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Show Acting Alone Page 43? be carried out: 'He that sheddeth man's blood, so shall his blood by man be shed.' Our missionar - er, editorial assistants can recite you that one by heart, Sammy." "Death threats now!" "Now, Sammy," in a sweeter, lower tone that probably was very effective on souls weaker, or at least less contrary, than Sam's own. "You know how I disenjoy expressing myself in such an Old Testament style as this. But sometimes dealing with an obdurate youngster like yourself requires that some fairly unpleasant, if improbable, possibilities be hypothetically - stress hypothetically - discussed. Just forget I said anything and write, my boy. Write. . . write. . ." His telephone voice could be very soothing .at times. As part of the purely metabolic aftershock that naturally comes when one's life has been threatened by someone who really means business and is more than capable of making good his promises, Sam forgot the imaginary secretions of his absent spleen and their fictitious effect on his emotional state, and he lay back on the Naugahyde for the time being, willing to listen to the old man's bullshit. For, in terms of sheer terrorization at least, Sam had been momentarily subjugated and dominated. Besides, it was such feather-soft bullshit, and, expressed in that silver voice, so smooth and soothing to someone who hasn't slept for several weeks. "Because of Christ's own compassion that He taught us by His example from the shameful height of His tree," the old voice intoned, "I shall now relate to you, Sammy, a parable. Just switch off that rickety IBM typewriter, wait for the incompetent IBM repairman to arrive, and, while you wait, just. |
