119 lines
4.4 KiB
Plaintext
119 lines
4.4 KiB
Plaintext
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I wasn't sore that the sales pitch had gone so badly, only that she
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hadn't shown her face the whole time.
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I hung out at the Sunset Grand for the next week. Him showing up
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was a long shot, but it was the only shot I had.
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I couldn't believe it when he walked into the bar with old Mr.
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Walsh-the-second trailing behind him like a good little clone. It
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was a sight; the two of them were dressed immaculately, they were
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both burley and, well, they were both identical. The real one
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carried what looked like a gold cane, and the fake one carried a
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couple of old-fashioned-looking luggage. Everyone in the place took
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a moment to check them out.
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Mr. Walsh plopped himself down on the bar-stool next to me and
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ordered rye whiskey for himself and a water for his clone.
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"Got to keep these fellas hydrated."
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"I'm surprised you recognised me. I'm even more surprised you
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showed."
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"Yes, well, I never forget a face. Especially one which intrudes
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upon ones abode without the slightest regard for custom."
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I took a gulp of my drink. It annoyed me that we had the same
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order. Rye whiskey, neat.
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"Really, Mr. Jules -"
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"Just plain old 'Jules' is fine."
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"Mr. Jules, you really have to work on your salesmanship. It used
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to be an art-form where you come from."
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"You mean Earth?"
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"I mean America."
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"Yeah, well, not much need for salesmanship these days. Everything
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is so god damn convenient now. It's more a matter of having the
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best product than the best sales pitch. Anyway, my sales pitch got
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you here, didn't it?"
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"Yes, well, you can thank my wife for that. She's a bit more
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superstitious than me and convinced me to hear you out. You have
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five minutes to tell me exactly what the hell you wanted, then I
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have somewhere to be."
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"Okay, I'll make it snappy. I'm just on vacation here, but back on
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Earth I'm considered a bit of an expert on clone insurance policy."
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I glanced anxiously at Mr. Walsh-the-second. He wasn't paying
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attention to us, or to anything in particular.
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"I heard from a few people around here that you got yourself a
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mighty-fine clone butler. I just thought I'd call on you to see if
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you needed any help with that."
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"Heard from what people?", he asked, his eyebrow raised.
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"That doesn't matter. What matters is what I can offer you. All the
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latest and greatest. Every clone protection under the sun. I'm
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partnered with the leading clone manufacturers in Singapore. If
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anything ever happens to the big guy - physical harm, psychological
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harm, hell, even if you just get tired of him and need a change -
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I'll have it set up so that you get a replacement made up as fast
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as you can twirl that gold cane of yours. I can tell your a man who
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likes the best, I can take care of everything you need. You know,
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I'll even throw in some air-tight triple indemnity protection into
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your life insurance."
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At this last remark he raised his eyebrow even further, and I
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started to worry that I'd laid it on too thick.
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"Well, Mr. Jules, I have to say that clone-replacement insurance
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isn't worth much all the way out here on Europa, 800 million
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kilometers from the factories where they make them. I usually just
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replace old Walshy here every five years when I return to Earth.
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That system has worked out well for me so far."
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I finished off my whiskey and made as if I was about to leave.
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"I'm sorry to have bothered you Mr. Walsh. I should have known that
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a man such as yourself would have his affairs in perfect order."
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"Just a minute. You did mention about the Triple Indemnity clause.
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Well, to be honest, I used to have one of those set up. After a
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while it seemed pretty pointless to keep it. They really are the
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most harmless creatures you know. But my wife...I mentioned all
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ready that she's the superstitious type, didn't I? Well, she's been
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bugging me recently to put it back in."
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I sat back down.
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"I see."
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"And, well, I do enjoy giving her what she wants. So, I will
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require your services after all."
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"Oh, well that's fantastic."
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"Just send me over a contract in a couple of weeks. I'll look it
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over after my trip."
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"Your trip?"
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"Yes, not that it's any of your business, but I'll be travelling
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away from Europa later today. Anyway, good day to you."
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"Yes, thank you so much, Mr. Walsh."
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Just then, she entered the room. I could sense it instantly. My
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eyes went right to the door, where she was standing in a white
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dress, patterned with honeysuckles. His eyes noticed her too.
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"Oh, there's my wife now," he murmured, half to himself.
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