Чужак в чужой стране

           Presentlyherememberedtobreatheandfoundthatheneededto,badly.Withouttakinghiseyesoffithecroaked,"Anne.Whatdoyousee?"

           Sheansweredinaflatvoice,"Thatashtrayisfiveinchesfromtheceiling.Idonotseeanythingholdingitup."Thensheaddedintoneslesscertain,"Jubal,Ithinkthat’swhatI’mseeing?butifthecamerasdon’tshowthesamething,I’mgoingtoturninmyrobeandtearupmylicense."

           "Um.Jill?"

           "Itfloats.Itjustfloats."

           Jubalsighed,Wenttohischairandsatdownheavily,allwithouttakinghiseyesofftheunrulyashtray."Mike,"hesaid,"whatwentwrong?Whydidn’titdisappearlikethebox?"

           "But,Jubal,"Mikesaidapologetically,"yousaidtostopit;youdidnotsaytomakeitgoaway.WhenImadetheboxgoaway,youwantedittobeagain.HaveIdonewrongly?"

           "Oh.No,youhavedoneexactlyright.Ikeepforgettingthatyoualwaystakethingsliterally."Harshawrecalledcertaincolloquialinsultscommoninhisearlyyears–andremindedhimselfforcefullynever,nevertouseanyofsuchtoMichaelValentineSmith–for,ifhetoldtheboytodropdeadortogetlost,Harshawnowfeltcertainthattheliteralmeaningofhiswordswouldatonceensue.

           "Iamglad,"Smithansweredsoberly."IamsorryIcouldnotmaketheboxbeagain.IamsorrytwicethatIwastedsomuchfood.ButIdidnotknowhowtohelpit.Thenanecessitywas.OrsoIgrokked."

           "Eh?Whatfood?"

           Jillsaidhastily,"He’stalkingaboutthosetwomen,Jubal.