"Rudy Rucker & Bruce Sterling - Hormiga Canyon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rucker Rudy)

wristbands. Jayson wove the chain-mail in his idle moments, frenetically
knitting away with pliers. JaysonтАЩs freaky metal wristbands were the
best-selling items on his website. They were beloved by fantasy gamers
and Society for Creative Anachronism types.

Stefan offered a cheery wave and hello, but Jayson raised a hand and
hauled his phone from his shorts pocket. He listened at armтАЩs length to the
tinny bleating of the speaker, lost his temper and began to rage. тАЬHuh? You
reported it stolen? So try and find me, Lester! I got no fixed address!
YouтАЩve got a what? Back off, man, or youтАЩre never gonna get your money!тАЭ
Angrily Jayson snapped shut his phone.

тАЬA little trouble with your hog?тАЭ said Stefan delicately.

тАЬAw, that Lester,тАЭ said Jayson, staring uneasily at his precious red
bike. тАЬNasty old biker, long gray ponytail down his back ... LesterтАЩs a crook!
He sold me a sick Indian, what it is. A beauty, a rare antique, a New York
cop bike with all the original paint ... but it shifts rough. On paper I still owe
him ... but if he wonтАЩt fix my bike our contract is void. No way heтАЩs calling the
cops.тАЭ

Reassured by his own bravado, Jayson grinned and drew a crumpled
paper sack from his pants pocket. тАЬNext topic. Your ants are history. I
brought ant aromatherapy.тАЭ

тАЬDidnтАЩt you used to have a big tow-trailer for your bike?тАЭ said Stefan,
studying his friend. тАЬThat had all your stuff in it, didnтАЩt it?тАЭ

A pained scowl furrowed JaysonтАЩs bearded face. тАЬLupe says sheтАЩs
throwing me out. My trailerтАЩs locked in her garage in Pasadena until I pay
back rent. ItтАЩs always money, money, money with her. Man, I hate gated
communities. Like, why put yourself into a jail?тАЭ

тАЬYou were pretty serious about Lupe. You told me she was the best
woman you ever dated. You said you loved her.тАЭ

Jayson winced. тАЬForget Lupe. Forget my stuff. The worldтАЩs full of
stuff. WhatтАЩs the difference who has what?тАЭ

тАЬI like where your headтАЩs at,тАЭ said Stefan, feeling empathy for his
companion. тАЬMaterial possessions are mere illusions. Everything we see
here, everything we think we own, it all emerges from the knotting and
unknotting of a hexadecillion loops of cosmic string.тАЭ

It was JaysonтАЩs turn to offer a pitying look. тАЬStill at that, huh?тАЭ

тАЬJayse, IтАЩm just a few ticks of the clock away from the One True String
Theory. In fact I think maybe ... I think maybe I already found it. I found the
truth exactly when those ants showed up to eat my system. So if I can just
publish my science findings in a reputable journalтАФwho knows! It could