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Foundation’s Friends

Anderson Poul William (EN), Harrison Harry (EN), Card Orson Scott (EN), Sheckley Robert (EN), Silverberg Robert (EN), Pohl Frederik (EN), Bova Ben (EN), Sargent Pamela (EN), Wellen Edward (EN), Turtledove Harry Norman (EN), Willis Connie (EN), Fein Betsy Spiegelman (EN), Resnick Mike (EN), Malzberg Barry N. (EN), Finch Sheila (EN), Hoch Edward D. (EN), Clement Hal (EN), Зебровски Джордж

Anyway, it was getting late, and you know I had to rush her out of there, and I tried to explain to her but she just didn’t want to listen, so then I put my back against her and shoved her toward the door, and I guess she got a

oyed or something ‘cause then I shoved some more but she wasn‘t there and I fell on the kitchen floor and she was standing over me with her sword in her hand and she had on what she called her warrior-woman expression, and I could just see the headlines in the Post: QUEENS WOMAN DIES IN SHISH KABOB TRAGEDY. Josh would never be able to face our folks again. So I go. “Back off, Muffy. “ Wrong thing to say.

“You’re as bad as those ape-things in the center of the Earth!” She was screeching now.

I go, “Just bag your face, will you? Some roommate you are. Where’s that old Greenberg School bond we used to have?”

That got to her. She sheathed her jeweled sword and calmed down. She helped me get up and dusted me off a little. “I’m sorry, Bitsy, “ she goes. I noticed she was blushing.

“All right, I guess, “ I go. We looked at each other a little longer, then I started to cry for some reason, and then she trickled a couple, and we started hugging each other and bawling, and the front door opened and I heard Josh coming in, and all he needed was another unexplained visit from his favorite Savage Amazon, so I go, “Maureen, quick, you’ve got to hide!” And then I felt like we were all on I Love Lucy or something, and I started to laugh.

She laughed, too. Josh didn’t laugh, though. Sometimes it’s like we only see his friends, and why can’t I ever have my friends over? Josh goes, “Because my friends don’t wave broadswords around on the subway. “ I suppose he has a point there.