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conceive of any commerce that went beyond the confines of simple barter to meet the personal needs of the
bargaining individuals.
The doorbell chimed and Packer went to answer it.
It was Tony Camper.
"Hi, Uncle Clyde," said Tony breezily.
Packer held the door open grudgingly.
"Since you are here," he said, "you might as well come in."
Tony stepped in and tilted his hat back on his head. He looked the apartment over with an appraising eye.
"Some day, Unk," he said, "you should get this place shoveled out. I don't see how you stand it."
"I manage it quite well," Packer informed him tartly. "Some day I'll get around to straightening up a bit."
"I should hope you do," said Tony.
"My boy," said Packer, with a trace of pride, "I think that I can say, without fear of contradiction, that I have one of
the finest collections of out-star stamps that anyone can boast. Some day, when I get them all in albums -"
"You'll never make it, Unk. It'll just keep piling up. It comes in faster than you can sort it out."
He reached out a foot and nudged the bag beside the desk.
"Like this," he said. "This is a new one, isn't it?"
"It just came in," admitted Packer. "Haven't gotten around as yet to figuring out exactly where it's from."
"Well, that is fine," said Tony. "Keep on having fun. You'll outlive us all."
"Sure I will," said Packer testily. "What is it that you want?"
"Not a thing, Unk. Just dropped in to say hello and to remind you you're coming up to Hudson's to spend the
weekend with us. Ann insisted that I drop around and nudge you. The kids have been counting the days -"
"I would have remembered it," lied Packer, who had quite forgotten it.
"I could drop around and pick you up. Three this afternoon?"
"No, Tony, don't bother. I'll catch a stratocab. I couldn't leave that early. I have things to do."
"I bet you have," said Tony.
He moved toward the door.
"You won't forget," he cautioned.
"No, of course I won't," snapped Packer.
"Ann would be plenty sore if you did. She's fixing everything you like."
Packer grunted at him.
"Dinner at seven," said Tony cheerfully.
"Sure, Tony. I'll be there."
"See you, Unk," said Tony, and was gone. _Young whippersnapper_, Packer told himself. _Wonder what he's up to
now. Always got a new deal cooking, never quite making out on it. Just keeps scraping along._
He stumped back to the desk.
_Figures he'll be getting my money when I die_, he thought. _The little that I have. Well, I'll fool him. I'll spend every
cent of it. I'll manage to live long enough for that._
He sat down and picked up one of the letters, slit it open with his pocketknife and dumped out its contents on the
one small bare spot on the desk in front of him,
He snapped on the desk lamp and pulled it close. He bent above the stamps.
Pretty fair lot, he thought. That one there from Rho Geminorum XII, or was it XVI, was a fine example of the modern
classic - designed with delicacy and imagination, engraved with loving care and exactitude, laid on paper of the
highest quality, printed with the highest technical precision.
He hunted for his stamp tongs and failed to find them. He opened the desk drawer and rummaged through the
tangled rat's nest be found inside it. He got down on his hands and knees and searched beneath the desk.
He didn't find the tongs.
He got back, puffing, into his chair, and sat there angrily.
_Always losing tongs_, he thought. _I bet this is the twentieth pair I've lost. Just can't keep track of them, damn
'em!_
The door chimed.
"Well, come on in!" Packer yelled in wrath.
A mouse-like little man came in and closed the door gently behind him. He stood timidly just inside, twirling his hat
between his hands.
"You Mr. Packer, sir?"
"Yes, sure I am," yelled Packer. "Who did you expect to find here?"
"Well, sir," said the man, advancing a few careful steps into the room, "I am Jason Pickering. You may have heard of
me."
"Pickering?" said Packer. "Pickering? Oh, sure, I've heard of you. You're the one who specializes in Polaris."
"That is right," admitted Pickering, mincing just a little. "I am gratified that you -"
"Not at all," said Packer, getting up to shake his hand. "I'm the one who's honored."
He bent and swept two albums and three shoe boxes off a chair. One of the shoe boxes tipped over and a mound of
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