|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- PECULIAR LATHER--CUP 8--"BLANKETS DON'T GENERATE HEAT--PEOPLE GENERATE HEAT" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Peculiar Lather  ||  -------> (Cup SRpl008, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Okay." Ben said as he opened the box with a knife, revealing a shipment of the new Marv Metuchen book, 'Blankets Don't Generate Heat--People Generate Heat'. "Well, how delightful--just the book I'm looking for." Fluffy said in a semi-sarcastic tone. "Take as many as you want." Ben said, looking away. "Even though we're not supposed to put 'em out till Monday." "Look, I only want one, Ben." Fluffy said, taking a freshly printed copy out of the box. "And I am going to pay for it." "Yeah." Ben said, still looking away. "Look kid--you oughtn't act so fresh around deities--you're likely to get disadvantaged, if you see what I mean. You're lucky I'm a nice goddess." Fluffy said. Ben paused, and then said "Yeah, I know. Sorry." "Well I'm just warning you. I'm taking this book to Cudworth--and once word gets out, there'll be a slew of godfolk down here for this 'Blanket' book. You better talk to your manager and tell her to put some extra copies behind the counter." "I'll do that." Ben said. "Good." Fluffy said. "And wise up for goodness sake--you're lucky enough to work at a bookstore--so don't blow it by pissing off a Supbamite" "I appreciate the advice milady. Thank you." "That's more like it--but I'm not here to lord it over you, even though I am a goddess. But get that Bright-sized chip off your shoulder if you know what's good." "Yes." Ben said. "Well, bye-bye." Fluffy said, and took the book to the counter. The cashier was a tired looking middle-aged woman. Fluffy handed her the book. "I know this book's not on sale yet, but I'd like to buy it." said Fluffy. "Nooooooooo problem." the woman said, taking the book and typing a code into her cash register. "Look, uh," Fluffy said, glancing at the cashier's name tag. "Doris--I'm a bit confused by the sarcasm. I'm not trying to give you a hard time--but why such disrespect? Like I said to Ben in the back, I don't particularly mind--but some of my fellow Hotel residents would likely be most pissed-off. Get it?" "Well," Doris said, continuing to type into the cash register. "I'm sorry. It's just that none of our regular customers get such special treatment. I'm just not used to being in the company of gods, and my life's been pretty depressing recently. I just get--fed up. Maybe I have PMS. I don't know." "Oh." Fluffy said "Well I understand, but some of my fellows most assuredly wouldn't. Just please take my advice and be as respectful and normal as possible when a god comes by. That's all I'm saying." "I appreciate the warning, but I tell you--my son works up at the Hotel, and he says you guys are just like normal people when someone gets to know you. So I find it hard to bow and scrape hearing the things I hear from him." "Oh that's great--why don't you tell a goddess some more about how your son blabbers around gossip about us? Real swift, Doris." "Well, I'm sorry, but that's just the way I feel. That'll be $24.95--you are exempt from taxes, I assume." "Yes I am." Fluffy said, handing over a $25 dollar bill. "It's one of the biggest perks of being in this figurehead business" "Thanks. Here's your nickel." Fluffy took the nickel, and departed, saying "If anyone else comes to get this book--just be real nice to 'em--that's all I'm saying." Fluffy walked out into the street, book in hand, back toward the Hotel. Many of the people Fluffy passed on the street stared at her, but this was to be expected. She felt comfortable with the Agoopi denizens, but at the same time very distant. Distance was her domain, and she could appreciate aesthetic qualities in it that others couldn't even begin to fathom. Soon Fluffy got back to the Hotel, and she noticed a huge banner hanging on the side of the immense building. It was in brown letters on a white background, reading "tanner loblolly--you can just forget about going to the dance with me tonight. i found someone else much better to go with. i don't even know why i asked you in the first place. i trust i won't see you there." Fluffy wondered what the hell the deal was with the banner. She knew of several gods and goddesses who were fond of putting up such banners--but who was Tanner Loblolly? -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----