Чужак в чужой стране

           Then,ormaybelater(Mikeisalwaysvagueabouttimefactors)hisclosestfriendseatwhathenolongerhasanyusefor,‘grokking’him,asMikewouldsay,andpraisinghisvirtuesastheyspreadthemustard.Thenewghostattendsthefeasthimself,asitissortofabarmitzvahorconfirmationservicebywhichtheghostattainsthestatusof‘OldOne’–becomesanelderstatesman,ifIunderstandit."

           Dukemadeafaceofdisgust."God,whatsuperstitiousjunk!Turnsmystomach."

           "Doesit?ToMikeit’samostsolemn–butjoyful-religiousceremony."

           Dukesnorted,"Jubal,youdon’tbelievethatstuffaboutghosts,doyou?Oh,Iknowyoudon’t.It’sjustcannibalismcombinedwiththerankestsortofsuperstition."

           "Well,now,Iwouldn’tgothatfar.IadmitthatIfindtheseMartian‘OldOnes’alittlehardtoswallow–butMikespeaksofthemasmatter-of-factlyaswetalkaboutlastWednesday.Asfortherest–Duke,whatchurchwereyoubroughtupin?"Duketoldhim;Jubalnoddedandwenton:"Ithoughtitmightbe;inKansasmostbelongtoyoursortooneenoughlikeitthatyouwouldhavetolookatthesignoutinfronttotellthedifference.Tellme?howdidyoufeelwhenyoutookpartinthesymboliccannibalismthatplayssoparamountapartinyourchurch’srituals?"

           Dukestaredathim."Whatthedevildoyoumean?"

           Jubalblinkedsolemnlyback."Wereyouactuallyachurchmember?OrwereyousimplysenttoSundaySchoolasakid?"

           "Huh?Why,certainlyIwasachurchmember.Mywholefamilywas.