woodrow wilson and herbert hoover were best friends for twenty-three years.
one day herbert hoover disappeared.
woodrow wilson went down to city hall to apply for a new friend.
the clerk had a name tag which identified her as sally brown.
she had a no nonsense manner.
this friend of yours, she asked woodrow wilson, what was his number?
his name was herbert hoover.
i did not ask you that, i asked you what his number was.
i do not know.
he was your best friend for twenty-three years, and you do not know his number?
no, i never asked.
do you know your own number?
it is on my phone.
but you van not tell me it without looking at your phone?
no, i am sorry.
you people! sally brown exclaimed exasperatedly. what are we going to do with you?
i am sorry, i am nor good at numbers.
i guess not. did you report this herbert hoover person as missing?
of course.
when?
yesterday, at four in the afternoon.
all right, show me your phone.
you will give it back to me, right?
of course i will give it back to you.
woodrow wilson handed his phone to sally brown with a reluctant air.
.give me a second, sally told him.
woodrow wilson looked around the vast cavernous expanse of city hall as sally brown checked the records.
his whole life flashed before his eyes.
he wondered what was going to happen to him, and when.
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