The Homunculus Flunks the Touring Test (ibid)

[ergo sum]

Around four o'clock the bishop twirled a chocolate covered rum soaked cherry between his fat fingers. The diamond glistened in the afternoon light. He was sitting in a chair on the veranda talking with Sander Levin better know to most as Rep Levin. the congressman from the Michigan’s 12th District. As usual they were discussing Gynecologic Cancers and Johanna's Law. Fra Angelico brought them each a glass of the hazelnut liqueur Frangelico.

Down by the pump house young Riddle was trying to determine why the pump was not working. After about 16 hours he realized that it was a foot driven pump that required slave labor. This was a common form of pumping water during the Roman Empire and this particular pump was from that period. Some people claimed this was a completely erroneous notion pointing out that there were no Roman’s in Michigan. Threatening law suits and demanding proof and affidavits. Some claimed Riddle was a complete idiot. Some claimed he was a tool of the devil. Some claimed the pump wasn’t there.

Tentatively Riddle put his feet on the petals. The flowers moaned. Then he stepped ever so carefully onto the pedals of the pump. At first he could barely force the pedals to move, but slowly with the encouragement of a short dwarf behind a tree he managed to get a small trickle of water to begin filling the upper pond. “Lien on it harder. Use all your weight.” Encouraged the dwarf.


“I think you meant lean and not lien but I am afraid I am just too lean to keep this going up for very long. ” sighed Riddle.

“How the hell can you correct my spelling when I am speaking?” asked the somewhat illiterate itinerate dwarf.