In order to make a living as a courier, Aplegatt used to say to the youngsters applying in the ranks, two things are needed - a head of gold and an a*s of steel.
A head of gold is indispensable, taught Aplegatt, since inside of the leather sack under his clothes the courier keeps only messages of low importance, the kind that can be fearlessly entrusted to the treacherous paper. The truly important, secret messages, the kind that matter a lot, the courier must memorize and tell the one whom they are intended for. Word by word, and sometimes these are not simple words. Hard to pronounce, much less memorize. In order to remember and make no mistake in repeating one needs truly a head of gold.
As for an a*s of steel, well, that every courier will find out by himself. After having spent th
