"Impossible. See my secretary." He turned toward his office.
"Please, sir--"
He waved his hand and started through the door. I took a jump and
caught him by the elbow. He was sputtering furiously when I swung
him around, but I got my arms around him and gave him a hug. When my
mouth was against his ear I whispered: "I've been upstairs in the Prog
Building. _I know!_"
He stared at me and his jaw dropped. After a couple of vague gestures
with his hands he motioned me in with a jerk of his head. I marched
straight into the controller's office and almost fell down dead. The
stabilizer was there. Yeah, old Jehovah Groating himself, standing
before the window. All he needed was the stone tablets in his arms--or
is it thunderbolts?
I felt very, very sober, my friends, and not very smart any more
because the stabilizer is a sobering sight no matter how you kid about
him. I nodded politely and waited for the controller to shut the door.
I was wishing I could be on the other side of the door. Also I was
wishing I'd never gone upstairs into the Prog Building.
The controller said: "This is John Carmichael, Mr. Groating, a reporter
for the _Times_."
We both said: "How-d'you-do?" only Groating said it out loud. I just
moved my lips.
The controller said: "Now, Carmichael, what's this about the Prog
Building?"
"I went upstairs, sir."