2660. Intergalactic mining

Of course the abundance of diamonds and platinum on the exoplanet meant that diamonds and platinum were practically valueless there. From the point of view of Earthlings however, the planet could be viewed as a goldmine (in a manner of speaking). That is why Anselm Bloemendal had landed on the planet with a pick, a shovel, and a cardboard box.

Anselm’s private spacecraft couldn’t take a heavy load, but a boxful was more than enough to make him filthy rich on Planet Earth.

One of the hazards that Anselm had learnt from previous visits was the prowling curiosity of the local intelligent beings. They looked a little like large lizards and were forever getting in his way. This time Anselm came prepared. He had brought a gun. The first lizard to bother him would get shot. That should keep them away. However it took the shooting of seven lizards before realization set in that from the lizards’ point of view, distracting the Earthling was not a safe thing to do.

Some members of the local Council of Lizards had suggested that the Earthling be killed, but the Lizard President forbade it. “Stay away from it,” the President had said. “But if it comes near you without cause then kill it instantly.”

Anselm’s mining soon filled the cardboard box. He returned to his spacecraft. The spacecraft wouldn’t start. Its solar panels couldn’t harvest enough energy from the pathetic sun which the exoplanet circled. Anselm would have to seek help from the locals.

1146. Sad triangles

Dallas had to write a poem for school. He already had his opening line:

Nothing’s as sad as a triangle.

He didn’t know where the line came from. It just happened.

Nothing’s as sad as a triangle.

He had trouble thinking up what to put next. He knew how it was going to end. At least he knew what he was going to say. He was leading up to the idea that two triangles put together make a diamond. That was a fairly clever idea, he thought. The triangles on Harlequin’s costume were triangles. But when he researched the paintings of Harlequin he saw Harlequin was wearing diamonds. That’s what gave him the idea that two triangles make a diamond.

Nothing’s as sad as a triangle,
But two triangles make a diamond.

Dallas decided that that was the whole poem. He was pretty pleased.