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Read Ebook: Ancient Civilizations of Mexico and Central America Third and Revised Edition by Spinden Herbert Joseph
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Ebook has 71 lines and 2418 words, and 2 pages
"I've always done my best. Go ahead and rock."
"But will you try to get the tickets?"
Ethan nodded resignedly and felt better when the chair began to swing back and forth. There was no living with a woman when she didn't have peace of mind.
Amantha lay in bed, listening. Sometimes her hearing was very good, the way it used to be. Other times, it wasn't worth a thing. The way it came and went reminded her of when she was young and used to wonder why old folks couldn't hear. Now she could often lie next to Ethan and not even notice whether he was snoring. Tonight her hearing was good.
Footsteps came from the hall, creaky noises of someone trying not to make a sound. She'd lain awake many nights, hearing him come home. She knew who it was and for once she didn't mind. The Home for Retired Citizens had rules.
Careful, she thought. There's the bad spot where the floor's thin and bends when you step on it. Then when your foot comes off it, it goes ploinnnnng. They don't build right any more. Skimping and trying to save.
But there wasn't a sound. Ethan avoided it. When she thought of it, she realized he had a suspicious amount of skill--the skill of practice.
Ethan was fumbling at the door and she forgot her irritation. She slipped out of bed and swung the door open. He stumbled in against her. "'Mantha, they laughed--"
"Did you have anything to eat?" she broke in.
"Cup of that Mars coffee. But--"
"Don't talk till you get something hot inside. Empty belly, empty head."
"Can't eat stuff that comes out of the wall. I'll wait till breakfast."
She flicked the light on low and punched the selector. She took the glow-plate from under the bed and set it on the table. As the food arrived, she heated it and began adding spices. "There--it ain't real food, but you can pretend."
Ethan pretended and, when the food was gone, wiped his lips and looked at her.
She nodded. "Now you can tell me--but keep your voice low. Don't wake anyone up."
Ethan stretched and creaked. "Went down to the Interplanet office and they wouldn't talk to me. Said there wasn't any ship leaving for the next ten months and they didn't sell tickets in advance. I kept pestering them and they got mad. They looked up our records and said we couldn't go anytime, except on a fast ship, and, considering our age, it was doubtful they'd let us. Didn't give up, though, and finally they said we might get a release from the man who'd take us. Maybe they wanted to get rid of me. Anyway, they sent me down to talk with one of the pilots."
Amantha approved. Go straight to the man responsible. Persistence could get you there.
"He talked real nice for a while," Ethan continued. "He explained he didn't own the ship and didn't have the say-so who he took. I knew you wanted to go real bad. I offered him the money we'd saved."
"Don't get mad. Figured it was worth it to you."
"Don't believe in paying extra," she mused, "but did you tell him we could borrow some if it wasn't enough?"
"Didn't get a chance. He started laughing, saying didn't I understand he got paid not just for each trip, but for all the years after that, when he was finished and had used up his time and couldn't work at the only thing he
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