Чужак в чужой стране

           Hechuckledoveritandposteditonthebulletinboardinthekitchen?thennoted(ashehadexpected)thatitdidnotstayuplong,whichmadehimchuckleagain.

           Hedidnothavetoomanychucklesthatweek;theworldhadbeentoomuchwithhim.TheworkingpresssoonceasedbotheringMikeandtheHarshawhouseholdwhenitwasclearthatthestorywasoverandthatHarshawdidnotintendtoletanyfreshnewshappen–butagreatmanythousandsofotherpeople,notinthenewsbusiness,didnotforgetMike.DouglashonestlytriedtoinsureMike’sprivacy;S.S.troopersnowpatrolledHarshaw’sfenceandanS.S.carcircledoverthegroundsandchallengedanycarthattriedtoland.ButHarshawresentedthenecessityofhavingguards.

           Guardskeptpeopleout;themailandthetelephonecamethrough.ThetelephoneJubalcopedwithbychanginghiscallnumberandhavingallcallsroutedthroughanansweringservicetowhichwasgivenaverylimitedlistofpersonsfromwhomHarshawwouldacceptcalls–and,atthat,hekepttheinstrumentinthehouseseton"refuseamp;record"mostofthetime.

           Butthemailalwayscomesthrough.

           Atfirst,HarshawtoldJillthattheproblemwasMike’s.Theboyhadtogrowupsomeday;hecouldstartbyhandlinghisownmailandshecouldhelpandadvisehim."Butdon’tbothermewithit;Ihaveenoughtroublewithscrewballmailofmyown!"

           Jubalcouldnotmakehisdecisionstick;therewastoomuchofitandJillsimplydidnotknowhow.

           Justsortingthemailintocategorieswasaheadache.