Part
24
Because the chap had no spectacles, nor an outrageously
elongated forehead, many were sceptical of his claims
to be a scientist, until he exclaimed in an authoritative
tone:
'I
am Kurt Cutlery, a physicist at the Albert Einstein
Institute in Golm, Germany. I have reason to believe
this gentleman may have information pertaining to
the black hole information paradox.' He pointed at
Ryan.
'I
have vital evidence concerning the black hole information
paradox,' said Ryan.
'See.
Told you,' said Mr Cutlery.
Meanwhile,
Lech Lutha and John F. Kennedy stumbled confusedly
through the darkness wondering where the hell they
were.
'Where
are we?' said Lech.
'I
don't know,' said the president.
'But
I think I've just tripped over a wire of some sort.'
After
their meeting with Casper in the afterlife, the pair
had discovered that he had a degree of influence within
the ministry of transubstandardation and, after several
enquiries and bureaucratic machinations, had managed
to wangle a trip back to the land of the living with
the proviso that the pair attempt to contact Michael
Cade in order to send Casper's regards.
However,
due to a spectacular administrative error (sadly -
a way of life, even amongst the dead) they had been
transported into the black hole that was the mind
of Ryan.
The
president checked the loose cable lying at his feet,
around which was wrapped a label with 'Do Not Remove'
written on it. Examining the outlet from which the
lead had been yanked, JFK noted the inscription Knowledge
Blockage Socket emblazoned around it.
'Do
you think I should put this back?' he said, twirling
the wire round in his hands.
'No,'
said Lech, firmly. 'It has got a lot lighter in here
since you pulled it out.'
'Yes,
I noticed that too,' said the president.
Suddenly, Ryan's booming tones, now devoid of their
customary nasal drone thanks to the president's clumsiness,
bellowed out, echoing around them: 'I have vital evidence
concerning the black hole information paradox.'
'I
think we're inside someone's mind,' said the president.
'Their
brain?' said Lech.
'No.
Their mind. There's a difference, you know.'
'There is?'
'There
is.'
'And?'
'Well,
let's just say, I lost my brain, but I never lost
my mind.'
'You've
lost me now.'
'Can
we have this conversation later?'
'By
all means.'
'Thank
you.'
The
pair wandered aimlessly around for a while attempting
to familiarize themselves with their peculiar new
surroundings.
'Have
you ever been in someone's mind before?' asked Lutha.
'Not physically, no,' said the president. 'Why?'
'I
am only wandering. I think we should step very carefully.
We could be upsetting the whole balance of this person's
being with our heavy trudging. And there are a great
deal of wires and labels everywhere.'
JFK
peered inquisitively about, noting the sundry flesh
coloured dangling cables and apertures surrounding
them.
'Yes,'
he said. 'I wonder who puts up all these labels?'
'The
Mind Boggles,' said Lutha.
The
president seemed taken aback by this sudden emphatic
statement.
'The
Mind Boggles?' he repeated. 'Who are they?'
Next
week: The Mind Boggles and Their Part in Our Downfall
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