The line moved slowly forward, with a monotonous scraping of feed on the pavement. When I glanced at my friend's face, I saw that it was expressionless, slack-jawed. His eyes were glassy with boredom, his arms dangled like an ape's, his feet shuffled slowly.
I felt a sudden chill; somehow I know what was about to happen. A fat lady had grown tired of waiting, even though she was only twenty places or so from the ticket window. She took a step, another, a third; the line curved with her. She turned her head indignantly, tried to break free; she ran, and the line stretched after her like a great bow bending - then it straightened again, dragging the poor woman back in spite of her struggles.
Now panic spread; they were all trying to break loose at once. The long line undulated in wild contortions, as if shaken by a gigantic hiccup. People were struggling, screaming, and shouting. Tempers grew heated; there was a flurry of blows.
Around the newborn monster a crowed was gathering. That was another custom in the cities, congregating to look at things...

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