Cutting Corners
Jun. 2nd, 2008 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mything_personThe air conditioning had been acting up, again, at the Oriental Institute. Jerry didn't really mind, he dressed lightly anyway and this meant a chance to catch up with Lamont. Lamont Jackson was one of the few people who participated his habit of punning. Today the theme was Central America.
"So, I'm talking to my doctor."
"Of course Lamont, your health is important."
"Marie'd agree with you there. Anyway, I'm explaining the situation. What I've got is a compulsion, see?"
"Sure Lamont, want to keep an eye on that sort of thing."
"That's what I'm saying. I'm compelled to build stepped pyramids and set fire to them."
"Right Lamont. What's the good doctor have to say to you 'bout this?"
"Simple really. I gotta stop smokin' ziggarauts before it kills me."
"That's a-maizing he can figure that out so fast."
"What can I say, I try to get the best."
The two men were interested by a frantic grad student. Vita was radiating anxiety and hauling a moderately sized cardboard box.
"Dr. Lukacs, could you help me out here?"
"Hear? I'm all ears Vita, what's the problem."
"The food poisoning from that sandwich yesterday. I sort of had an attack while I was setting up the copies of the test for the final exam."
"I," contributed Lamont, "have a bad feeling about this."
"Pretty much. I come back from the toilet and the exams look out of place," sighed the short red head, "When I counted up I was short one. Help?"
"Umm, well," fumbled Jerry. The problem wasn't one from a story he knew, which was always his first tool. Follow the familiar story.
Lamont Jackson, was a practical man for his solutions though. Thank goodness. "You have two major options: first, you could use the big hammer and re-write the exams, or second you could use the right tool and catch the cheater."
Two faces turned to look at him. Jerry with polite interest, and Vita with naked hope.
Lamont demonstrated why he was talking with Jerry again, "You're in a hurry, the first thing we do is cut corners. Come on, let's find the paper cutter."
"So, I'm talking to my doctor."
"Of course Lamont, your health is important."
"Marie'd agree with you there. Anyway, I'm explaining the situation. What I've got is a compulsion, see?"
"Sure Lamont, want to keep an eye on that sort of thing."
"That's what I'm saying. I'm compelled to build stepped pyramids and set fire to them."
"Right Lamont. What's the good doctor have to say to you 'bout this?"
"Simple really. I gotta stop smokin' ziggarauts before it kills me."
"That's a-maizing he can figure that out so fast."
"What can I say, I try to get the best."
The two men were interested by a frantic grad student. Vita was radiating anxiety and hauling a moderately sized cardboard box.
"Dr. Lukacs, could you help me out here?"
"Hear? I'm all ears Vita, what's the problem."
"The food poisoning from that sandwich yesterday. I sort of had an attack while I was setting up the copies of the test for the final exam."
"I," contributed Lamont, "have a bad feeling about this."
"Pretty much. I come back from the toilet and the exams look out of place," sighed the short red head, "When I counted up I was short one. Help?"
"Umm, well," fumbled Jerry. The problem wasn't one from a story he knew, which was always his first tool. Follow the familiar story.
Lamont Jackson, was a practical man for his solutions though. Thank goodness. "You have two major options: first, you could use the big hammer and re-write the exams, or second you could use the right tool and catch the cheater."
Two faces turned to look at him. Jerry with polite interest, and Vita with naked hope.
Lamont demonstrated why he was talking with Jerry again, "You're in a hurry, the first thing we do is cut corners. Come on, let's find the paper cutter."
