Far-out Show (9781465735829) Read Online Free PDF Page B

types so you should
ignore it. Wait, there, the no-sound transmission system between us
should now be operational.” To avoid extra complications we will
still have your thoughts that are not directed exclusively to me
verbalized if that is satisfactory .
    Sure. That makes things easier than pie,
whatever pie is . “Does the new information give us a better
idea of what I am seeking for or five or whatever they say on this
planet?”
    “Yes. Revolve one time”, Wilburps
instructed.
    Nerber revolved at a fast rate.
    “Krimplerpunt! Uh, slowly please,” Wilburps
cued.
    Nerber slowed as prompted.
    “Suitable target spotted. Proceed to the
left.”
    “Your left or my left?”
    “I always adjust my directives to fit your
positioning.”
    “Right.” Nerber walked off down the block to
his left.
    “The inhabitants must walk into walls all the
time because their language has them turning the wrong way,”
Wilburps said.
    * * *
    Down the block Jake Billings, seventy-seven,
a casually dressed retiree wearing glasses and hearing aids in both
ears, had come around the corner and stopped without noticing
Nerber.
    Nerber stopped near the man and placed
Wilburps beside him - where it hovered a foot off the ground.
Nerber waited for some social signal from Billings but the man was
too distracted checking his pockets and muttered to himself to
notice anyone.
    Nerber finally shrugged and said, “Is this a
nice day, yes?”
    Billings mumbled, mostly to himself, “Old age
ain't for sissies. Head's full of holes and what I'm doing keeps
falling out.”
    Nerber whispered to Wilburps, “Your
translation is received but can it be anything like for real?”
    What he said makes no sense to anything in
my data banks .
    Nerber asked Billings, “Are you in need of
medicinals for your holey head, mister sir?”
    Billings looked around, startled. He moved
his glasses a bit trying to see Nerber clearly. “Huh? Who's there?
Prissy?”
    Use caution. That might be an insult but
since this is our first true encounter with one of them I am not
for certain sure .
    “Are you disking me, mister?” Nerber asked
Billings.
    Billings fiddled with his right ear hearing
aid then asked, “What? Darn thing's not worth ten cents some days.
You're not my neighbor Priscilla are you? I don't always recognize
her so if that is you, Prissy, I'm having trouble with my new
lenses. Nothing works right.”
    “Your lenses are a trouble so you do not hear
well, yes?”
    Billings had been checking his pockets again
and not paying much attention to the stranger. “Huh? I was gonna
pick up a few things at the convenience store on my daily
constitutional but I can't remember what those are.”
    “I am new here so your talk-talk is much for
me. Why is it you do not find it convenient to go to most
stores?”
    After a moment Nerber said, “Never the mind,
new download makes me sensible about that, thank you.”
    Billings said, mostly to himself, “I think I
made a note but I can't find one so maybe I did or maybe I didn't
or maybe it's on the table.”
    “May I back off a step please,” Nerber
requested politely. “What do you constitutional about? This is not
known to me so can I learn?”
    Billings gave Nerber a look but quickly shook
his head and tapped a finger on his left ear hearing aid. “Which is
worse, to not hear or to hear what you know is gobbledygook? Have
to take these things in for another adjustment.” Then he took out
his wallet and searched in it for a note or a shopping list.
    “This gobbledyness is a noise of big
you-eat-it-up thing with what you call fetters, no? Can you do that
noise for me to hear and be amazed?”
    “Not in there either. Time was I didn't need
notes, I'd remember just fine. Now I'm a sad mess.”
    Nerber opted to proceed with a standard
greeting ritual he had prepared for this venture. He said, “I am
most pleasured to meeting with you, mister sir. We can make nice
social talk-talk, no?”
    “Huh? No what? I was