salinalookedatherselfandsaid,

    “Let’sgosomewheretogetsomenewclothes.Ithinkit’sabouttimetogetridofthesedirtyragsandgeintosomethi.”

    “Sure.Letmeseewherewegetsomehighqualityclothes”repliedEmmaheyturnedaroundtheerofthestreetandcamefacetofacewithahomelesspersonsittingonthepavement.Hewasdressedinraggedclothesandworeanoldolivesafarihat.Thetintedgssesandwhiteesaidthatthiswasablindman.EmmanuelwasshockedandthoughtitwasDimitri,butonsedlookherealizedthatthestaturewasdifferent.Therewasacrackedanddirtybowlinfrontofthebeggarwhichhehitwithafork,ting,“Sparemoney…sparemoney…”Salinalookedsurprisedasifasking,“Whatisthis?”Emmaoldherthisoorblindbeggaraskingformoneyfrompassersby.HealsotoldherthatDimitriusedtobeabeggarjustlikehim.

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    “Poorman!”excimedSalinasympathetically.“Hehasnomoneyandisblind.”Takingsomethingfr,shethrewitintotheblindmaybowl.Theblindmanwasgreatlysurprisedbythegofsomethinginhisbowl.Helookeddownandexcimed,

    “Why,that’sabrilliantgreenemerald!Thawoofyousomuch.Thankyou.Thankyou.”Sayingso,hegrabbedthegemashestoodupandwalkedecstaticallyaway,soexcitedthathefotalbouthiswhitee.

    “Didn’tyousayhewasblind?”excimedSalinalookingatEmmanuelquestionly.“HekhatwhatItosseddownwasagreenemeraldandlookatthewayhewalks.Hedidn’tevenneedhise.”

    “Idon’tknowwhatallthisisabouteither”repliedEmmanuelshrugginghisshoulders.ActuallythemanwasahomelessfriendofDmitri’scalledDavid,whodecidedtoimpersonateDimitribydressinglikehimandmadehislivingbeggingoreetspretendingtobeblind.Thetwoofthemwerena?veanddidnotuandthatthereweredarkelementsofsocietythatlivedoing,swindlingaiowolittlepeoplewerereallylikeasheetofwhitepaper,pletelyunawareofthewaysofthemundaneworld.Theydidnotrealizethatstrollingalongaimlesslyoreetsofthemetropolisputtheminmoredahanwanderinginthewildernessandforestswhereferociousbeastsofpreylurked.

    WhenEmmanuendSalinaresurfaced,theirappearanceshadbeenpletelyged.ThehairdresserwhodidSalina’

”Emmanuelwavedherawayarrogantlylikeabigshotandsaid,

    “Nothankyou.Wewillnotbeback.”Thewomanhurriedlyopehedoorforthem,thankingthemfortheirbusinessandbidthemfarewell,bowiedlyastheywalkedoutontothestreet.

    Thefirstthingthatgreetedtheireyeswasawrinkledoldwomaniricwheelchair.ShewasMelissa,theowheantiqueshopthatalsotoldfortunes.SeeingEmmanuel,sheshouted,

    “Robber!Rivemebackmytortoise!It’smyantique.Whatmadeyouthinkyoucouldtakeitandjustleaveme10!Robber!Robber...”Hershoutingcausedseveralpedestrianstoturntheirheadsandstoptoseewhattheotionwasabout.Salinaimmediatelywenttoher,putsomethinginherpalmwhispering,”Shutup,doyouhearme?”Theoldenedherhandandsawahugesquarenakedrubyrgeasadicefshinginallitsbrilliantcrimsonglory.Shebecamespeechless.HereyeswidenedandhermouthopenedinshockasEmmanuendSalinaughedaloudandwalkedcarelesslyaway.Shecalledafterthem,“Hey!You’reweletodropinanytimetomyantiqueshop!Ifyougolookingforantiques,don’tfetme!Mytarotcardsareveryaccurate.ebyifyouwantyourfortuold…eagain.”Butthetwohadwalkedfarawayanddidurntheirheads.

    Thetwoofthemwalkedaimlesslyarouy.Salinalookedatherselfandsaid,

    “Let’sgosomewheretogetsomenewclothes.Ithinkit’sabouttimetogetridofthesedirtyragsandgeintosomethi.”

    “Sure.Letmeseewherewegetsomehighqualityclothes”repliedEmmaheyturnedaroundtheerofthestreetandcamefacetofacewithahomelesspersonsittingonthepavement.Hewasdressedinraggedclothesandworeanoldolivesafarihat.Thetintedgssesandwhiteesaidthatthiswasablindman.EmmanuelwasshockedandthoughtitwasDimitri,butonsedlookherealizedthatthestaturewasdifferent.Therewasacrackedanddirtybowlinfrontofthebeggarwhichhehitwithafork,ting,“Sparemoney…sparemoney…”Salinalookedsurprisedasifasking,“Whatisthis?”Emmaoldherthisoorblindbeggaraskingformoneyfrompassersby.HealsotoldherthatDimitriusedtobeabeggarjustlikehim.

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    “Poorman!”excimedSalinasympathetically.“Hehasnomoneyandisblind.”Takingsomethingfr,shethrewitintotheblindmaybowl.Theblindmanwasgreatlysurprisedbythegofsomethinginhisbowl.Helookeddownandexcimed,

    “Why,that’sabrilliantgreenemerald!Thawoofyousomuch.Thankyou.Thankyou.”Sayingso,hegrabbedthegemashestoodupandwalkedecstaticallyaway,soexcitedthathefotalbouthiswhitee.

    “Didn’tyousayhewasblind?”excimedSalinalookingatEmmanuelquestionly.“HekhatwhatItosseddownwasagreenemeraldandlookatthewayhewalks.Hedidn’tevenneedhise.”

    “Idon’tknowwhatallthisisabouteither”repliedEmmanuelshrugginghisshoulders.ActuallythemanwasahomelessfriendofDmitri’scalledDavid,whodecidedtoimpersonateDimitribydressinglikehimandmadehislivingbeggingoreetspretendingtobeblind.Thetwoofthemwerena?veanddidnotuandthatthereweredarkelementsofsocietythatlivedoing,swindlingaiowolittlepeoplewerereallylikeasheetofwhitepaper,pletelyunawareofthewaysofthemundaneworld.Theydidnotrealizethatstrollingalongaimlesslyoreetsofthemetropolisputtheminmoredahanwanderinginthewildernessandforestswhereferociousbeastsofpreylurked.

    WhenEmmanuendSalinaresurfaced,theirappearanceshadbeenpletelyged.ThehairdresserwhodidSalina’