Longer Ways …

'The last time I was in this penthouse', says Mario or Luigi our janitor who likes to be called our concierge, 'was when your brother Brimstone was searching for you, Mr Bibble.'

'There is no such thing as a brother Brimstone', the llama shouts from the roof of the cabin down in the elevator shaft.

'And that is the llama?' Mario or Luigi is pointing down in the dark.

I am just nodding.

'Come on, animal', I am calling out. 'This is really ridiculious. You have been down there for five days now since Tuesday. Why don't you just climb up the shaft the same way you climbed it down the last time?'

'Longer arms', the animals sighs, 'Don't you remember? We need longer arms.'

'Well', I say, 'I brought the janitor with me.'

'Concierge', the janitor Mario or Luigi says, 'and you still remember that the elevator is still broken, don't you?'

'I do not trust no janitors', the llama shouts.

'I do not trust no concierges either', the janitor or concierge Mario or Luigi also shouts.

But in a quieter tone he says to me, 'We could tie it up in a thick robe and pull it up here inch by inch, you know.'

'I have got good ear-sight, you know, you humans.' The lama is not amused. 'And the correct word is rope and not robe. In fact I am already wearing my robes and they look quite fancy, if you want my opinion. But let me read todays fortune cookie for you first.

The fortune cookie says,

The similarities with a friend are more important than the differences.'

'Oh, my goodness', I say. 'It has got food down there.'

'And it cracked the water pipe', Mario or Luigi says, 'so it also has got… well… water. But what is it using as toilet?'

'You do not want to know that, humans!' the llama is shouting up from down the shaft in a most diabolic way.

'In a longer way, but that is just my opinion.'

Today is Sunday, the 12th of January 2020.