Out of Spite, Out of Mind (Magic 2.0 #5)

by Scott Meyer

The computer’s plastic case had long ago faded from its original stylish gray tones to a dingy yellow, not dissimilar to the color of a dehydrated man’s urine. It was a common problem with the plastics used in the cases of the early Macintosh computers. Once, Brit had been amazed that Steve Jobs would allow a product to ship with such an obvious aesthetic flaw, but in time, she realized that Steve Jobs didn’t consider anything that would cause a customer to want to buy a newer computer a flaw.

“Phillip, have I ever told you what a good friend you are?” “No, I don’t believe you have.” Martin said, “Yeah, that’s not by accident.

One of the first lessons any modern person learns when they go to live in the distant past is that everyone, including the domestic servants, are much more hard-core than you will ever be.

“Are you sure it’s really him?” Brit the Elder snorted. “Is it typical for an agent to say things like, the subject is a smug, smarmy bastard in an official report?” Phillip moaned. “It’s really him.”

“Shooting yourself in the foot has the same effect whether you do it to get out of the army or to kill a mosquito on your shoe.”

“Thinking before you act suits you, Martin.” “Yeah. The problem is, I usually don’t think to do it.”