Strangers by the billion

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Chapter 1

– How many people do you know ?
– Fifteen thousand and seventy-four.
– That’s… very precise.
– No more than any other number, really.
– Hmmm. True, I guess. How do you know it’s that number ?
– I don’t.
– Oh…
– It’s just an estimate. Very approximate. Pretty much random, actually.
– Well … fifteen thousand…
– And seventy-four.
– Yes… If it’s… Well, it seems a lot…
– Maybe. Not sure though. About you… how many would you say ?
– Fifty… seventy… hmmm… a hundred maybe.
– That’s nothing.
– Compared to fifteen thousand ?
– Compared to all the people we do not know.
[…]

« Strangers by the billion », John Arnyeck, Lost Editions, 883p.