WELCOME, STRANGER! See America
first and begin with
JUBILATION!
And several hundred feet further two more signs.
THE ROTARY CLUB of Jubilation
welcomes and extends the warm
hand of friendship to you!!!!
You are now entering Paradise,
brother!
HOWDY, STRANGER! COME RIGHT
ON IN, STAY AWHILE AND MAKE
YOURSELF TO HOME!
--Jubilation Chamber of
Commerce--
As members of a peaceful race, Toryl and Sartan naturally found the
signs encouraging. They walked at a sprightly pace.
A whirring noise behind them brought the two to a halt. They turned to
discover a pre-war Chevy choking its way along the road. The aliens
edged their way to a gulley along the side of the road. They were
confident of a friendly reception but, in the event their calculations
had been wrong, they poised themselves to make a break in the direction
of their ship.
The ancient Chevy sputtered by. The driver was almost as ancient as the
car, a bearded fellow with a stogy stuck between his teeth and a crushed
hat on his head.
The driver slowed down when he saw the aliens. "Howdy, strangers!" he
yelled cheerily. "Say, ain't you fellers a mite warm in them coveralls?"
He cackled merrily, put his foot to the floor and sped on by.
Sartan looked at his companion. "_I am sorry, I should not have doubted
you, Brother. You were right. These people will welcome our visit. They
seem very cordial._"
"_Good, Sartan. Let us continue._"
One hundred yards further they were confronted by still another brace of
signs. They stopped once more.
CITY LIMITS
(Gambling allowed)
JUBILATION! WHERE TROUBLES
never come due, 'cause the
Good Lord takes a likin' to YOU!
Where gloom and doom are outlawed
and there's never any sadness.
Where a smile lights up the midnight
sky and gives off only gladness!
(Gambling allowed)
The second sign was another in the shape of a horseshoe.
BEYOND THIS POINT YOU HAVE 4372
FRIENDS YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE!!!
(Gambling allowed)
Suddenly Toryl stopped and played with several switches and dials on the
crypterpreter.
"_What is wrong, Brother?_" asked the puzzled Sartan.
"_I receive no direct translation for the term 'gambling'._"
"_What is the closest term the machine gives?_"
"_Fraternizing._"
Sartan laughed. "_Now it is you who fret, Toryl. According to the
signpost legends 'fraternizing' would seem to be accurate._"
* * * * *
A steady rolling sound of passionless one-armed bandits drowned out all
other noise in Okie's Oasis Bar. As a result, Toryl and Sartan drew
little attention when they entered. Except for their blue-metallic space
suits they looked like and _were_ ordinary humans.
They proceeded rather timidly toward the bar. Okie, the proprietor, was
on duty readying the place for the night shift. Toryl held up his hand.
The crypterpreter had already informed him that oral conversation was
the manner of communication on the strange planet. Such conversation had
long ago been abandoned on the planet Capella, but learned men such as
Toryl and Sartan were familiar with how it was done, though when they
spoke they sometimes had to halt between syllables.
"How-dy!" Toryl flashed a wide grin at the barkeep.
"Just hold your horses there, mister!" was Okie's sharp reply. "You
ain't the only snake in this desert. There's four customers ahead of
you!"
Sartan transmitted an admonishing thought to his companion. "_Toryl, you
should have noticed that the man was busy. He has only two hands._"
"_Forgive me, Brother, I was blinded by my own excitement._"
The two Capellans waited and were soon attracted by the silver-handled
machines that seemed to have most of the customers fascinated.
Sartan wandered over to where a small crowd of men was gathered around a
single machine. A huge man, raw-boned and crimson-faced, wearing surplus
army suntans, was operating the machine.
The big man dropped a large coin into a slot. He gave the silver handle
a vicious snap. It made a discordant, bone-crushing sound. Three little
wheels, visible under glass, spun dizzily. Anxious, screwed-up faces
looked on as the first little wheel stopped. _Bell Fruit._
A collective gasp came from the small crowd. The second little wheel
stopped. _Bell Fruit._
Another gasp.
Sartan touched the arm of the man operating the gambling device. "I beg
your pardon, but could you please tell me--"
The big man wheeled around like a bear aroused from hibernation. "Hands
off, mister! You trying to jinx me?"