Challenge 982

Familiar

In Gil Hoy’s Mending Marriages With TV Reruns: Why might one deduce that Judy deliberately engages in celery-crunching in order to avoid conversation with her husband?
In Charles C. Cole’s A Conversational Auto: In what other occupations than taxi driver might artificial personalities like “Edsel” be employed? What does such artificial intelligence portend for the labor market? Might humanity be killed by kindness?
In Katherine Westermann’s Reset: What does Eva find particularly lovable about Vishal? Is Eva immortal? Why, exactly, does Eva kill Gina?
In Michael Wooff’s Raminagrobis:
1. Nicolas Flamel was a real person living in the 14th-15th centuries. In view of the legends about him, what role is played by his cat in the poem?
2. A few sentences use non-English word order. What might its function be?
In Gary Inbinder’s Doyle’s Roadhouse and Miss Daisy’s:
1. Why might Max Niemand’s “acquaintance” with Roxy be as important as the personal connections he has made at Doyle’s roadhouse?
2. Why does Max reassure Roxy by saying, “Yeah, baby, this is just the way I want you”? What way is that, and why might Max have chosen it? Might his further assureance “I’ll take the high road” have more than one meaning?
In Victor Kreuiter’s Marvin, I’m Glad You’re Here:
1. If shooting victims can be “reanimated” by future medicine under certain conditions, do the “Kill Permits” actually permit murder?
2. Why would “legalized” crime ultimately prove more expensive to police than illegal crime?

Responses welcome!