"Foster, Alan Dean - Smart Dragons, Foolish Elves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

Still, it would be a fairly simple matter to
concoct a story about a remarkable car. One that
kills, like Stephen King's Christine. Or one that
metamorphoses into a starship, as in the movie
The Last Starfighter. But once-you've tossed out
the punchline, so to speak, where's your story?
No, no. Better to keep it simple, ordinary,
unspectacular.

Robert Silverberg has been writing simple,
ordinary stories about everyday situations and
events for a long time now. Ifs the ease and skill
with which he brings off whatever he wants to
try that's spectacular. This quiet little story, for
example. You have to take it ...

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As Is

ROBERT SILVERBERG

"As is," the auto dealer said, jamming his thumbs under his
belt. "Two hundred fifty bucks and drive it away. I'm not
pretending it's perfect, but I got to tell you, you're getting
a damned good hunk of car for the price."
"As is," Sam Norton said.

2 Robert Silverberg

"As is. Strictly as is."

Norton looked a little doubtful. "Maybe she drives well,
but with a trunk that doesn't open -- "

"So what?" the dealer snorted. "You told me yourself
you're renting a U-Haul to get your stuff to California.
What do you need a trunk for? Look, when you get out to
the Coast and have a little time, take the car to a garage, tell
'em the story, and maybe five minutes with a blowtorch -- "

"Why didn't you do that while you had the car in stock?"

The dealer looked evasive. "We don't have time to fool
with details like that."

Norton let the point pass. He walked around the car
again, giving it a close look from all angles. It was a
smallish dark-green four-door sedan, with the finish and
trim in good condition, a decent set of tires, and a general