Parkhurst returned a couple of moments later, open can in hand. Taking a seat in the big chair that flanked the couch at an angle, he joined his colleague in watching the game. Occasionally he would steal a glance in Reed’s direction. By the time of the third glance, he could no longer restrain himself.

“So. You’re not going?”

Focused on the game, Reed didn’t look over at the other man. “No, I’m not going. First of all, I’m not Jewish. Second, I wouldn’t go if I was.”

Parkhurst grunted. “Easy to say when you’re not.”

Reed turned on the couch to look over at his friend. “I mean it. Why would I want to go?”

Parkhurst shrugged and slugged. “I dunno. New world, new opportunities, see something of the galaxy outside this planet, interact with sentient aliens: greatest adventure in the history of mankind. Yeah, why would anyone want to be part of that?”

“Look, Parks: I like my job here. Another six years on and I’ll have accumulated enough time to enjoy the maximum thirty years’ retirement. I’m not married, I’m not attached, girlfriend is a professional and happy with the arrangement. After I retire, I’ll be able to go anywhere I want with anyone I want whenever I want.”

“So, this is the best of all possible worlds? How can you say that when you don’t know any others?”

“Not true.” Reed scooped a handful of cashews from a bowl on the nearby coffee table and began crunching them, one by one to make them last. “I’ve seen pictures of others. The Gadeu provided them. The ones the Zimmers and the rest of their tribe are migrating to are pretty, sure. Inviting, even. But a life there for someone like me would be a totally unknown quantity, if you know what I mean.”

“I know part of what you mean,” Parkhurst replied perceptively. “You might not be as much of an outlier as you think. I read that about 40,000 Ethiopian Jews are going. You’d blend right in.”

“Not culturally I wouldn’t. No barbecue, either. No DC spring cherry blossoms, no visits to Disneyworld, no Bahamas diving, no b-ball.”

Parkhurst wasn’t ready to concede the argument. “If you go, you could pioneer a lot of that. It would be part of your resumé. Did you know that most of the players in the early days of the NBA were Jewish?”

“Yeah, I read that.” Reed chuckled. “That’s changed. But I’m not giving up my life to go to another world so I can dominate pickup games.”

“Who said you would?” Parkhurst grinned. “I’ve seen you play, remember?”