He rose from the keyboard and picked up the tumbler.
“Thank you, gentlemen. Much appreciated.”
“Don’t mention it, pal.”
He made his way past the bar, nodding to the barkeep, Rhadamanthus,[17] en route.
He found the owner, Minos,[18] in the back room, sitting at his untidy desk and writing in a ledger. Minos looked up, smiled, and laid down his pen.
“Good crowd tonight, eh?”
“Pretty good. Drunker than usual, and all the more generous.”
“That’s the idea, pal. Part those fools from their cash.”
“Here’s your cut for the night. That was the last set.”
Minos looked at his pocket watch. “Hey, look at that, almost closing time.”
“Speaking of time, mine here is nearing its end.”
“How long’s it been?”
“Seventy years.”
“That all? Seems like you’ve always been around. So, you got your nest egg up to respectable proportions, eh?”
“More or less. I have my eye on a sleek little schooner down at Alecto Wharf.”
“So, you’re gonna ship out at last, huh. Good luck. Talked with a chandler yet?”
“Not yet, but I have friends, connections.”
“Outfitting’ll set you back some, you know that.”
“I know it. I have it all scoped out.”
“Good, good.”
Minos yawned and stretched his chubby arms.
“I’m bushed. Going to call it a night.”
“Night, boss.”
“G’night, Steve.”
Minos paused at the door and said, “Your own name come to you yet?”
“No. I still go by “Steve Daedalus’[19] around town.”
“It’ll come. Part of the learning process.”
“Boss, what is it I’m supposed to be learning?”
“You got me, Steve. Not my department.”
“I still have the vague feeling that I don’t belong here.”
“Yeah, you’ve said that many times. You know, I’m inclined to agree with you. You don’t seem like the rest.”
“I don’t feel dead.”
“Well, there’s always some residual disbelief.”
“I feel it’s a lot more than that. I really do not believe I’m supposed to be here.”
Minos shrugged. “But you’re here. Hey, what are you gonna do? Maybe you just haven’t faced facts yet.”
“Possibly. Possibly.”
“Then again …” Minos heaved his shoulders again. “I dunno. Maybe you’ll find your answer out to sea, like everybody else. Maybe your case is special, but your destiny is still the same. The only way to find out is to get on that boat and take the final journey.”
“To where, boss? Where?”
“But … Stevie boy, that’s the whole point, isn’t it?”
Steve nodded. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
“Right. Well, I’ll see you … Uh, you are gonna work one more shift?”
“Sure. Tomorrow-which-is-meaningless-here.”
“Okey-doke. See you around.”
“Right.”
Minos shut the door after him.
He poured himself two fingers of ambrosia from Minos’ hidden stash and sat, sipping thoughtfully.
Seventeen
Spot Quiz No
Multiple Choice. Circle the correct answer.
A. spell that makes things happen is called a:
A. magic spell
B. make-it-happen spell
C. facilitation spell
D. bribe
A device for faster-than-light communication is a:
A. cellular phone
B. CB radio
C. multiphone
D. friend of your wife
What character in Greek mythology does the strange specter in the ferryboat evoke?
A. Charon
B. Theseus
C. Bellerophon
D. Biff the Wonder Clam of Phrygia
Departed relatives may be contacted in the afterworld through the services of a:
A. psychic medium
B. necromancer
C. good lawyer
D. yenta
There once was a man from Khartoum, who took a lesbian up to his:
A. room
B. pad
C. flat
D. roommate
Life’s a bitch, and then you:
A. get transferred to New Jersey
B. get audited by the IRS
C. die and
D. die and
A. a band of unconscious deputies
B. an unconscious pussycat
C. a band of communist deputies
