Study 024 - Troll Bridge

Like most fables, the story is in a code, a cultural lesson about cleverness. The troll is someone with strength and power that just sets up shop demanding something he has no right to. The goat is a trickster that needs to elude him (was people falsely demanding tolls a thing?). Nostalgia for when things were actually worse. I was blessed to see Pratchett at a Worldcon. He was so funny. an explosion of wit and charisma.

The Pratchett coverage recently has actually gotten me to go check out his work, love the humor and perspectives in these a lot. Can’t believe I went my whole life so far skipping them

Incaptivity

I also miss the darksomeness of olde Times Square. In that case, though (and I suspect many others), what happened was not “improvement” but the replacement of organic and local culture with massive brands and corporate-flavored consumer culture. (Also keep in mind that the herald of this change was Rudy f’n Giuliani LMAO… the seed of awfulness was in full bloom with him already)

Andrew M. Reichart

Thank you so much for spending some time with Pratchett. There was a period in my life when his writing meant the world to me, and I'd read the Discworld books over and over. As phases do it ended a while ago. It's nice to come back to him, via two terrific pieces I hadn't read before, and your fresh eyes.

Richard Horsman

The three addresses were the three brothers in law -- one running a toll bridge booth that made a strong income, one clearcutting the darksome forest, and the merchant that's almost indistinguishable from a human who was pushing the others into those lines of work.

Darth Pseudonym

How is the mysterious artifact forcing you to study anything? Does it give you pop quizzes and essay assignments with sanity blasting consequences for failure? I look forward to finding the answers in your new backstory.

Thank you both for mentioning me, as sad as this might sound, you made my day.

I haven't read this story myself (yet - I'm just starting to discover the wonders of Pratchett), but my immediate assumption while listening to the show was that the addresses were those of the other trolls mentioned by Mica and Beryl.

RachelC