The Street of a Thousand Answers
Created | Updated Nov 27, 2011
Come with Rod to…
The Street of a Thousand Answers
The Search
Just a little while ago (it seems), after some comments from others it became apparent that something should be done but the search for a solution yielded no results. However, rather later and in a quiet moment, a solution turned up – though not at first recognisable as such.
Expedition the First
There is a street of shops, I know not where but suspect it slants off Diagon Alley at a rather acute angle. It has a name but it isn't at all clearly lettered and the street itself is rather vague and blurry. Looking along it, it seems to consist of shops but they, too are vague and blurry – there but not really there. Bemused and rather cautiously, glance over your shoulder and put a foot forward, following it, after a nervous pause, with the other.
The chances are that the door and the lettering above, of a shop will appear – quite strongly but not completely. Again, the chances are that it will appear in full, solid, 3-D technicolour once you lay hold of the doorknob (or where it almost is).
My own first visit was to the first on the left – the Even Tally shop, wherein was (one assumes) the proprietor, who itself seemed not really of this world – but friendly enough withal. It gave me to understand quite clearly, but by means not fully understood, that it could supply me with what I was looking for – and that there was a price. After some hesitation (is there a word for a one-sided dialogue where no words are spoken and the other party knows what you need and what you mean?). I accepted. Herein and thereafter, I found the means to keep a grip and maintain (more-or-less) an even balance in discussions – and even in arguments.
Expedition the Second
{?My second visit some time later revealed (again conveniently, first on the left) the Needa Nose shop within which the proprietor had a more than vague resemblance to that earlier proprietor from whom that purchase had proven its worth. It had many kinds of noses available, even to a really rather special affair, where I could have had a multi-dimensional, tardis-style remodelling job done, in memory foam. Apparently though, that model isn't easy to handle without lots and lots of practise – and it is particularly expensive.
In the event I settled for a brass nose and subsequently found that I could cope (well, more-or-less) with many kinds of situations that used to be problematical.
Successful Expeditions?
Yes. Two successes out of two visits. Well, let's qualify that by saying Successes within the implied specifications.
They don't always work and anyway aren't completely foolproof (ha!) but mostly they do and mostly they are.
There is no guarantee, implied or otherwise.
…and the price?
… Is payable at point-of-use. Every time you call on your resource it costs you something. Something, that is, not easily definable – however, on each use both you and The Proprietor get a warming glow. He knows – HE knows.
That price actually gets smaller at each use and, after some while, becomes barely noticeable, if at all...
Don't, please don't allow me to persuade you to believe in little grey nearly-men.
