CHAPTER 11. SPENCER GETS WISE

 

SPENCER starts to remove the chloroform from his backpack. Hopefully, he asks, "Did they make the sundry questions about me?"

Mr. Nussbaum didn't hear that.

"You are a nice person. I know you will listen to me, and try very hard to get my words, somehow, into your poor brain. A terrible time is coming in this country. I know, because I saw the same thing happen, long ago, in another place."

"YOU MEAN the Germany people?" says Spencer. "Back in history times?"

Excited, he pulls out the cattle prod and holds it in both hands. He flips the switch and it begins to hum and vibrate. "The germy people that electrified all those many thousands of homoneurotic Egyptian children and ladies?"

Mercifully, the old folks are a bit hard-of-hearing and nearsighted. In any case, Mrs. Nussbaum is too upset to notice much of anything, and her husband is intent on imparting his wisdom.

  

SPENCER sits down on the floor and settles in, like a child at story time, cattle prod at the ready.

"There will come a time, soon, my young friend," says Mr. Nussbaum, "when your only defense will be knowledge."

Continued

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