entofWorldBank,Samantha.Sheghetired-lookingMegginnandasked,

    “Howdiditgo?Wasitsmooth?”

    “Notbad.TheguywhotookoverwasnootherthanthenewmanagerMr.O’Brian”saidMegginnmorosely.“HeisNovel’sfiandwasverycourteousanddidnotnitpickoverdetails.TherewasnohagglingsowequicklyweheagreementandWorldBankwastakenoverbyitsnewowner.AsIsignedmyhetractIsaidtohim,‘OnedayIwillrepresentDimitritaintheownershipofWorldBank.”Hepolitelyrepliedthathewouldbewaitingforthatdaytoarrive.”Samanthawassilentasshelistened,tratientionondrivingtheflyingracecar.“Whocouldhavepredicted”tinuedMegginn“thatahugefinancialempirelikeDimitri’swouldsoquicklyturntodust,colpsinglikeahouseofcards.Itreallymakesmefeelregretfulthattheaccumutionanddispersiohinlifecouldbegedintheblinkofaneye.”Samanthaslowedthecardownaftersheleftthefreewayanddrovedownthelocalstreets.Megginnrealizedthatitwasnotthediretoherhouseandaskedinsurprise,

    “That’snotthewayhome.Whereareyoutakingme?Iamverytiredandwouldliketogotosleepassoonaspossible.”

    “I’mafraidnowisnotthetimeforsleep.Averybusyscheduleisaheadofus.”

    3

    “Busyschedule?Howcouldthatbe?Ihavebeenrelievedofallmytitlesandduties!”

    “IjustgotacallfromDorna.Shesouremelyexcited.ShesaidDwarfMickeywantstoseeyouandmeforanemergeing.”

    “DwarfMickey?That’sastrangesoundingname!Whoishe?Whydoeshewanttoseeus?”

    “Don’tyourememberthatthereusedtobeasecretdarkroominthesidehallofKingDimitri’sAdministrativeBuildingonTwinPeaks?Nooneisallowedtogointhereexceptthetwenty-fourofusandIleneawelvepaceattendants.Everyevenihere,worshipattheshrineandbringfreshs.”

    “OfcourseIremember;howcouldIfet?Iremembertheshrinewasdedicatedtothegodofwealth.HeworetherobesoftheQingDynastymadeofgoldthreads,andasmallmelonshapedhat.Healsohadalong,whitebeard.HeisstrangelookingbutIhaveheardthathewasmiraculouslyeffective.Doyoumeanhim?”

    “Yes,heisthegodofwealththatDimitribelievesin.NowhecallshimselfDwarfMickey.”

    “Iheardthathiswhitebeardhadbeensingedandhedisappearedaltogether.SoohatKingDimitri’sKingdomcolpsed.“

    “Lifeisreallystrange.DwarfMickeymysteriouslydisappearedandnowhehassurfacedagainsouedly.Heiscallinganemergeingandisurgentlyaskingexpresslyforyouandme,sayinghehasimportantthingstoannounowonderDornawassoexcitedoverthephoshewasalmosti!IthinkithastodowithgettingDimitri’sfinancialempirebatoshapeagain.”Megginneyesbrightehefatigueofherjourneyanddespondencyofherspiritsmiraculouslydisappeared.Likeridinginarollercoaster,oneminuteshewasdowninthedeepestdumpsbutnowshehadclimbedontothehighestmentalcliffs.Shebecameexcitedtooandsaid,

    “That’sgreat!Ihaveothebakeryforalongtime.Let’sgotherequickly.IwouldliketovisitAmalia.”

    “Don’tbeinsuchahurry.Weotgodressedlikethisaainlynotinthiscar.Wemustgobaypce,getgedanddrivethereinouroldtaxitothrowdustinpeople’seyes.There’salotofpepperasiaround.AlthoughIamnolongeraworldfamousmodendyouarenotthepresidentofWorldBankanymore,thetwoofusarestillpeopleofiothemandhavenamereition.”Sayingsobothofthemughed.Thecarmadeseveralturnsanddisappearedintothenigh

entofWorldBank,Samantha.Sheghetired-lookingMegginnandasked,

    “Howdiditgo?Wasitsmooth?”

    “Notbad.TheguywhotookoverwasnootherthanthenewmanagerMr.O’Brian”saidMegginnmorosely.“HeisNovel’sfiandwasverycourteousanddidnotnitpickoverdetails.TherewasnohagglingsowequicklyweheagreementandWorldBankwastakenoverbyitsnewowner.AsIsignedmyhetractIsaidtohim,‘OnedayIwillrepresentDimitritaintheownershipofWorldBank.”Hepolitelyrepliedthathewouldbewaitingforthatdaytoarrive.”Samanthawassilentasshelistened,tratientionondrivingtheflyingracecar.“Whocouldhavepredicted”tinuedMegginn“thatahugefinancialempirelikeDimitri’swouldsoquicklyturntodust,colpsinglikeahouseofcards.Itreallymakesmefeelregretfulthattheaccumutionanddispersiohinlifecouldbegedintheblinkofaneye.”Samanthaslowedthecardownaftersheleftthefreewayanddrovedownthelocalstreets.Megginnrealizedthatitwasnotthediretoherhouseandaskedinsurprise,

    “That’snotthewayhome.Whereareyoutakingme?Iamverytiredandwouldliketogotosleepassoonaspossible.”

    “I’mafraidnowisnotthetimeforsleep.Averybusyscheduleisaheadofus.”

    3

    “Busyschedule?Howcouldthatbe?Ihavebeenrelievedofallmytitlesandduties!”

    “IjustgotacallfromDorna.Shesouremelyexcited.ShesaidDwarfMickeywantstoseeyouandmeforanemergeing.”

    “DwarfMickey?That’sastrangesoundingname!Whoishe?Whydoeshewanttoseeus?”

    “Don’tyourememberthatthereusedtobeasecretdarkroominthesidehallofKingDimitri’sAdministrativeBuildingonTwinPeaks?Nooneisallowedtogointhereexceptthetwenty-fourofusandIleneawelvepaceattendants.Everyevenihere,worshipattheshrineandbringfreshs.”

    “OfcourseIremember;howcouldIfet?Iremembertheshrinewasdedicatedtothegodofwealth.HeworetherobesoftheQingDynastymadeofgoldthreads,andasmallmelonshapedhat.Healsohadalong,whitebeard.HeisstrangelookingbutIhaveheardthathewasmiraculouslyeffective.Doyoumeanhim?”

    “Yes,heisthegodofwealththatDimitribelievesin.NowhecallshimselfDwarfMickey.”

    “Iheardthathiswhitebeardhadbeensingedandhedisappearedaltogether.SoohatKingDimitri’sKingdomcolpsed.“

    “Lifeisreallystrange.DwarfMickeymysteriouslydisappearedandnowhehassurfacedagainsouedly.Heiscallinganemergeingandisurgentlyaskingexpresslyforyouandme,sayinghehasimportantthingstoannounowonderDornawassoexcitedoverthephoshewasalmosti!IthinkithastodowithgettingDimitri’sfinancialempirebatoshapeagain.”Megginneyesbrightehefatigueofherjourneyanddespondencyofherspiritsmiraculouslydisappeared.Likeridinginarollercoaster,oneminuteshewasdowninthedeepestdumpsbutnowshehadclimbedontothehighestmentalcliffs.Shebecameexcitedtooandsaid,

    “That’sgreat!Ihaveothebakeryforalongtime.Let’sgotherequickly.IwouldliketovisitAmalia.”

    “Don’tbeinsuchahurry.Weotgodressedlikethisaainlynotinthiscar.Wemustgobaypce,getgedanddrivethereinouroldtaxitothrowdustinpeople’seyes.There’salotofpepperasiaround.AlthoughIamnolongeraworldfamousmodendyouarenotthepresidentofWorldBankanymore,thetwoofusarestillpeopleofiothemandhavenamereition.”Sayingsobothofthemughed.Thecarmadeseveralturnsanddisappearedintothenigh