anteroraquarrel.DwarfMickeywalkedoutofthecarsaying,

    “Youwantalimousine?I’llgetyouhtaway,butthenyou’llhavenoexcuse.”

    “Hereyirl”saidRichard,pullingDwarfMickeytowardsher.“Thisisabonafidebillionaire.Wewaogetyouforhimandbringyousomebusiness.”Theyounggirlsnortedrudelyandspatontheground,showiruecolorsofbeingjustacoarseanduncivilizedprostitute.

    “Youwaogowithhim?Amidget?I‘drathergowithadog!”shesaid,gng

    50页

    ptuouslyatDwarfMickey’sshortstature,notquiteupthsandthoughthewasold,uglyandhadawhitebeard.

    “You…you…you…”stutteredDwarfMickey,soangrythathecouldnotevenspeak.

    “Don’tlookatabookbythecover”saidRichard.“HemaybeshortbutheisarealMidas.Dohisgoldenopportunityslipaway.Ifyoudo,youwillregretitfortherestofyourlife.Youwillneverhaveasedce.”

    “Youartists”saidsheughingily.“Youguysarereallygreenifyouthinkyoutakemein.ThinkIwasjustborerday?I’vebeenoutmaneuveringintheworldsinceIwasachildandknowmywayaround.Scram.Getoutofhereandstopobstrugmybusiness.”

    “Good,good”sputteredDwarfMickey,soangrythathewasredintheface.“Youdon’tbelieveme?Iwillshowyou.”Hewavedhishandtowardstheemptystreet.Loandbehold!Aralong,brandnewbcklimousineappearedandcameslowlytoasthtbesidethem.Mr.Kaffee,thequintessentialfmboyantbigshotwithhisexpeandairofauthorityandpoweropehedoorandsteppedout.Hegreetedthethreeofthemandsaidrespectfully,

    “Mr.Mickey,thisisthevehicleMegginnorderedespeciallyforyou.Wouldyouliketotryitoutasuitsyou?”Openingthedoorofthelimousine,heinvitedDwarfMickeytogetinandthenrespectfullyclosedthedoor.TurningtoRichardandJamaz,heasked,“Howaboutthetwoofyou?Wanttoealongfortheride,orwouldyoupreferyourowncar.?”

    “Asforme”repliedRichardughingly“there’snowayIwillleavemypreciousjalopybehind.It’sbeenwithmeforsolongit’salmostlikeafriend.JamazandIwillmeetyouthere.”

    Sayingso,thetwoofthemgotintotheirddroveaway.Mr.Kaffeedidn’tevenspareaghehookerstandingoreet.Hegotintothelimousineanddroveaway,leavingtheknow-it-allyoungstreet-walkerwhothoughtherselfsosmartandsavvy,standingthereonthepavementdumbfounded.Shestaredatthedepartingcarsthinking,“I’vebeenwalkireetsforsomanyyears.I’vealwaysdreamedofaPrinceCharminginvitiogetintohislimousiodayitreallyhappened,butIletthisrareopportunityslipawaythroughmyfingers.Wasitreallyasthatoily-tonguedguysaidthatIletthatceofalifetimeslipaway?IfonlyIcouldbelikethatolddwarf;justwavemyhandintheairandwhateverIwishforwilletrue.Won’tthatbegreat?”Subsciouslyshetoowavedherhandintheair,wishingforadazzlingdiam,butnomiraclehappened.

    Theluminousmoonlightshonedownfromabove,almhtasdaylight.Thissamemooernandunging,hadmesmerizedpeopleallthroughtheages.Oryousaythatnothingisevereternandungingintheuniverse.Everysed,numerousnewpsarebornandjustasmanyofthemdieaway.Takeourearthforinstaheoturniilefarmndandfarmndturnintoo.Inonesed,GiantMountain,whichhadinpeacefullyonthehorizonsihebeginningoftimes,buckledandcrumpledintoseveralpieces,withonlyitsheadstilldisable,seemingmoreoddandbizarrethanever.

    Ontheoppositesideoftheke,Viohadfullyrecoveredafteraf

anteroraquarrel.DwarfMickeywalkedoutofthecarsaying,

    “Youwantalimousine?I’llgetyouhtaway,butthenyou’llhavenoexcuse.”

    “Hereyirl”saidRichard,pullingDwarfMickeytowardsher.“Thisisabonafidebillionaire.Wewaogetyouforhimandbringyousomebusiness.”Theyounggirlsnortedrudelyandspatontheground,showiruecolorsofbeingjustacoarseanduncivilizedprostitute.

    “Youwaogowithhim?Amidget?I‘drathergowithadog!”shesaid,gng

    50页

    ptuouslyatDwarfMickey’sshortstature,notquiteupthsandthoughthewasold,uglyandhadawhitebeard.

    “You…you…you…”stutteredDwarfMickey,soangrythathecouldnotevenspeak.

    “Don’tlookatabookbythecover”saidRichard.“HemaybeshortbutheisarealMidas.Dohisgoldenopportunityslipaway.Ifyoudo,youwillregretitfortherestofyourlife.Youwillneverhaveasedce.”

    “Youartists”saidsheughingily.“Youguysarereallygreenifyouthinkyoutakemein.ThinkIwasjustborerday?I’vebeenoutmaneuveringintheworldsinceIwasachildandknowmywayaround.Scram.Getoutofhereandstopobstrugmybusiness.”

    “Good,good”sputteredDwarfMickey,soangrythathewasredintheface.“Youdon’tbelieveme?Iwillshowyou.”Hewavedhishandtowardstheemptystreet.Loandbehold!Aralong,brandnewbcklimousineappearedandcameslowlytoasthtbesidethem.Mr.Kaffee,thequintessentialfmboyantbigshotwithhisexpeandairofauthorityandpoweropehedoorandsteppedout.Hegreetedthethreeofthemandsaidrespectfully,

    “Mr.Mickey,thisisthevehicleMegginnorderedespeciallyforyou.Wouldyouliketotryitoutasuitsyou?”Openingthedoorofthelimousine,heinvitedDwarfMickeytogetinandthenrespectfullyclosedthedoor.TurningtoRichardandJamaz,heasked,“Howaboutthetwoofyou?Wanttoealongfortheride,orwouldyoupreferyourowncar.?”

    “Asforme”repliedRichardughingly“there’snowayIwillleavemypreciousjalopybehind.It’sbeenwithmeforsolongit’salmostlikeafriend.JamazandIwillmeetyouthere.”

    Sayingso,thetwoofthemgotintotheirddroveaway.Mr.Kaffeedidn’tevenspareaghehookerstandingoreet.Hegotintothelimousineanddroveaway,leavingtheknow-it-allyoungstreet-walkerwhothoughtherselfsosmartandsavvy,standingthereonthepavementdumbfounded.Shestaredatthedepartingcarsthinking,“I’vebeenwalkireetsforsomanyyears.I’vealwaysdreamedofaPrinceCharminginvitiogetintohislimousiodayitreallyhappened,butIletthisrareopportunityslipawaythroughmyfingers.Wasitreallyasthatoily-tonguedguysaidthatIletthatceofalifetimeslipaway?IfonlyIcouldbelikethatolddwarf;justwavemyhandintheairandwhateverIwishforwilletrue.Won’tthatbegreat?”Subsciouslyshetoowavedherhandintheair,wishingforadazzlingdiam,butnomiraclehappened.

    Theluminousmoonlightshonedownfromabove,almhtasdaylight.Thissamemooernandunging,hadmesmerizedpeopleallthroughtheages.Oryousaythatnothingisevereternandungingintheuniverse.Everysed,numerousnewpsarebornandjustasmanyofthemdieaway.Takeourearthforinstaheoturniilefarmndandfarmndturnintoo.Inonesed,GiantMountain,whichhadinpeacefullyonthehorizonsihebeginningoftimes,buckledandcrumpledintoseveralpieces,withonlyitsheadstilldisable,seemingmoreoddandbizarrethanever.

    Ontheoppositesideoftheke,Viohadfullyrecoveredafteraf