tterswouldgivemeenoughmaterialtowritealong,movingandmysteriousnovel?Couldyougivemethelowdownandtellmethefullstory?IwouldprefertoknowallthedetailsbeforeIbeginwriting.Ijustwanttowritedownthisamazingstoryfortheworld.Thechtbelongstoyoualone.”

    “Cht?”ughedDimitri.“That’sridiculous.IjusthadafewdreamsandIgetachtforthat?”ThoughDimitriwasblindandcouldnotsee,heturnedhiseyestowardsthatfar-ace.HekhatCharina,theyoungaifuuthoress,wasmesmerizedbyhisstoriesandwaspletelyedbythem.“OfcourseIcouldtellyouthestory.Butitislongandplicatedandmaytakemorethanthreedaysandthreenights.”

    “Welltheakemorethanthreedaysandthreenights”shereplied.“Ihavepreparedaguestroomforyouinmyhousewithpajamas,slippersandallyourfavoritefoodanddrinks.Whynotstaywithmeforafewdaysandtellmethefullstory?”

    “Youmeanrightnow?”

    “Ofcourse”sheanswered,“whatarewewaitingfor?”

    “Whehedesertedgarden,IdidnotleaveanynotefoodfriendsRichardandJamaz.Theywouldbeveryworriedandwouldthinksomethingbadhadhappeome.TheymighteventhinkIhadbeenkidnappedorkilledbythosehobosoutsidethegarden.”

    “Leaveanote?”inquiredCharinainsurprise.“That’ssoantiquated,sosttury.Noohatanymore.Nowadaysweneverleavenotes.Don’ttheyhavecellphones?Whynotjusttextthemorleaveamessageontheirvoicemailtotellthemyouareatmypce.”

    “Hey,that’sagoodidea.Ireallyamoutoftouchwiththepresentdayteologies.”

    “AreRichardandJamazthetwoguyswhoreturnedMaureeheytalkhandinglovewitheachother,oftenfinishingeachother’ssentehey’rereallygreatpartners.Siheyareyoodfriends,theywillsurelybeineaswell.”

    “Ihavesomemoodfriends.Mr.Kaffeeusedtobeabigshotintheunderworld,butnowhehasreformed.AnotherisDwarfMickey.Fromhisnameyouknowheisadwarfandheisawhite-beardedoldman.Butdon’tlookdownohereisBig-Owhousedtobeaprofessionassassinbutisnowadevotedmonk…Ofcoursethereisanotheronewhohasrayedmeandmyfriends.ThatisMr.Finger.Iamsurethatonedayhewillrepentandebacktothefold.Heisaverysmallperson,onlyastalsafinger,hencehisname.”

    70页

    “Wow!”excimedCharina.“Yourfriends’backgroundsaresodiverseanduheyseemtobevaudevillians!Well,iftheyareyourfriendstheyaremyfriendstoo.Whydon’tIopenmyhousetoallofthemandihemherefordinner.Wehaveawonderfultimetogether.”Themessagewassentandwithinfifteenmihereplycamebacksaying,“Thankyouforyourkindinvitation.Wewilllbethere.Yhtinsayingwearelikevaudevilliansandwearealsoalcoholidlovetodrink.Besuretohavesomegoodwineandliquorreadyforus.Thankyou.”

    DimitriworethelooseandfortablepajamasCharinahadpreparedforhimandrexedonthesofa.Hehappilyenjoyedahotbathandwasfeelingpleasantlyrefreshed.Hehadshavedandlookedtobeinglowih.Buthishairhadnotbeendwasratherlong.Charinasaidshewouldcutitforhiminadayortwo.DimitriwasdrinkingsomeeseOolongtea.Heknewhisgoodfriendswouldbecmfordrinkswhentheycamesohedidnotwanttostartdrinkingtoosoon.Hisfriendscouldeatanddrinkalot.DwarfMickeymaybeoldandshortinstaturebuthisappetitewasthatofastrappingyoungman.SoCharinahaddrivenbacktothesupermarketandboughtalotmoreoffoodandawholecaseofhardliquorforDimitri’sgoodfriends,sothatafterhergues

tterswouldgivemeenoughmaterialtowritealong,movingandmysteriousnovel?Couldyougivemethelowdownandtellmethefullstory?IwouldprefertoknowallthedetailsbeforeIbeginwriting.Ijustwanttowritedownthisamazingstoryfortheworld.Thechtbelongstoyoualone.”

    “Cht?”ughedDimitri.“That’sridiculous.IjusthadafewdreamsandIgetachtforthat?”ThoughDimitriwasblindandcouldnotsee,heturnedhiseyestowardsthatfar-ace.HekhatCharina,theyoungaifuuthoress,wasmesmerizedbyhisstoriesandwaspletelyedbythem.“OfcourseIcouldtellyouthestory.Butitislongandplicatedandmaytakemorethanthreedaysandthreenights.”

    “Welltheakemorethanthreedaysandthreenights”shereplied.“Ihavepreparedaguestroomforyouinmyhousewithpajamas,slippersandallyourfavoritefoodanddrinks.Whynotstaywithmeforafewdaysandtellmethefullstory?”

    “Youmeanrightnow?”

    “Ofcourse”sheanswered,“whatarewewaitingfor?”

    “Whehedesertedgarden,IdidnotleaveanynotefoodfriendsRichardandJamaz.Theywouldbeveryworriedandwouldthinksomethingbadhadhappeome.TheymighteventhinkIhadbeenkidnappedorkilledbythosehobosoutsidethegarden.”

    “Leaveanote?”inquiredCharinainsurprise.“That’ssoantiquated,sosttury.Noohatanymore.Nowadaysweneverleavenotes.Don’ttheyhavecellphones?Whynotjusttextthemorleaveamessageontheirvoicemailtotellthemyouareatmypce.”

    “Hey,that’sagoodidea.Ireallyamoutoftouchwiththepresentdayteologies.”

    “AreRichardandJamazthetwoguyswhoreturnedMaureeheytalkhandinglovewitheachother,oftenfinishingeachother’ssentehey’rereallygreatpartners.Siheyareyoodfriends,theywillsurelybeineaswell.”

    “Ihavesomemoodfriends.Mr.Kaffeeusedtobeabigshotintheunderworld,butnowhehasreformed.AnotherisDwarfMickey.Fromhisnameyouknowheisadwarfandheisawhite-beardedoldman.Butdon’tlookdownohereisBig-Owhousedtobeaprofessionassassinbutisnowadevotedmonk…Ofcoursethereisanotheronewhohasrayedmeandmyfriends.ThatisMr.Finger.Iamsurethatonedayhewillrepentandebacktothefold.Heisaverysmallperson,onlyastalsafinger,hencehisname.”

    70页

    “Wow!”excimedCharina.“Yourfriends’backgroundsaresodiverseanduheyseemtobevaudevillians!Well,iftheyareyourfriendstheyaremyfriendstoo.Whydon’tIopenmyhousetoallofthemandihemherefordinner.Wehaveawonderfultimetogether.”Themessagewassentandwithinfifteenmihereplycamebacksaying,“Thankyouforyourkindinvitation.Wewilllbethere.Yhtinsayingwearelikevaudevilliansandwearealsoalcoholidlovetodrink.Besuretohavesomegoodwineandliquorreadyforus.Thankyou.”

    DimitriworethelooseandfortablepajamasCharinahadpreparedforhimandrexedonthesofa.Hehappilyenjoyedahotbathandwasfeelingpleasantlyrefreshed.Hehadshavedandlookedtobeinglowih.Buthishairhadnotbeendwasratherlong.Charinasaidshewouldcutitforhiminadayortwo.DimitriwasdrinkingsomeeseOolongtea.Heknewhisgoodfriendswouldbecmfordrinkswhentheycamesohedidnotwanttostartdrinkingtoosoon.Hisfriendscouldeatanddrinkalot.DwarfMickeymaybeoldandshortinstaturebuthisappetitewasthatofastrappingyoungman.SoCharinahaddrivenbacktothesupermarketandboughtalotmoreoffoodandawholecaseofhardliquorforDimitri’sgoodfriends,sothatafterhergues