Sloot (Extract)
‘I’m afraid we don’t have a Professor Stern in situ at this particular facility. Emeritus or otherwise. And bicycles are not permitted on the premises.’
Pithy, I’ll give her that. She was about to return to her work, but I was ahead of her.
‘Perhaps you could double-check,’ I said. ‘Professor Emeritus Larry Stern. Department of Comedic Arts. City of Dublin University. It says so on his website.’
‘I’m sure it does,’ said Ms Nà Cheannáin. ‘I think you’ll find, however, that this is University of Dublin City, not City of Dublin ditto. UDC, if you will, not CDU. I haven’t heard of a CDU myself.’ She removed her glasses, still imaginary, and gave me the full Nà Cheannáin go thither stare.
An extract from Ian Macpherson‘s Sloot, the Republic of Consciousness book for November.