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You know, the less you talk, the more people assume that what you’re not saying is important.”
faith doesn’t have to make sense. If it did, it wouldn’t be faith, it would be logic.
People have to think you’re earning your keep. As long as people are sure you’re doing something, they don’t worry too much about what. I take the occasional gig just for show. Every now and then I appear out of thin air, just to remind people who I am.”
“Do you really sift dung for a living?” Martin asked. “Oh yes, the business was passed on to me by my father,’ Hubert replied. “You must hate him.” “Oh yes, very much!”
Like a shot Phillip and Martin left the ground and sailed off beyond the rooftops. “Do we have to hold hands?” Martin asked. “Oh, grow up.”
“Dumb and decent can often look the same. It’s depressing, but the truth often is.
“You’re saying that the bullies are afraid of the geeks.” “Specifically, oddly dressed geeks who talk funny, and last night that described you perfectly.”
“They need us, and they fear us. That’s not the same thing as liking or respecting us.”
The advantage that religion has over magic or science is that man’s inability to understand is built into the system, so if an explanation is confusing or unsatisfying, it strengthens the point.”
Nobody has all the answers, because all the best answers generate more questions.
“Yeah,” Jeff said, “it’s like when they launch a ship by breaking a bottle on its prow.” “But instead if a ship, it’s you.” “And instead of a bottle, it’s the ground.”
Phillip had many other food choices he could produce, but a selection of specialized burritos is all the variety most men need.
Martin noted that the place looked exactly as it had when he first arrived, and yet it felt totally different. It seemed less hostile, less frightening. He figured it was partly because he was more familiar and comfortable with this era now, and partly because he knew he could level the whole building with a few words of Esperanto.
The fact that reality doesn’t match what you want or expect isn’t reality’s fault. Besides, authenticity is overrated.
“I only suggested changing three of their names. Lancelot, Galahad, and Gawain, and to be fair, Gawain’s original name was Dwayne, so that was a lateral move.
A happy king doesn’t start wars out of boredom. I’ve given them this castle because a wealthy king doesn’t start wars out of greed. I made them legends because a living legend doesn’t kill out of jealousy. ”
Was it a confession, he seemed to wonder, or is he just laughing because someone else has gotten one over on me? Jimmy gave Phillip a suspicious, questioning look. Phillip doubled down on the smugness, with a side order of slightly confused innocence, as if to say, what are you looking at me like that for? I know nothing about how your statue is being regularly anointed with feces.
Everyone was offering encouraging looks except Phillip, Gary, and Jeff, who were just enjoying the show. Jimmy put his hand on Martin’s wrist and said, “Martin, you don’t have to say anything.” “Oh! Good! Thank you,” Martin replied. “But you can if you want to,” Jimmy said. “Go ahead.” Everybody seemed to lean in, expecting to hear something good, particularly Phillip, Gary, and Jeff. “Um,” Martin said, “I, for one … am hungry. Let’s eat!” The assembled wizards approved of this.
Jimmy removed his hat and reached inside, saying, “We’re more than capable of supplying our own.” He pulled out a bottle of Scotch and sat it on the table with a satisfying clink. The wizards started removing their hats and producing their beverages of choice. Martin pulled out a bottle of diet Dr Pepper.
“Friends,” Jimmy said. There was a cough from the far end of the table. “And Phillip.” “Thank you,” the distant voice said.
“Wake up, imp. There’s a good imp. I’ll call you Tyrion! Yes I will!”
Phillip spent the morning reading a dog-eared paperback of Ender’s Game that he’d borrowed from Jeff.
Phillip shook his head. “Oh, Martin, is that it? I seem too nice and too harmless, so I must be hiding some sinister secret, like we’re nothing but two-dimensional characters in some bad novel?” “I genuinely hope not,” Martin said. “Yeah, I bet.
Phillip stood in front (because he was the most well-known and respected wizard present) next to Gwen (to explain that she was a wizard, and to tell what she had found in Rickard’s Bend), Tyler (to explain about Rickard’s Bend, and to tell about his ghosting), and Gary (because he insisted, and it was his cave).
I have seen the future, Martin, and it’s a better past!”
