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cting is a young art； from what I hear； and an occasional freak disturbance now and again should be no real cause for alarm … but an unpredicted miniquake every day for two or three weeks； spotted all around the globe； culminating in a blockbuster where a quake had no right to be； is bound to cause talk。
The seismologists confess themselves baffled。 Some note that none of the quakes took place in a densely populated area； and are somewhat reassured。 Some note the uniquely powerful though strictly local intensity of the blasts； and are perturbed。 Some note the utter inability of their science to explain the quakes even after the fact； and fear that the end of the world is at hand。
But me … well； from here at the site of the first quake in the series； Suffolk County； Long Island； New York； U。S。A。； I've got me a different idea。
If you've been paying attention so far； you probably know what a circus Callahan's Place can be on an ordinary night。 Well I'm here to tell you that on holidays like Christmas and New Year's Eve； it bees something to stagger the imagination。 All the stops are pulled out； insanity reigns supreme； and the joint generally resembles a cross between a Shriner's Convention and an asylum run by the Marx Brothers。
So perhaps it wasn't surprising that the first quake in the series struck damn near Callahan's Place on Halloween Eve。 It certainly couldn't have happened the way it did on any other night。
The place was more packed than even I had ever seen it before； and I've been hanging out at Callahan's for quite a few years now。 Added to the usual list of regulars and semi…regulars were a host of old…timers and ex…regulars； some of whom I knew only by reputation and some not at all。 As I think I already told you； a lot of Callahan's customers stop needing to drink after they've been around long enough； and not many people in this crazy age enjoy judicious doses of ethanol for its own sake。 So they stop showing up； or bee more involved with their families； or simply move elsewhere … but holidays somehow draw them all back like chickens to the roost e sundown。
So by nine o'clock Callahan had already had to sweep the shattered glasses out of the fireplace to make way for ining shipments； leaving Tom Hauptman to cover the bar； and more people were ing in all the time。
Nearly everyone had e in costume； lending a surreal air to a bar that's never been … what you'd call mundane。 There were four guys in gorilla suits playing poker in the corner； five or six sheeted ghosts doing a shuffle…off…to…Buffalo through the press of the crowd； and seventeen assorted bug…eyed monsters and little green men scattered here and there。 I was profoundly glad to see that Eddie had finished his mourning and put away his grief； he had showed up in black…face and the most disheveled suit I'd ever seen； announcing； 〃I'm Scott Joplin … lookit my rags。〃 Doc Webster had dressed up as Hippocrates and was instantly dubbed 〃Hippo…Crates〃 （having been forced to use a tarpaulin for a toga）； Long…Drink McGonnigle appeared in an ancient frock…coat with a quill pen in the breast pocket； introducing himself as 〃Balzac … Balz to you；〃 Noah Gonzalez and Tommy Janssen had teamed up as a horse with a head at both ends because neither of them wanted to be the。。。 aw； you get the idea。 Callahan himself was dressed up as a grizzly bear； which suited his huge Irish bulk well； but he kept wincing when jostled； explaining to anyone foolish enough to listen that he was 〃a b'ar tender。〃 Me； I was dressed as a pirate with a black eye…patch and the name of a certain oil pany painted across my chest。
I was watching the tumult and enjoying myself hugely； trying to guess the identity of friends through their masks； when I spotted one very familiar face unmasked。
It was Mickey Finn。
I hadn't seen Finn for quite a spell； since he moved up to the Gaspe Peninsula in Canada to do some farming； and I was delighted to see that he'd made the reunion。
〃Finn！〃 I hollered over the merry roar。 〃This way。〃
Another human might not have heard me； but Finn looked up right away； smiled across the room at me； and started working his way toward the bar。
There's some machine in Finn； the way he tells it； but I think there's a lot of human in him too。 He could easily have put a hand through the wall； but he was extremely careful not to dismode anyone on his way to the bar。 I looked him over as he approached； noted his work shirt； sturdy coveralls and worn boots； and decided he was making a fair adjustment to his life of exile as a Terran。 Wrinkles on either side of his smile said that it was no longer such an alien expression to him as it had once been。
He reached me at last； shook my hand gravely and accepted a glass of rye from Tom Hauptman。 He offered Tom the traditional one…dollar bill。
〃No thanks； Mr。 Finn；〃 Tom told him。 〃Mike says your money's no good here。〃
Finn smiled some more； kept the bill extended。 〃Thank you； sir；〃 he said in that funny accent of his； 〃but I truly prefer to pay my own way。〃
I shook my head。 〃If you're gonna be human； Finn； you're gonna have to learn to accept gifts；〃 I told him。
He sobered up and put away his money； nodding to himself as much as to me。 〃Yes。 This is a hard learning； my friend。 I must not refuse a gift from Mr。 Callahan； who gave me the greatest gift … my free will。〃
〃Hey； Finn； don't take it so hard；〃 I said quickly。 〃Accepting a gift graciously is something a lot of humans never learn。 Why should you be more human than Spiro Agnew？〃 I leaned back against the bar and took a sip of Bushmill's。 〃e on； loosen up。 You're among friends。〃
Finn looked around； his shoulders relaxing。 〃Some of these are unfamiliar to me；〃 he said； gesturing toward the crowd。
〃Lot's of 'em are strangers to me too；〃 I said。 〃Let's amble around and get to know some of 'em。 But first； tell me what you've been doing with yourself。 How's life in Canada？〃
〃I am doing well；〃 Finn said； 〃and I am also doing good； I think。〃
〃How do you mean？〃
〃Jake my friend；〃 Finn said earnestly； 〃the Gaspe is one of the biggest paradoxes on this continent： some of the richest farmland； and some of the poorest farmers。 In addition to making my own living； I have been trying to help them。〃
〃How do you do that？〃 I asked； interested。
〃In small ways；〃 Finn replied。 〃I see further into the infrared than their eyes can see； I can evaluate soil at a glance and pute yield； evaluate their growing crops much better than they； suggest what to plan for。 That taught them to listen to my opinions； and of late I have been speaking of the necessity for alternate means of distributing their goods。 It goes slowly … but one day those frozen acres will feed many hungry people； I hope。〃
〃Why； that's just fine； Finn；〃 I said； slapping him on the back。 〃I knew there was work for a man like you。 e on； let's meet some of the old…timers。〃 Finn； being as tight with his words as some gents are with their money； nodded briefly and we plunged into the thick of the crowd。
I spotted four tables pushed together near the fireplace； at which were seated the Doc； Sam Thayer； and a whole bunch of