Чужак в чужой стране

           "Why,"askedJillquietly,"wereyouspeakingmetaphorically,Boss?"

           "Eh?Theconcept‘ghost’isoneIfeelnoneedfor,otherthanasafigureofspeech."

           "It’smorethanafigureofspeech,"insistedJill.

           "Uh?asmaybe.Iprefertomeetbabygirlsintheflesh,includingmyown."

           Dr.Malmoudsaid,"ButthatiswhatIwassaying,Jubal.Youaren’tabouttodie;youaren’tevenclosetoit.Mikehasgrokkedyoutobecertain.Hesaysyouhavealongstretchofyearsaheadofyou."

           Jubalshookhishead."Isetatoplimitofthreefiguresyearsago.Nomore."

           "Whichthreefigures,Boss?"Miriaminquiredinnocently."ThethreeMethuselahused?"

           Heshookhershoulders."Don’tbeobscene!"

           "Stinkysayswomenshouldbeobscenebutnotheard."

           "Yourhusbandspeaksrightly.Sopipedown.ThedaymymachinefirstshowsthreefiguresonitsmileagemeteristhedayIdiscorporate,whetherMartianstyleorbymyowncrudemethods.Youcan’ttakethatawayfromme.Goingtotheshowersisthebestpartofthegame."

           "Igrokyouspeakrightly,Jubal,"Jillsaidslowly,"aboutitsbeingthebestpartofthegame.ButIwouldn’tcountonitanytimesoon.Yourfullnessisnotyet.Alliecastahoroscopeonyoujustlastweek."

           "Ahoroscope?Oh,myGod!Whois‘Ailie?’Andhowdareshecastahoroscopeonme!Showhertome!Swelpme,I’llturnherintotheBetterBusinessBureau."

           "I’mafraidyoucan’t,Jubal,"Mahmoudputin,"justnow,assheisworkingonourdictionary.