"Mind if I join
you?" he asked, his voice rich with a hint of mischief. I could not refuse
such a polite request, so I nodded in the affirmative. He settled into the
chair opposite me, his presence radiating an air of quiet confidence.
We exchanged
pleasantries, and it was not long before we were deep in conversation. He
introduced himself as Horace, a name that, much like the man himself, seemed to
carry an air of old-world charm. As we chatted, I could not help but wonder
about his life and what stories lay behind those twinkling eyes?
"Tell me,"
he said, leaning closer, "are you a fan of the Nightly News?"
I chuckled. "I
suppose I watch it often enough. It's become a bit of a habit."
A sly grin spread
across his face. "How would you like to make a lot of extra money while
watching the Nightly News?"
Intrigued, I leaned
his way, "I'm listening."
Horace reached into
his pocket and pulled out a small, shiny nickel, which he placed on the table
between us. "I'll give you a nickel every time the Nightly News mentions
the names either 'Elon or Musk'."
I stared at the
nickel, then back at Horace, trying to gauge whether he was serious or simply
indulging in a bit of whimsical folly. "Every time?" I echoed,
raising an eyebrow.
"Every single
time," he confirmed with a nod. "Think about it. The media cannot
seem to get enough of him. With all his ventures like Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink
(I made a mental note to look this one up) Elon’s name is constantly in the
news."
The idea was absurd,
yet oddly compelling. "Why would you do this?" I asked, still trying
to wrap my head around the proposition.
Horace's eyes twinkled
with amusement. "Let's just say I enjoy making life a bit more interesting
for those around me. Besides, it's pocket change for me, but it could add up
nicely for you."
I laughed, shaking my
head at the sheer lunacy of it all. "Alright, Horace. You've got yourself
a deal."
We shook hands,
sealing the most peculiar agreement into which I have ever entered. As Horace
stood to leave, he offered me one last piece of advice. "Keep a big jar
handy. You might be surprised at how quickly it fills up."
And just like that, he
was gone, leaving me with a story to tell and a new hobby to indulge in. As I
watched the news that evening, I could not help but smile every time Elon
Musk's name was mentioned, the image of that shiny nickel dancing in my mind.
Would I kid u?
Smartfella
Lagniappe: Another
ending to this Silliness...
I said to Horace, “I
agree! I accept you generously stupid proposal and I expect I am about to be as
rich as you are until you figure out you are running out of money.”
Horace’s response to Fella, “I take it all back! You are right! I have a lot of money but I don’t have this much money. I would have been able to easily afford this bit of silliness if I had chosen the names 'Donald or Trump' but 'Elon or Musk' is a reach too far even for me. It must have been that shot of espresso I told the barista to add to my coffee!”
