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98 lines
2.2 KiB
Text
98 lines
2.2 KiB
Text
.LP
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.ce
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.ps 16
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.CW
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MY VIOLET DUCHY
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.R
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.ps 8
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.CW
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tags: 1967, margaret, tab1, tab2, violet
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.R
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Mother fitted Violet's mask into place, but that did nothing to cap
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the jet of words spraying from her face.
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.PP
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.ps 10
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I
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.I
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hated
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.R
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my sister.
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Violet: "All of this leaf stuff is still undecided. It'll be difficult
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to unseat the pressure screen in this household, especially with Dad.
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I wouldn't wager my summer vacation on that contraption. I doubt if
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he'll buy it from you."
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Thomas: "The thing about this device neither of you seem to understand
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is that it's much more than a simple substitute for the pressure
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screen. Just look at it's features! The interface is remarkable, even
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to functional illiterates such as yourselves. See how it responds so
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readily to the touch of my finger? I'm certain he'll be as excited
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about it as I am."
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Mother: "Isn't this a bit like that old LCD screen you dug out of the
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back yard, Thomas? I don't understand what's so interesting about it.
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It doesn't even
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.I
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speak.
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.R
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Violet is probably right: your father is not
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going to compensate you for this find, I'm afraid..."
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Thomas: "..."
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Violet: "He's not going to allow it into the house anyway. Are
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.I
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you
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.R
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going to tell him where you found it, or should I?
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.I
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Ouch,
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.R
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Mom, the pin
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goes into my blouse, not my neck!"
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Thomas: "Sure, I'll tell him. Though I'm not convinced his consent is
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even relevant at this point. How is he going to say no when the device
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could prove indispensable to his work? Classical pressure screens are
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not going to be interoperable with the new networks. Is Dad going to
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let us go broke just so he can pretend the market still values his
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pre\-war skillset?"
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Mother: "Thomas."
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Thomas: "Blame the market. I didn't invent supply and demand. Finding
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this thing in the trash doesn't
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.I
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make
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.R
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it trash."
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Violet: "I have to wonder if there's any significant
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.I
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purpose
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.R
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to all
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of these upgrades. In a few months time there'll be another new device
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to replace this one, and then, in the fall, a new device to replace
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.I
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that
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.R
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one. Haven't you discerned a pattern yet, Thomas?"
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.PP
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.ps 10
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Thomas: "I haven't the slightest idea what you're on about."
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