Myth 08 – Myth-Nomers by Aspirin, Robert

didn’t have to make, but I did.

“Well, I guess it’s time for us to head back to the hotel

. . . right Skeeve?” Kalvin chimed in.

I had botched the job with J. R., but I resolved that this

one I was going to do right.

“No,” I said.

“No?” the Djin echoed. “So where are we going in-

stead?”

“That’s the whole point, Kalvin. We aren’t going any-

where. I’m going back to the hotel. You’re going back to

Djinger.”

He floated up to eye level with me, frowning as he cocked

his head to one side.

“I don’t get it. Why should I go back to Djinger?”

“Because you’ve filled your contract. That means you’re

MYTH-NOMERS AND IM-PERVECTIONS 133

free to go, so I assume you’re going.”

“I did?”

“Sure. Back in the alley. You used a spell to sober me

up before I had to fight those goons. To my thinking, that

fulfills your contract.”

The Djin stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“I dunno,” he said. “That wasn’t much of a spell.”

“You never promised much,” I insisted. “As a matter

of fact, you went to great lengths to impress me with how

little you could do.”

“Oh, that,” Kalvin waved his hand deprecatingly.

“That’s just the standard line of banter we feed to the cus-

tomers. It keeps them from expecting too much of a Djin.

You’d be amazed at some of the things folks expect us to

do. If we can keep their expectations low, then they’re easier

to impress when we strut our stuff.”

“Well it worked. I’m impressed. If you hadn’t done your

thing back there in the alley, my goose would have been

cooked before J.R. hit the scene.”

“Glad to help. It was less dangerous than trying to lend