فصل پنجاه و یک

chapter-51

“That tech wiz Mr. Raymo asked us to give you kids a little pep talk,” said the holographic Michael Jordan.

“Dwell in possibility!” declared Emily Dickinson.

“The airplane stays up because it doesn’t have the time to fall!” exclaimed Orville Wright.

Miguel scrunched up his face. “Yo. I don’t really get that one about the airplane….” “Many of life’s failures,” said Thomas Edison, “are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” “You’re right,” said Kyle as a new idea started forming in his head. An idea that might just save Mr. Lemoncello’s reputation and the whole library. Maybe by failing with their first idea they could come up with an even better second one!

“Remember how Mr. Raymo instantly whipped up that Lemoncello hologram for the sixth exhibit?” he said.

“Mr. Lemoncello told us he used a three-D camera hidden inside the beak of a ceramic raven in his office,” said Abia.

“Exactly,” said Kyle. “We just need Mr. Raymo to do it again.” He turned to the cluster of famous holograms. “Can you guys, I don’t know, summon Mr. Raymo without those two horrible brothers coming out here with him?” “What do you have against brothers?” asked Orville and Wilbur Wright. They knocked knuckles and did a finger-twiddle pull-away.

“Not you guys. The Krinkles.”

“Oh. Okay, then.”

Thomas Edison hooked his thumbs into his vest pockets. “Every character generated by the Nonfictionator—a device I would’ve invented myself, by the way, given sufficient time—sends continuous operational feedback to the motherboard in the core processor. Should there be a malfunction, Mr. Raymo or a member of his staff is immediately summoned to investigate the situation.” “And what qualifies as a malfunction?” asked Kyle.

“A glitch, a hitch, a blip, or a hiccup,” said Wilbur Wright.

“For instance,” offered Michael Jordan, bouncing his holographic basketball, “if Abe Lincoln started dunking, I’m pretty sure the computer would notice.” “Then let’s do it!” said Kyle.

“I hesitate to undertake such an endeavor,” said Mr. Lincoln.

“How come?” said Kyle. “You’re tall enough to play b-ball!” “True. But it wouldn’t be…presidential.”

“Look, Abe,” said Michael Jordan, “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” Lincoln stiffened his very long spine. “Very well, then, Air Jordan. Toss me the orange orb and make haste about it. Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle!” Michael Jordan bounced his ball to Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln started dribbling it. He even did some flashy moves, rebounding the ball between his long lanky legs.

“Take it to the hoop!” cried Emily Dickinson.

“Fly!” shouted the Wright brothers.

Abraham Lincoln’s image spluttered and crackled. His eyeballs started blinking red. But none of that stopped him from running toward the wall, leaping up, soaring skyward, and jamming the basketball over the railing of the second-floor balcony. On the descent, however, his body froze in a leg-splayed leap.

The Lincoln hologram was stuck, sputtering in midair!

Kyle just hoped that was enough of a glitch, hitch, or blip to tear Mr. Raymo away from the Krinkle brothers.