"FWLS26" - читать интересную книгу автора (A Future We'd Like to See)

mouth. I pulled out a little paper stub reading six.

"Now serving number four," the voice in the cave said.

"Umm, excuse me?" I replied. "This IS the cave of the
Oracle of Mighty Power, Knowledge, and Wisdom, isn't it?"

"Are you number four?"

"Err, no."

"Wait in line," the voice replied. "Now serving number
four!"

"I'm the only one out here!" I exclaimed.

A kid in a baseball cap peeked out of the cave. "Hmm.
Guess you're right. Well, now serving number six, then."

"That's me."

"Great. Okay, what can I do you for?"

"Umm, you ARE the Oracle of Mighty Power, Knowledge, and
Wisdom, right?"

"Nope," he stated. "He's sick today. I'm filling in while
he gets over a nasty stomach virus. Whaddya need?"

"Who are you, exactly?"

"'ho, me? I'm his paperboy. I cover about three or four
hermits living on remote planets. One hell of a route, trust
me."

"Are you sure he can't answer me himself?" I asked. "I've
sort of been training for fifteen years, and I'd like to talk to
the Oracle of Mighty--"

"He's sick," the kid replied. "Look, I can call him up, but
he gets really cranky when you interrupt his nap. Trust me, you
don't want to see what the Oracle of Mighty Power, Knowledge and
Wisdom looks like when he's sick."

"Can you answer my three Most Honorable Questions?"

"Hey, I'll give it a go. Are any of them about the news?"

"Come again?"