hadbeenburntdownyearsago.ThesmallpartthatwasleftstandinghadbeethetemporaryhomeofRichardandJamaz.Thedazzlingafternoonsunfilteredthroughthebrahetreethatscattereditsraysontheflightofsteps.Dimitri,whowasusedtoanomadlifehavinglivedmostofhislifeintheopenairoreets,didnotliketobecoopedupindoors.Therefore,hethgunnybag,spreaditonthecretegrounduheeaves,andsideredithistemporarybed.Heydownonitandbyforceofhabitputhisolive-coloredsafarihatoverhistummyandfoldedhishandsbehindhisheadashispillow.Lastnightoldfriends,exuberanttobereueralongseparation,ate,drankandtalkedallthroughthenight.Dimitridranktoomudwasstillfeelinggroggyandhalfawake,buthewasabletoectthedotsaogetherthereteventsasreportedtohimbyhisfriends.

    LastnightafterRichardandJamazfoundDimitrisittingaloneinaerofthedesotedsquare,surroundedbyskyscrapers,theybroughthimbacktotheloedrosegarden.Fromafartheycouldhearpleasantjazzmusidsmellthefragraneatbeingbroiledoverthefire,butastherewasalsoasniffofsomethingbeingburnt,forMr.Kaffee,Big-OandDwarfMickeywerenottheoisseurofBBQingthatRichardwas.Richardwasindeedaowledgedtobeasgoodasafirstcsschefinthisrespect,forhismeatwasalwayscookedtoperfe:tender,juidjustdoheoldfriendshuggedeachother,geachotheronthebacktalkinganimatedly.RichardimmediatelytookoverthembchopinDwarfMickey’shandandfoundthatonesidewasburntwhiletheothersidewasstillraw.Hesaid,

    “Watchme!Iwillturnthismbchopintoohaspecialfvor!Doyoubelieveme?”

    “Ofcoursewedo.”Hisfriendsresponded.

    “Youaretheaowledgedchef!“

    “Weknowwhatyoudo.

    Theoldfriendssatdownaroundthefire.JamazpoppedopetlesofliquorandhahemaroundbefoingtohelpRichardwiththemeat.Richardworkedeffitlyandquicklybecausehekneweveryonewashungry.Mr.KaffeetulpofliquorandsaidtoDimitri,

    6

    “Theywerelookingforyoueverywhereahattheyfinallyfoundyouatthesquare.Thatpceisalwaysdesertedafterofficehourswithscarcelyapersoninsight.Whatwereyoudoingthere?”

    “IwasjustpassingbywhenIhappeoear.FingerandhisbrideVio.””repliedDimitri,alsotakingargegulpofwine.“IgotentahthemandingthatIakeuseofthismeetingtouheGordianknotandresolveourdifferences.Butintheendnothingwasaplishedandthedeadknotwasstilltherebetweenus.”

    “Oh?”excimedhisaudiencewhentheyheardthathehadmetwithMr.FingerandVioandalleyesrivetedtoDimitri.SoDimitritoldthemwhathadhappened…

    “Well,well,well…”saidDwarfMickey,“IkhetreasuretrovewasstillintheKingdomofDreams.Ifitweren’tforthosegreatgestotheearth’scrust,itwouldbehardtotellwhentheywouldresurface…It’shardtoimagiVioisthatmasterthiefafterseveralreinations…Heisabletomovecasesofpreciousdiamondsaothismundaneworldandshowthemtoyou…Hmm,hisabilityisquiteimpressive…”

    “Actuallythat’snotveryhardtodo”saidDimitri.“Justthinkaboutit.Takeacaseofjewelry,forexample.Youeasilyuseyinationtomoveittosomewhereelse.”

    “Youmean…“saidM.Kaffee“thatyouusecreativityandimaginationtotakethepceofobjectivereality?Youmeanyoueasilymakeimpossiblethingspossible?Isn’titabitlikecheatingyourself?”

    “It’snotsurprisingthatyouhavethesedoubts”saidDimitri.Wheainthingshappen,

hadbeenburntdownyearsago.ThesmallpartthatwasleftstandinghadbeethetemporaryhomeofRichardandJamaz.Thedazzlingafternoonsunfilteredthroughthebrahetreethatscattereditsraysontheflightofsteps.Dimitri,whowasusedtoanomadlifehavinglivedmostofhislifeintheopenairoreets,didnotliketobecoopedupindoors.Therefore,hethgunnybag,spreaditonthecretegrounduheeaves,andsideredithistemporarybed.Heydownonitandbyforceofhabitputhisolive-coloredsafarihatoverhistummyandfoldedhishandsbehindhisheadashispillow.Lastnightoldfriends,exuberanttobereueralongseparation,ate,drankandtalkedallthroughthenight.Dimitridranktoomudwasstillfeelinggroggyandhalfawake,buthewasabletoectthedotsaogetherthereteventsasreportedtohimbyhisfriends.

    LastnightafterRichardandJamazfoundDimitrisittingaloneinaerofthedesotedsquare,surroundedbyskyscrapers,theybroughthimbacktotheloedrosegarden.Fromafartheycouldhearpleasantjazzmusidsmellthefragraneatbeingbroiledoverthefire,butastherewasalsoasniffofsomethingbeingburnt,forMr.Kaffee,Big-OandDwarfMickeywerenottheoisseurofBBQingthatRichardwas.Richardwasindeedaowledgedtobeasgoodasafirstcsschefinthisrespect,forhismeatwasalwayscookedtoperfe:tender,juidjustdoheoldfriendshuggedeachother,geachotheronthebacktalkinganimatedly.RichardimmediatelytookoverthembchopinDwarfMickey’shandandfoundthatonesidewasburntwhiletheothersidewasstillraw.Hesaid,

    “Watchme!Iwillturnthismbchopintoohaspecialfvor!Doyoubelieveme?”

    “Ofcoursewedo.”Hisfriendsresponded.

    “Youaretheaowledgedchef!“

    “Weknowwhatyoudo.

    Theoldfriendssatdownaroundthefire.JamazpoppedopetlesofliquorandhahemaroundbefoingtohelpRichardwiththemeat.Richardworkedeffitlyandquicklybecausehekneweveryonewashungry.Mr.KaffeetulpofliquorandsaidtoDimitri,

    6

    “Theywerelookingforyoueverywhereahattheyfinallyfoundyouatthesquare.Thatpceisalwaysdesertedafterofficehourswithscarcelyapersoninsight.Whatwereyoudoingthere?”

    “IwasjustpassingbywhenIhappeoear.FingerandhisbrideVio.””repliedDimitri,alsotakingargegulpofwine.“IgotentahthemandingthatIakeuseofthismeetingtouheGordianknotandresolveourdifferences.Butintheendnothingwasaplishedandthedeadknotwasstilltherebetweenus.”

    “Oh?”excimedhisaudiencewhentheyheardthathehadmetwithMr.FingerandVioandalleyesrivetedtoDimitri.SoDimitritoldthemwhathadhappened…

    “Well,well,well…”saidDwarfMickey,“IkhetreasuretrovewasstillintheKingdomofDreams.Ifitweren’tforthosegreatgestotheearth’scrust,itwouldbehardtotellwhentheywouldresurface…It’shardtoimagiVioisthatmasterthiefafterseveralreinations…Heisabletomovecasesofpreciousdiamondsaothismundaneworldandshowthemtoyou…Hmm,hisabilityisquiteimpressive…”

    “Actuallythat’snotveryhardtodo”saidDimitri.“Justthinkaboutit.Takeacaseofjewelry,forexample.Youeasilyuseyinationtomoveittosomewhereelse.”

    “Youmean…“saidM.Kaffee“thatyouusecreativityandimaginationtotakethepceofobjectivereality?Youmeanyoueasilymakeimpossiblethingspossible?Isn’titabitlikecheatingyourself?”

    “It’snotsurprisingthatyouhavethesedoubts”saidDimitri.Wheainthingshappen,