"It is like this," Long said somberly.

"My.... glitch to the form in which you saw me... well, most of my home was destroyed. I am going to be moving. I don't have many possessions to take with me, save for books, but another pair of hands to box up these books and to help me move them across town would be appreciated."

There is perhaps just the hint of a smile lurking when he says, "But to be done manually, you understand? No magic."

Because then there'd be no object lesson.