Чужак в чужой стране

           Mikeisamanalongwiththerestofus?eventhoughheknowsmore.Averysuperiorman,admittedly–alesserman,taughtthethingstheMartiansknow,probablywouldhavesethimselfupasapipsqueakgod.Mikeisabovethattemptation.Prometheus?butthat’sall,"

           Jubalsaidslowly,"AsIrecall,Prometheuspaidahighpriceforbringingfiretomankind."

           "Anddon’tthinkthatMikedoesn’t!Hepayswithtwenty-fourhoursofworkeveryday,sevendaysaweek,tryingtoteachafewofushowtoplaywithmatcheswithoutgettingburned.JillandPattyloweredtheboomonhim,startedmakinghimtakeonenightaweekoff,longbeforeIjoinedup."Caxtonsmiled."Butyoucan’tstopMike.Thisburgisloadedwithgamblingjoints,nodoubtyouknow,andmostofthemcrookedsinceit’sagainstthelawhere.Mikeusuallyspendshisnightoffbuckingcrookedgames–andwinning.Picksupten,twenty,thirtythousanddollarsanight.Theytriedtomughim,theytriedtokillhim,theytriedknock-outdropsandmuscleboys–nothingworked;hesimplyranupareputationastheluckiestmanintown?whichbroughtmorepeopleintotheTemple;theywantedtoseethismanwhoalwayswon.Sotheytriedtoshuthimoutofthegames–whichwasamistake.Theircolddecksfrozesolid,theirwheelswouldn’tspin,theirdicewouldrollnothingbutboxcars.Atlasttheystartedputtingupwithhim?andrequestinghimpolitelytopleasemovealongafterhehadwonafewgrand.Mikewouldalwaysdoso,ifaskedpolitely."