Чужак в чужой стране

           "Foundit!Listentothis:‘LivingAphrodite:Ade-luxeAlbumofFeminineBeautyinGorgeousStereo-ColorbytheWorld’sGreatestArtistsoftheCamera.Notice:thisitemwillnotbesentbymail.Itwillbeforwardedatpurchaser’sriskbyprepaidexpressonly.Orderscannotbeacceptedfromaddressesinthefollowingstates-‘Um,Pennsylvaniaisontheverbotenlist–butdon’tletthatworryyou;ifitisaddressedtoyou,itwillbedelivered–andifIknowDuke’svulgartastes,thisisjustwhathewouldlike."

           Dukedidlikeit.Itwasdelivered,notbyexpress,butviatheS.S.patrolcarcappingthehouse–andthenextadforthesameitemtoarriveinthehouseboasted:"-exactlyassuppliedtotheManfromMars,byspecialappointment,"whichpleasedMikeandannoyedJill.

           Otherpresentswerejustasdifficult,butpickingapresentforJubalwassupremelydifficult.Jillwasstumped.Whatdoesonebuyforamanwhohaseverything–everything,thatistosay,thathewantswhichmoneycanbuy?TheSphinx?ThreeWishes?ThefountainthatPoncedeLeonfailedtofind?Oilforhisancientbones,oronegoldendayofyouth?Jubalhadlongagoevenforeswornpets,becauseheoutlivedthem,or(worseyet)itwasnowpossiblethatapetwouldoutlivehim,beorphaned.

           Privatelytheyconsultedtheothers."Shucks,"Duketoldthem,"didn’tyouknow?Thebosslikesstatues."

           "Really?"Jillanswered."Idon’tseeanysculpturearound."

           "That’sbecausemostofthestuffhelikesisn’tforsale.