worth an oat

[alicornucopia]

In this soup kitchen sits a nun in partial habit, sipping water and frowning at a desk. It is very irregular for adults who aren't volunteering to be at the soup kitchen. It is very irregular for expensive electronics to be in the soup kitchen. The volunteers do seem to know her; they call her "Carlotta".

Comments

[pythbox]

"Yes. It's useful. What did you want to talk to Achilles about?"

[alicornucopia]

"Your idea," says the nun, "since I thought it was his, and how he came up with it, and what he was going to do next."

[pythbox]

"Why?"

[alicornucopia]

"It was a very smart thing to come up with, and it would have been hard to convince enough people to get it going the way it has. That sort of talent is useful."

[pythbox]

"Useful for what?"

[alicornucopia]

"Well, anything, really; it would depend on what he most wanted to do. I talk to a lot of schools and try to find students for them in places they wouldn't usually look."

[pythbox]

The tiny expressionless child smiles at her.

It isn't very much of an improvement.

[alicornucopia]

"Do you think you would like to go to school?"

[pythbox]

"Yes."

[alicornucopia]

"Well," she says, "I did bring a lot of tests with me that will tell me what sorts of things you're best at, if you would like to take them."

[pythbox]

"That sounds like fun," he says, continuing to smile.

[alicornucopia]

"Do you need to tell your friends where you're going, or meet me later...?"

[pythbox]

"I don't have friends."

[alicornucopia]

"Your crew, then."

[pythbox]

"Where are the tests? How long do they take?"

[alicornucopia]

"I can proctor them right upstairs in this building and they will take all day."

[pythbox]

"I'll tell the crew so they don't think I died."

He goes away. He speaks briefly to another, larger child. He comes back.

[alicornucopia]

"Ready? Have you eaten yet today?"

[pythbox]

"Yes."

[alicornucopia]

So she picks up her desk and takes him through the back and up the stairs and sits him down and gives him a test.

She seems to be assuming he can't read and is reading him aloud the questions and answers so he can mark them.

[pythbox]

Perhaps she will notice her mistake when she is halfway through the first sentence and he is already halfway down the page.

[alicornucopia]

Yep.

She stops.

[pythbox]

Well, then, he can continue blazing through this test in peace.

[alicornucopia]

She will trade him for another test when he's done.

[pythbox]

Good.