How could one go about communicating with an alien but sentient 'thing'? What might the result be if things went wrong? Can one conduct a serious scientific conversation while wandering through Tivoli gardens? Is there a downside to being chancellor? Does one have to be a mathematician to avoid becoming lost in the numerical labyrinth of Manhattan? Can murder among friends be fun? Can the sum total of all human knowledge be transferred to electromagnetic circuits in rock? And can one improve one's memory by acquiring a conservatory in one's autumn years? What plant should one on no account let into one's house? The zany stories comprising this volume do not answer any of these questions, but considering them provides entertainment with a linguistic slant - and indeed some food for thought.