Myth 18 - MythChief Asprin, Robert (urban books to read TXT) 📖

on opening my own business. Just a small problem-​solving advisory office. Nothing big or fancy. I just wanted to stop in and say 'Hi' and let you know I'm back.”

More awkward silence.

“That's swell, Boss... I mean, Skeeve,” Nunzio said, his high voice squeakier than ever. “Be sure to let us know if there's anything we can do to help out.”

“Thanks, Nunzio,” I said, lamely.

“Speaking of which,” Bunny said, rising to her feet, “we've got to get going. We've got to find some space for our office and lodgings.”

“That's right,” I said, even though I knew as well as she did that we had made no such plans.

I managed to keep smiling as we said our good-​byes, trying desperately not to notice the difference in warmth between our welcome and our farewell.

“Well, that was pleasant,” I said to myself, as we made our way through the aisles of tents and stalls that made up the Bazaar.

“Actually, it was about what I expected,” Bunny said, falling in step beside me. “If anything, it went better than I was afraid it would.”

“Really?” I said dryly. “I thought it got a bit chilly in there.”

“Let's try this from a different angle,” Bunny said, rea-​sonably. “What did you expect would happen when we dropped in?”

“I don't know,” I said. “I thought they would be happy to see me . . .” “Which they were,” Bunny said. “And I expected them to be glad I was coming out of retirement” “Why?” Bunny interrupted.

“Why?” I echoed. “Why shouldn't they be glad? They're my friends, and I'm starting a new business.” “Which is potentially in competition with their own operation,” Bunny said. I stopped in my tracks and stared at her. “What?” I managed at last.

She gave a deep sigh without looking at me. “Remember when I asked you why you wanted to set up business at the Bazaar?”

“Sure,” I said. “And I told you that it was because the Bazaar was where I was best known and had already es-​tablished contacts.”

“Uh-​huh,” Bunny said. “Think about that for a mo-​ment.” I did and came up blank. “I don't get it,” I said. “It still makes good sense to me.”

“Oh. Skeeve,” Bunny said, shaking her head. “Here at the Bazaar, everyone does know about the Great Skeeve. When you retired, you were the hottest act in the dimen-​sion. Of course people are going to come to you when you open your own business.”

“Isn't that the whole idea?” I said, genuinely puzzled.

“Of course, that's the same pool of clients that are cur-​rently going to M.Y.T.H., Inc., isn't it?”

“But. . . That isn't. . . I .. . Oh.”

Suddenly everything fell into place, and I was in com-​plete touch with my feelings. Mostly, I felt immensely stu-​pid.

“Two of their biggest clients are the Chamber of Com-​merce and Don Bruce, both of which made their original deals directly with you,” Bunny said. “How do you think they're going to react when they learn that you're opening your own solo operation?”

Now, in addition to feeling stupid, I was feeling the be-​ginnings of a splitting headache. Sometimes I think being in touch with one's feelings is massively overrated.

“Maybe I should go back and talk this out with them,” I said, turning around and gazing back toward the direc-​tion where the tent lay. “This isn't at all what I intended. If nothing else, there's no way I could take on either the Chamber of Commerce or Don Bruce's jobs by myself excuse me, with just the two of us.” I didn't want to offend my only remaining colleague. My brain felt as if it wanted to force its way out of my eyeballs.

“No. Let it sit for a while,” Bunny suggested. “Like you said, they are your friends. Give it a while to sink in. They don't want to keep you from going back into business any more than you want to put them out of business. In the meantime, you might be putting some time into figuring out exactly what kind of work you'll be looking for that isn't in direct conflict with their operation.”

I followed her glumly toward the Merchants Associa-​tion tent. First things first: we needed a place to set up shop. Then I needed to think about what exactly I would be doing in it.

Myth 18 - MythChief

TWO

'If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."

R. NADER

A week later, Bunny opened the box the Deveel messenger had dropped on her desk and squealed with delight.

“Skeeve, the new business cards are here!”

I nodded without looking up from the fifth revision of the proposed lease for the new building that the two of us now occupied. The tent had even less charm than M.Y.T.H., Inc.'s had had when we first moved in and less than a quar-​ter of the space. The Merchants Association of the Bazaar at Deva had some idea that since it was me, they were en-​titled to boost the rent for the tent skyward. I was mentally composing the reply I was going to send them, starting with the information that it was still my signature on the first lease and ending with a reminder that they had not disclosed all the hidden flaws in the first tent I had rented from them, most particularly the back door that opened out into the dimension of Limbo, a fact that would have put us off renting the place if we had known. The argument was pure formality among Deveels, who, of all the dimensional inhabitants