DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XIV

     By the time Bott caught up, Nubry was halfway down the corridor, conducting a spirited debate with herself.      “Of course, they could mean they’re deaccessioning the collection from the Dragonshelf while accessioning it to their own inventory.  Couldn’t they?  Of course, they could!  Or maybe they said ‘THE Accession Chamber’.”      ”Deaccession Chamber,”Continue reading “DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XIV”

Santa Blogs XLI

Dear Santa Blogs      I have always appreciated your advice on giving pre-owned objects as gifts, but as years go by, i find the wish lists of my grandchildren very difficult to translate.  One grandchild in particular gives me a lot of instructions which are awfully technical.  Are second-hand postcards at all appropriate for suchContinue reading “Santa Blogs XLI”

PRESIDENTIAL TALL TALES IX

     We continue to pore through history to find good solid conspiracies involving each of the Presidents of the United States.  To recap, we need a story about a president which involves him in some deep plot, or one that seemed deep at the time.  We prefer theories which are more or less contemporary withContinue reading “PRESIDENTIAL TALL TALES IX”

DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XIII

     “Oh my!  Oh, my bins and bookshelves!”      Nubry’s eyes had been fixed on the big screen for some time now.  Broken buildings were all that remained of Near Schloggina.  Old stone stalls they seemed to be, roofless and doorless, a refuge for fog and shadows.      “Probably they had to shut down theContinue reading “DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XIII”

Larger Trivia Overdose

     Responses to my most recent column were evenly split, about half using the word “Scrooge” and the others using “Grinch.”  (There were a few other words which are new to me, but I got the general gist.)  It occurs to me that perhaps I was a little hard on those people who announce startlingContinue reading “Larger Trivia Overdose”

DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XII

     Bott’s eyes snapped open and he jerked upright, fully expecting to find himself surrounded by a few dozen Imperial troopers.      But no, this was the dim, elegant bridge he’d come to know, the same smooth, graceful, unbearable lines he’d seen all along, and no more.      Wait.  He blinked.  Some lines were different. Continue reading “DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER XII”

FICTION FRIDAY: Sending It Back

     Bernard was one of those shoppers who spends more time than money.  A friendly chap who liked to talk, had a treasury of stories which were not all pointless: he was pleasant enough on a slow day but at other times kept work from being done.      The keeper of the dark, dim antiqueContinue reading “FICTION FRIDAY: Sending It Back”

Polar Perplexity

     I would like to join those voices who have grown louder about massive government coverups.  It is as if at some point, leaders who cannot agree on borders or human rights or the environment got together and agreed to hide all evidence they have on a phenomenon they have decided (or have been told,Continue reading “Polar Perplexity”

DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER 12

     Sheriff Parimat and her Chief Deputy were the last of the playmates released from the Panoply when His Imperial Worship’s pigherds decided the Imperial pets were ready for a new assortment of friends.  They stepped slowly, stiffly, through a darkened cargo bay from which all the ornaments had now been removed.  The Sheriff stoopedContinue reading “DRAGONSHELF AND THE DROVER 12”