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table.
 This other place, said Tommy slowly;  just what s it like?
 Why, it s like whatever you wish, said the slim man.  That s why it s a
place of reward.
 Oh, said Tommy.  Well 
 Well what? said the thin man.  Surely you don t object to that?
 Well, you see  said Tommy, slowly still,  about this business of rewards.
You might put it that I ve been being rewarded all my life long, right here
where I ve been. And I enjoyed  Tommy s voice got firmer  every damn minute
of it. I don t mean to have you think I didn t. I wouldn t take back a
glassful or a moment of it. But  his voice slowed again  all the same& 
 All the same what? said the slim man.
 Well, it s been one hell of a fine life. Tommy looked up at him.  But you
know, I m ninety-four; and sometimes I think nowdays, even if I could drink
another bottle just like the ones I used to, and feel the way I used
to perhaps I d just as soon sit back instead and remember the bottle I did
drink, than put another one on top of it. There s some kind of quote about
that  He wrinkled his brow.  The pitcher going to the well once too often, or
some such no, that isn t right. The point is, the first times are really the
best times for everything. After a while it gets to be just comfortable,
instead of being all skyrockets and New Year s Eve.
He stopped and looked up at the slim man again.
 You remember when you came into my hospital room, he said.  I told you I was
looking forward to the end of the book, here. And I meant it. It s all been so
fine all these years and I wouldn t want to spoil it now by taking the pitcher
to the well too many times& What I mean is  he looked at the slim man almost
appealingly  other place, or no other place, if my reward there is simply
going to be more of the same, I think I d just as soon pass. It just isn t
worth it  he looked out once more over the waiting multitude  it just isn t
worth it to spoil what I had.
 Don t worry, said the slim man, and for a second his voice sounded quite
unbusinesslike,  we hadn t an eternity of parties scheduled for you. It was
something rather different. We ve got a comfortable chair reserved for you in
the library of a rather exclusive club. A club full of old characters like
yourself who like to sit around and talk.
 A club? A club? What characters? Who?
 Who? said the slim man, almost smiling.  Why, there s one named Bacchus, and
another called Don
Juan, and a rather fat one named Diamond Jim Brady.
 Oh, said Tommy.
 So you see, said the slim man, looking at him. Tommy was nodding his head
slowly and emphatically.
 I see, he said.  I should ve known it. Sorry I was so suspicious. Give me a
hand up, will you?
The slim man gave him a hand up.
 Lean on me, said the slim man.
 That champagne, said Tommy apologetically, as his knees rubbered a little.
 Drank it a little too fast.
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But it was a great bottle to end up on.
 Pleasure to be of assistance, said the thin man; and together they went up
through the crowd, and out of the door, and into a sunlit world beyond, where
the skies were as bright as Memory.
END
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