"Order. You keep quiet, Jake; I"m not addressing you. you. Joan Eunice, is that what you wish to promise?" Joan Eunice, is that what you wish to promise?"
"Yes, Your Honor." (Eunice, stay out of this. I know what I"m doing.) "I must advise you that such a promise is not legally binding under the civil marriage contract of this State but I must warn you, too, that it is not a promise which should be lightly made in these circ.u.mstances."
"I know it, Your Honor." (Boss, you"re out of your mind!) (Quite possibly. But it"s all right right, sweetheart. Jake is going to give us exactly the orders we will be humbly pleased to obey. Haven"t I been right so far?) (Yes, but you keep scaring me. Suppose he tells us to keep our legs crossed? I"ve never been any good at that that.) (He never will. Instead he"ll be magnanimously pleased to humor our little follies-since we"ve promised to obey him. Relax, sweetheart-this is precisely the way my darling Agnes handled me me . . . when I was not anything like as wise and tolerant as Jake is.) . . . when I was not anything like as wise and tolerant as Jake is.) "Let me hear you state your intention again."
"I, Joan Eunice, do solemnly promise to love, honor, and obey Jacob Moshe-and I will, Your Honor, even if he backs out and won"t marry me. He doesn"t have to marry me. I"d be perfectly happy just to-"
"Quiet, Joan Eunice. That"s enough. Reverend, this is getting out of hand; I"m going to wrap it up with the bare legalities and you can plaster them with anything else they need in your closing prayer. All right?"
"Yes, Judge. They don"t need much prayer; they"re ready."
"I hope you"re right. Jake, you heard this stubborn little, uh, lady. Are you willing to marry her anyhow?"
"Yes."
"Jacob Moshe, do you take Joan Eunice to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
"I do!"
"Joan Eunice, do you take Jacob Moshe to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do."
"Uh, where"s the ring? Alec. Jake, take her left hand in your left. Now."
" "With this ring I thee wed." "
"Under authority vested in me I p.r.o.nounce you man and wife. Kiss her, Jake. Take it, Reverend." (And you told me you told me not to louse it up!) (I got us there, didn"t I? He"s ours. I mean, we"re his. Same thing.) not to louse it up!) (I got us there, didn"t I? He"s ours. I mean, we"re his. Same thing.) "Let us pray!"
26.
On Luna, Kennedy Tunnel B, parelleling Kennedy Tunnel A between Luna City and the Apollo Industrial Complex, was completed and both tunnels were then made one-way, thereby quadrupling the potential traffic. The five- and ten-year projections caused the Commission to decide to go ahead at once with tunnels C and D. On the Hong Kong and New York Stock Exchanges Vacuum Industries, Ltd., Selenterprises, Pan Am, and Diana Transport all took sudden jumps against a generally sagging market. Mercury Newsletter (subsid of MercServ) sent destructaped messages by special couriers to their 7-star clients. Nine percent of these couriers failed to report back, which caused the managing director of MercServ to decide that a vacation at Las-Vegas-in-the-Sky would be good for his health even though there was no proof that Internal Defense agents had detained the couriers or solved the "destruct" combo. A source close to the President denied that there was anything more than seasonal unrest in any city in the country and denounced "irresponsible rumormongers." CBS"s "Today"s Day with Dave Daly" was replaced by a motion picture with an explanation of technical difficulties. "Today"s Day" resumed the next day without Daly, who was-it was announced-on sick leave to recover from extreme fatigue. Miss Molly Maguire, the hottest sensie star of the private film industry, claimed the t.i.tle of first woman in history to give birth to a child during a sky dive. The babe was safely landed exactly as planned by the midwife team diving with her, the event was filmed in stereosound and -color from several angles, and the only casualty was a sprained ankle for Miss Maguire-she was able to hold a press conference thirty minutes after she landed.
Since plane flight had originated in, and sky dive had started over, Mexican soil, whereas the entire party except the plane had landed in Arizona, it was not clear what laws had been violated or whose, or what nationality the child was-as Miss Maguire"s citizenship was Pakistani, with legal permanent residence in the States. The party surrendered voluntarily to the nearest U.S. immigration officer and Miss Maguire apologized most prettily on videocast for having reentered the country of her choice so informally through an inadvertent error in navigation by her pilot, plus a sudden gust of wind. They were released with a warning but the films were impounded-uselessly, as they seemed to show that the child was born, about fifty-fifty, in both both countries, but factors of angle and parallax and identification of ground markings-in those film sequences in which the ground showed at all-make it impossible to be certain. Grove Press bought an option on the films, then entered suit to have them released, in the interest of justice. countries, but factors of angle and parallax and identification of ground markings-in those film sequences in which the ground showed at all-make it impossible to be certain. Grove Press bought an option on the films, then entered suit to have them released, in the interest of justice.
A notorious s.e.x-change case married her attorney but the newsworthy couple managed to leave for their honeymoon before issuance of their license was noted-a famous scoopsnoop chased them to Canada, only to find that the couple he had traced down were a Dr. & Mrs. Garcia, members of the wedding but themselves of no news value. Mrs. Garcia smiled and let herself be photographed (she was quite photogenic) and was interviewed about the wedding; then the Garcias returned home.
Senator James "Jumping Joe" Jones of Arkansas charged that the drive to repeal the x.x.xIst Amendment permitting prayer in public schools was a plot by the Devilinspired Pope of Rome and his servile followers. The rebuilding of the Oklahoma State House was halted by labor trouble drummed up (it was alleged) by the underground "Equal Rights for Whites" Action Committee. The contractor"s construction foreman said, "Any honk thinks he"s discriminated, he can take it to the hiring board and get a fair hearing. Trouble is these people they don"t want want to work." to work."
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"Mr. and Mrs. MacKenzie" (Liberian pa.s.sports) had the penthouse floor to themselves-three baths, four bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, bar-lounge, drawing room, lanai, garden, swimming pool, waterfall, fountain, garden barpantry, foyer, private lift, magnificent view of the yacht harbor, beaches, estuary, town, and mountains beyond.
But they were eccentric. Their rent included full hotel service but none of the hotel"s staff had been on that level since their arrival. They were not seen at the casinos, nor on the beaches, nor were they known to make use of other attractions of the resort. They sometimes had room-service meals, but the table cart went only as far as the lift; their servants took it up.
It was rumored among the hotel staff that Mrs. MacKenzie liked to do her own cooking, but no one really knew-no one had seen her (save possibly from a copter) and few knew him by sight. Their servants had three suites on a lower floor . . . but were willing to discuss anything but their employers.
She came from the garden into the lounge. He looked up from his book. "Yes, dear? Toc much sun? Or did that copter come back?"
"Neither. Copters don"t worry me; I just turn over on my tummy so that they can"t photograph my face. Jake darling, I want you to see something pretty."
"Drag it in here, I"m lazy."
"I can"t dearest; it"s down on the water. A boat of some odd sort, with the gayest, most colorful sails. You were in the Navy; you know about such things."
"I was in the Navy one hitch fifty years back, so I"m an expert already."
"Jacob, you always know everything. And it is pretty, and quite odd. Please, sir?"
"Your slightest wish, Madame." He got up and offered her his arm.
They stopped at the seaward rail. "Now which one? All those boats have colored sails. I haven"t seen a suit of white sails since we got here-you"d think there was a law against it."
"That one. Oh, dear, they"re putting down its sails. And it was so pretty a minute ago." one. Oh, dear, they"re putting down its sails. And it was so pretty a minute ago."
" "Dowsing her sails," Eunice. If I"m going to be your resident expert, let me expert. When you lower sails suddenly, you "dowse" them. Which this laddie is doing because he"s standing in to anchor about-yes! There goes the hook. And a vessel is always always "she," never "it." Boats and ships are female because they are beautiful, lovable, expensive-and unpredictable." "she," never "it." Boats and ships are female because they are beautiful, lovable, expensive-and unpredictable."
"Jake, you"ve always been able to predict what I"m going to do even before I know myself." (Twin, why tell a whopper like that? He knows better.) (He won"t argue it, hon.) "But what is it?"
"Oh. It"s a trimaran, a yacht with a triple hull. Can"t say that I agree that she"s pretty. A sloop with a triangular mains"l is my notion of beauty."
"Does look sort of squarish now. But swooping in with all its-sorry!-"her" sails up, she was lovely." (Twin, ask Jake if he thinks there is any way we could go on it?) (On "her," Eunice-not "it." Are you a sailor, hon?) (Never been on a boat in my life, Boss. But I"m getting an idea, maybe.) (Maybe I have the same idea. Are you thinking about that talk with Jake when he pointed out a farm would mean even more staff and less safety than our house?) (I don"t care who thought of it first, Boss-just make sure that Jake Jake thinks of it first.) (I shall, dear-do you think I have to be told that a ship is "she"? Or can"t recognize a trimaran? The real question is: Do thinks of it first.) (I shall, dear-do you think I have to be told that a ship is "she"? Or can"t recognize a trimaran? The real question is: Do you you get seasick? I used to-and it"s miserable. But the fact that we haven"t had the tiniest bit of morning sickness makes me think you might be immune to motion sickness.) (So "let"s operate and find out," as Roberto says.) get seasick? I used to-and it"s miserable. But the fact that we haven"t had the tiniest bit of morning sickness makes me think you might be immune to motion sickness.) (So "let"s operate and find out," as Roberto says.) "Oh, trimarans have their points, Eunice. You get a lot of boat for your money. Roomy. And they are almost impossible to turn over-safer than most small vessels. I just wouldn"t award one a beauty prize."
"Jake, do you think you could get us invited aboard that one? She looks interesting."
"Oh, there"s some way to swing it. I might start by talking with the manager. But, Eunice, you can"t go aboard a private vessel with your features veiled; it would be rude. Your granddaughters did you no favor when they made you as recognizable as a video star."
"Jacob, a veil doesn"t enter into it because I never never want to meet want to meet anyone anyone as "Mrs. MacKenzie." I"m Mrs. Jacob Moshe Salomon and proud of it-and that"s the way I must as "Mrs. MacKenzie." I"m Mrs. Jacob Moshe Salomon and proud of it-and that"s the way I must always always be introduced. Jake, I doubt if our marriage is news any longer; it can"t matter much if I"m spotted." be introduced. Jake, I doubt if our marriage is news any longer; it can"t matter much if I"m spotted."
"I suppose not. The copters might swarm a mite closer for a while and some would have pixsnoops aboard with telescopic lenses. But I doubt if even your granddaughters are anxious to take a shot at you. If the snoops fret you, wear pants to sunbathe, and in the pool."
"The h.e.l.l I will, it"s our pool, Jacob. Anyhow, briefies can"t conceal the fact that I"m pregnant, and the sooner that"s in the news the less it will interest anyone later. Let them sneak a pic, then you have Doctor Bob confirm it-and it stops being news. No huhu, dear; I learned years ago that you can"t "get away from it all"-you just have to cope. Is it possible, on a boat of that sort, to have a swimming pool?"
"Not one that size. But I"ve seen trimarans much bigger than that one. Could be done, I suppose, since a trimaran can have so much deck s.p.a.ce for its tonnage-I"d have to ask a naval architect. Why the interest, Lively Legs? Do you want me to buy you a yacht?"
"I don"t know. But boats look like fun. Jake, I never had much fun in my life-my other life. I"m not sure how one goes about having fun-except that every day is a joy to me now. All that I"m sure of is that I want to do something utterly different this time. Not be a Hetty Green. And not the gay, mad whirl of "society"-kark! I"d rather turn wh.o.r.e. Would you like a yacht, Jake? Take me around the world and show me all those places you"ve seen and I never had time for?" I"d rather turn wh.o.r.e. Would you like a yacht, Jake? Take me around the world and show me all those places you"ve seen and I never had time for?"
"You mean you didn"t take time."
"Maybe it"s the same thing. I do know that, if a man acquires too much money, presently it owns him instead of his owning it. Jake, I"ve been to Europe, at least fifty times-yet I"ve never been inside the Louvre, never seen them change the Guard at Buckingham Palace. All I saw were hotels and boardrooms-and those are the same all over the globe. Would you care to repair my education, dearest? Show me Rio?-you say it"s the most beautiful city in the world. The Parthenon by moonlight? The Taj at dawn?"
Jake said thoughtfully. "The trimaran is the favorite craft of the dropout."
"Excuse me? I missed something. "Dropout"?"
"I don"t mean the barefooted b.u.ms in the Abandoned Areas, Eunice, nor the ones skulking around the hills. It takes money to drop out by water. But people do. Millions have. n.o.body knows how many because it has been subject to an "exception" for years-the government does not want attention called to it. But take those yachts below us: I"ll bet that at least one out of ten has registration papers for some "flag of convenience" and the owner"s pa.s.sport is as phony as that of "Mr. and Mrs. MacKenzie." He has to be registered somewhere and carry some sort of pa.s.sport, or the Coast Guard wherever he goes will give him a bad time, even impound his craft. But if he takes care of that minimum, he can dodge almost everything else-no income tax, no local taxes except when he buys something, n.o.body tries to force his kids into public schools, no real estate taxes, no politics-no violence in the streets. That last is the best part, with the cycle of riots swinging up again."
"Then it is possible to "get away from it all." "
"Mmm, not quite. No matter how much fish he eats, he has to touch land occasionally. He can"t play Vanderdecken; only a ghost ship can stay at sea forever, real ones have to be put up on the ways at intervals." Jake Salomon looked thoughtful. "But it"s closer to that ant.i.thetical combination of "peace" and "freedom" than is possible on land. If it suits one. But, Eunice, I know what I would do-if I were young."
"What, Jake?"
"Look up there."
"Where, dear? I don"t see anything."
"There."
"The Moon?"
"Right! Eunice, that"s the only place with plenty of room and not too many people. Our last frontier-but an endless one. Anyone under the cut-off age should at least try try to out-migrate." to out-migrate."
"Are you serious, Jacob? Certainly s.p.a.ce travel is scientifically interesting but I"ve never seen much use in it. Oh, some "fallout." Videosatellites and so forth. New materials. But the Moon itself?-why, it doesn"t even pay its own way."
"Eunice, what use is that baby in your belly?"
"I trust that you are joking, sir. I hope you are."
"Simmer down, Bulgy. Darling, a newborn baby is as useless a thing as one can imagine. It isn"t even pretty-except to its doting parents. It does not not pay its own way and it"s unreasonably expensive. It takes twenty to thirty years for the investment to begin to pay off and in many-no, pay its own way and it"s unreasonably expensive. It takes twenty to thirty years for the investment to begin to pay off and in many-no, most most-cases it never does pay off. Because it is much easier to support a child than it is to bring one up to amount to anything."
"Our baby will amount to something!" baby will amount to something!"
"I feel sure that it will. But look around you; my generalization stands. But, Eunice, despite these shortcomings, a baby has a unique virtue. It is always the hope of our race. Its only only hope." hope."
She smiled. "Jacob, you"re an exasperating man."
"I try to be, dear; it"s good for your metabolism. Now look back up at the sky. That"s That"s a newborn baby, too. The best hope of our race. If a newborn baby, too. The best hope of our race. If that that baby lives, the human race lives. If we let it die-and it is vulnerable for a few more years-the race dies, too. Oh, I don"t mean H-bombs. We"re faced with far greater dangers than H-bombs. We"ve reached an impa.s.se; we can"t go on the way we"re headed-and we can"t go back-and we"re dying in our own poisons. That"s why that little Lunar colony has baby lives, the human race lives. If we let it die-and it is vulnerable for a few more years-the race dies, too. Oh, I don"t mean H-bombs. We"re faced with far greater dangers than H-bombs. We"ve reached an impa.s.se; we can"t go on the way we"re headed-and we can"t go back-and we"re dying in our own poisons. That"s why that little Lunar colony has got got to survive. Because to survive. Because we we can"t. It isn"t the threat of war, or crime in the streets, or corruption in high places, or pesticides, or smog, or "education" that doesn"t teach; those things are just symptoms of the underlying cancer. It"s too many people. Not too many souls, or honks, or thirds-just. . . can"t. It isn"t the threat of war, or crime in the streets, or corruption in high places, or pesticides, or smog, or "education" that doesn"t teach; those things are just symptoms of the underlying cancer. It"s too many people. Not too many souls, or honks, or thirds-just. . . too many too many. Seven billion people, sitting in each other"s laps, trying to take in each other"s washing, pick each other"s pockets. Too many. Nothing wrong with the individual in most cases-but collectively we"re the Kilkenny Cats, unable to do anything but starve and fight and eat each other. Too many. So anyone who can ought to go to the Moon as fast as he can manage it."
"Jacob, in all the years I"ve known you I"ve never heard you talk this way."
"Why talk about a dream that has pa.s.sed one by? Eunice-Eunice-Johann, I mean-I was born twenty-five years later than you were. I grew up believing in s.p.a.ce travel. Perhaps you did not?"
"No, I didn"t, Jake. When it came along, it struck me as interesting-but slightly presposterous."
"Whereas I was born enough later that it seemed as natural to me as automobiles. The big rockets were no surprise to my generation; we cut our teeth on Buck Rogers. Nevertheless I was born too soon. When Armstrong and Aldrin landed on Luna, I was pushing forty. When out-migration started, with a cut-off age of forty, I was too old; when they eased it to forty-five, again I was too old-and when they raised it to fifty, I was much much too old. I"m not kicking, dear; on a frontier every man-jack must pull his weight, and there is little use for an elderly lawyer." too old. I"m not kicking, dear; on a frontier every man-jack must pull his weight, and there is little use for an elderly lawyer."
He smiled down at her, and went on: "But, darling, if you you wanted to out-migrate, I wouldn"t try to dissuade you; I"d cheer you on." wanted to out-migrate, I wouldn"t try to dissuade you; I"d cheer you on."
"Jake!" (He can"t get away from us that easily!) (You"re darn tootin" he can"t! I"ll fix him.) "Jake my own and only, you can"t get away from me that easily."
"Eunice, I am serious. I could die happy if I knew our baby was to be born on the Moon."
She sighed. "Jacob, I promised to obey you and I happily do so. But I can"t can"t go to the Moon-as an out-migrant. Because I"m even farther past the cut-off age than you are-the Supreme Court says so." go to the Moon-as an out-migrant. Because I"m even farther past the cut-off age than you are-the Supreme Court says so."
"That could be fixed."
"And raise an issue over my ident.i.ty again? Jacob darling, I don"t want want to leave you. But"-she patted her belly and smiled-"if to leave you. But"-she patted her belly and smiled-"if he he wants to go to the Moon, we"ll help, at the earliest age they"ll take him. All right?" wants to go to the Moon, we"ll help, at the earliest age they"ll take him. All right?"
He smiled and gently patted her slight bulge. "More than all right. Because I don"t want his beautiful mother to go away for any reason. But a father should never stand in the way of his son."
"You don"t. You aren"t. You won"t. You never would. Jacob Junior goes to the Moon when he"s ready, but not this this week. Let"s talk about trimarans and week. Let"s talk about trimarans and this this week. Jake, you know I want to close up our house-I"d sell it but n.o.body would buy it other than as land; it"s a white elephant". But two things have bothered me. It has to be left garrisoned, or the Free People will break in despite all armor, and squat-then someday some judge grants them t.i.tle on adverse possession." week. Jake, you know I want to close up our house-I"d sell it but n.o.body would buy it other than as land; it"s a white elephant". But two things have bothered me. It has to be left garrisoned, or the Free People will break in despite all armor, and squat-then someday some judge grants them t.i.tle on adverse possession."
Jake said, "Certainly. Historically, that"s where all land t.i.tles come from. Somebody standing on it, defending it, and saying, "This is mine!" And lately the courts have been cutting down the period of adverse possession. Especially in city cores close to Abandoned Areas-and your house is both."
"I know, dear-but I don"t want to surrender it to squatters. Darn it, that house cost me more than nine million, not counting taxes and upkeep. The other worry is what to do about our in-house staff. I"m sick of being a feudal lord-erase and correct; lady, now." (Erase and correct-"tart" now.) (Certainly, Eunice, but I haven"t been too tartish since we got married.) (Not much opportunity, twin-but you"re getting restless. Huh?) (Who is getting restless? Never mind, twin sister, the day will come. But we won"t rub darling Jake"s nose in it.) "I can"t just let them go; some have been with me twenty-odd years. But if we buy a yacht-and live in it-I think I have a solution to both problems." is getting restless? Never mind, twin sister, the day will come. But we won"t rub darling Jake"s nose in it.) "I can"t just let them go; some have been with me twenty-odd years. But if we buy a yacht-and live in it-I think I have a solution to both problems."
"So?"
"I think so. It"s an idea I got during our wedding, thinking about that farm."
"Well! Wench, you were supposed to be thinking about me. me."
"I was, dear. But I seem to be able to think about several things at once, since my rejuvenation. Better blood supply, possibly." (My help, you mean, Boss.) (Yes, dear. Same thing.) "Our banquet hall, dressed as a chapel, looked more like a church than it has ever looked like a place to eat. So here"s my notion. Give our house to Shorty. Give it to his church in a trust setup, with Alec, maybe, as a trustee, and also Judge Mac if he"ll do it. Arrange the trust for perpetual maintenance, with ample funds and a good salary for Hugo as pastor. Is this practical?"
"No difficulty, Eunice, if you really want to unload the house-"
"I do. If you consent."
"It"s your house, dear, and I decided a long time ago that being a householder in a big city was more headache than pleasure. We could still keep my little house in Safe Harbor-no fear of squatters-if you want a pied-a-terre. We won"t do it quite as you described it but you can give your house to Shorty if you wish to. I"ll get Alec to work out a plan. But I wonder if Shorty can cope with it? Squatters might still move in on him-or rioters break in and wreck the place."
"Oh. That fits in with the other half of my idea: What to do about our too-faithful retainers. Offer any with twenty years or close to it retirement at full pay. Encourage the inhouse guards and maintenance men to work for the trust, same pay-because you"re right; if we hand an illit a place like that, with no one to keep him straight, he"ll soon have a sh.e.l.l, not a church. Father Hugo is the best bodyguard I"ve ever seen . . . but he"s a child of G.o.d and unsophisticated about management. He needs a practical, cynical man as his in-house steward. Cunningham. Or O"Neil. Or Mentone. Alec can work it out. Jake, I want to hand over to Shorty a complete plant, subsidized and maintained, so that he can put his mind solely on preaching and praying and soulsaving. I think you know why." (I think I I know why, Boss-but any of the four would have killed that mugger.) (We"ve managed to thank the other three, beloved-and will go on thanking them. Father Hugo is a special case.) know why, Boss-but any of the four would have killed that mugger.) (We"ve managed to thank the other three, beloved-and will go on thanking them. Father Hugo is a special case.) "Eunice, do you really think Hugo saves souls?"
"I haven"t the slightest idea, Jacob; I don"t know Who is in charge of this world. Even if what Hugo does has no more real meaning than our "prayer meetings," it"s still worthwhile. Darling, this is a screwed-up world. Back in the days of the Model-T Ford the United States was a fine country, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with hope. But today the best thing most young people can do is stay home, sit still, not get involved, and chant Om Mani Padme Hum-and it is is the best thing most of them are capable of doing, the world being what it is now; it"s far better than dropping out or turning on with drugs. When meditation and a meaningless prayer are better than most action open to them, then what Hugo has to offer is good in the same way. Even if his theology is a hundred percent wrong. But I don"t think Father Hugo is any more mistaken than the most learned theologian and he might be closer to the truth. Jacob, I don"t think the best thing most of them are capable of doing, the world being what it is now; it"s far better than dropping out or turning on with drugs. When meditation and a meaningless prayer are better than most action open to them, then what Hugo has to offer is good in the same way. Even if his theology is a hundred percent wrong. But I don"t think Father Hugo is any more mistaken than the most learned theologian and he might be closer to the truth. Jacob, I don"t think anyone anyone knows Who"s in charge." knows Who"s in charge."
"Just wondered, my dear. Sometimes pregnant women get taken with fancies."
"I"m pregnant down here here, dearest; up here here is still old Johann. Protects me somewhat, I think." (Oh, you think so, huh? Boss, if you didn"t have me to keep you straight, you"d be as filled with vapors as a cat trying to have kittens in a wastebasket! Remember, I"ve been through this before.) (I know you have, darling, and that"s why I"m not afraid-otherwise I"d be scared silly.) (No worse than having a tooth drilled, Boss; we"re built for this. Roomy.) "Jake, did I ever tell you about the time I went into politics?" is still old Johann. Protects me somewhat, I think." (Oh, you think so, huh? Boss, if you didn"t have me to keep you straight, you"d be as filled with vapors as a cat trying to have kittens in a wastebasket! Remember, I"ve been through this before.) (I know you have, darling, and that"s why I"m not afraid-otherwise I"d be scared silly.) (No worse than having a tooth drilled, Boss; we"re built for this. Roomy.) "Jake, did I ever tell you about the time I went into politics?"
"Didn"t know you ever had and can"t imagine it, Eunice."
"Imagine it for "Johann," not for "Eunice." Forty years back I let them persuade me that it was my "duty." I was easy to persuade-but I realize now that my attraction to the Party was that I could pay for my campaign in a district they were going to lose anyhow. But I learned things, Jake. Learned that being a businessman has nothing to do with being a politician and even less to do with being a statesman. They clobbered clobbered me, Jake!-and I"ve never been tempted to save the world since. Maybe someone can save this addled planet but me, Jake!-and I"ve never been tempted to save the world since. Maybe someone can save this addled planet but I I don"t know how and now I don"t know how and now I know know that I don"t know. That"s something even if it isn"t much. Jake, I could worry about Smith Enterprises when I was running it. I can worry now about sixty-odd people and make sure they"re each all right insofar as money can insure it. But no one can solve things for seven billion people; they won"t let you. You go nutty with frustration if you try. Nor can you do much for three hundred million, not when the real problem-as you pointed out-is the very fact that there that I don"t know. That"s something even if it isn"t much. Jake, I could worry about Smith Enterprises when I was running it. I can worry now about sixty-odd people and make sure they"re each all right insofar as money can insure it. But no one can solve things for seven billion people; they won"t let you. You go nutty with frustration if you try. Nor can you do much for three hundred million, not when the real problem-as you pointed out-is the very fact that there are are three hundred million of them. I can"t see three hundred million of them. I can"t see any any solution short of compulsory sterilization-and the solution strikes me as worse than the disease. Licensing without sterilization hasn"t solved it." solution short of compulsory sterilization-and the solution strikes me as worse than the disease. Licensing without sterilization hasn"t solved it."
Her husband shook his head. "And won"t, Eunice. Licensing is a joke; it has more loopholes than the tax laws. Compulsory methods inevitably involve political tests-no, thanks, I prefer the Four Hors.e.m.e.n. And the only effect that voluntary contraception has ever had has been to change the ratio, unfavorably, between the productive and the parasites; the population climbs anyhow. If we were as hard-boiled about weeding the culls as China is, it might not work that way. But we aren"t, we never have been-and I"m not sure I"d like it if we were."
"Then there isn"t any solution."