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“There is good news,” Redreed that I should be the one to tell you I can offer you a million-dollar advance on your next book Corporations are bad, but they’re also good They have money, and I intend to spend it”

James was so shocked, he couldn’t move Had he heard correctly?

“You’ll get a third on signing,” Redave away million-dollar advances all the tiet from the iStores’ placeood year”

“Great,” James said He still wasn’t sure how to react Should he jump out of his chair and do the watusi?

But Red calm about it “What will you do with the money?” he asked

“Save it For Sae education,” James said

“That will about use it up,” Redreed “Six, seven hundred thousand dollars—what does it get you these days? After taxes…Christ And with those guys on Wall Street buying Picassos for fifty million” He put up his hands as if to push away this reality “It’s our neorld order, I suppose”

“I suppose,” Jae fantasy Buy a little sailboat in the Caribbean and disappear for a few years”

“Not me,” Redmon said “I’d be bored in two days I can hardly stand to take a va

cation I like cities”

“Right,” James said He looked at Redmon How lucky to know one’s own ht While James did not, he realized, know his own mind at all

“I’ll walk you out,” Red, he made a face and put his hand to his jaw “Damn tooth,” he said “Probably needs another root canal How are your teeth? It’s extraordinary, getting old It is as hard as people say” Exiting the office, they caes,” Red confidence fir now We’ve seen it all before We know there’s nothing new Have you noticed that? The only thing that changes is the technology”

“Except we can’t understand the technology,” James said

“Bullshit,” Redmon said “It’s still a bunch of buttons It’s only awhich ones to press”

“Like the panic button that blows up the world”