From: Ed Murphy (emurphy42_at_socal.rr.com)
Date: Wed Apr 24 2002 - 17:16:41 PDT
I scratched my head in Confusion (which is the name of the northwest coast of the southeastern continent; actually, I wasn't exactly *in* Confusion, more like on top of it). "But what is 13, then?" It turned out that I was not talking to myself after all, as an extremely thin creature with six red chevrons on her uniform climbed down from a nearby bonsai tree. "Common, my dear fellow," she chimed in, "dreadfully common. Not perfect, like me. You see--" "I don't." "But you will, you see. Now--" "I don't." "You *will*. Now kindly stop interrupting. Anyway... where was I?" (a long pause; then, mouthed silently) "I'm not interrupting." "Impertinent child! --Ah, yes, commonality. All non-royal numbers, as anyone who's anyone really ought to know already, are either common or noble. 13 is just as common as common can be, but 14 is noble." "Yes, but which numbers are noble? In the general case, I mean." "Oh, the General only visits Confusion every other day, you see--" "I keep telling you, I don't! Are you noble?" "If you listen carefully, I've already given you the answer. It is clear to me now, however, that the fault of your spectacles is surpassed only by that of your so-called manners. Good day!" And she climbed back up into the tree, hidden once again by its enormous branches. -- Ed Murphy <emurphy42_at_socal.rr.com> "I'm not sure I can go through http://members.fortunecity.com/emurphy/ with it. Leave, I mean." -- Rule Date: 2002-04-25 00:17:31 GMT
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