I am going out to the university today, Coast University of Greater to be exact.
I hope my brain still works after watching that TV show last night.
[As
we understand there are two large comprehensive Universities in The Basin
region. These are Coast University of
Greater, funded by the state of Coast. There are several large Coast Universities throughout the state.
The other large university in Basin is The
University of The Basin, which is privately supported. There is a rivalry
between these two. There are a number of small colleges in the region, notably
among these is Institute in Foothill.
The state of Coast has also placed smaller colleges in rural areas of the
State. These teach agriculture, applied engineering, and other courses of study
of direct use to the economy. Willson attend one of these in Fruitbaugh, a
small city in an agricultural area at the far inland edge of the Basin.
Editors.]
There are a large number of students on campus for
a day with few classes. I am in the large square in the center of campus.
Students are going in and out of the
Libraries and other buildings. Others
are walking across The Square. Some of the larger ones use hover disks but most
walk. At a large library across a group of students is following the red headed
woman into a building. If she is here a lot maybe I will see her again. I will
talk to her. I also see some older people who are very poorly dressed and are
quickly walking and looking at their watches. They carry briefcases and often
extra folders like the ones professors use for lecture notes. Somehow they
remind me of Interns. They wear similar clothing. Why would there be Interns at
the University? I also see one of the ‘vested professors.’ He is walking by in
ornate robes followed by several helpers who carry his briefcase and folders
with lecture notes. A Security Guard follows. I had to meet with a vested
professor once. Once was plenty enough; but I bet I will have to again.
I see even at the University that the election for
President of the Nation has started early. There is a ‘meet with the candidate’
station for Brightly Dawn on the grass in the center of The Square. A sign at
the top of the booth says Vote The
Morals and Goodness Party.
There
is a cardboard cut-out of Brightly standing behind the counter. There are two security
guards standing nearby holding electrified rods. The lettering on their shirts
says True Elections. They wear
armbands that say Vote Right. To hear
what Brightly has to say you stand in line and take your turn using a machine on
the counter next to the cutout. You put on ear phones so only you can hear. There
are some people standing nearby but no one else waiting in line so I step up to
the counter to see how well this system works. I put on the earphones. You can
ask a question but first you must listen to a short message from the candidate.
To hear the message you have to say your first name. The voice thanks you by
name and asks if “If your Nation can depend on you?” For questions I suppose the
candidate’s voice recordings respond to important words the machine recognizes
in the question. Like I heard about at Center
the other day. I push the question button.
“Welcome dear friend. What is your question?”
“How to you feel about making human sacrifice
legal?”
“While I might not agree with all new ideas or I
may feel that they require more study, I am steadfast in my respect and support
for deeply-held religious faith. If free people of faith sincerely believe that
their beliefs say something is true, we must respect that it is true for them.”
After a pause “Have I answered your question
Willson?” The machine remembered my name from the sound of my voice.
“Yes, thank you, may I ask another question?”
“Of course you can my dear friend Willson?”
“What do you think of the future of the country?”
“I am encouraged by your question Willson. I see a
bright future. I do not hear those who say our best days are past us. Our best
days are ahead of us.”
After a pause “Have I answered your question?”
“No”
“Let me help you Willson. We enter a future
illuminated with the optimum luster of brighter dawns of progress. Nor do we listen
to nor tolerate those who disregard our present situation in such a way as to
maintain that our future glorious eras can no longer obtain for us. As our days
move ahead we are indeed coming upon emanated tangible and
even greater greatnesses.”
After a pause “Does this answer your question
Willson?”
“Oh yes, thank you, may I ask another question?”
“You are a good citizen to stay so informed Willson?”
“Who are the people you call ‘those who’?”
“Willson I am disappointed in you. I have clearly
and repeatedly answered your questions. Very disappointed. I thought we were
friends.”
I hear a slight beeping and see a red light on top
of the booth go on. I take off my headphones and carefully place them back on
the counter. The two ‘Elections Guards’ look at me suspiciously so I smile at
them, and quickly but not too quickly walk away not looking back.
As I continue to walk I hear another voice I know
from the group of people standing nearby. ”You still ask the better questions
Willson.” I turn around and see Aiden looking at me with a big grin. It is good
to see him after all this time. We walk towards each other and all I can think
to say is “I talked to Jared out at the Pier a while back and he said you were
in The Basin now. I was going to try to find you.” He replies “I saw your name
in the University Newsletter. So you
will be building the Re-Decelerator. Such endeavors bring renown to an
institution.” He smiles.
[Re-Decelerator.
It is not enough at critical times to merely ‘Decelerate’ Often ‘Re-deceleration’
is indicated to gain optimum accommodation. This process puts things under
great pressures of one kind or another. Not to determine the most strength and
quality a thing requires, but the least. Or that is what we can understand so
far. Editors.]
“Yes” I answer, “It is for the science,
engineering, and religion faculties.” He says nothing about that “So I will be
able to see you more Willson.” I’m glad he wants to see me. I try to be clever “Jared
told me about your ‘adventure’ in LoneStar. Is adventure is the right word?” “I
think you were a bad influence on me Willson. It is good that I was ready to
leave at the time anyway.” Are you working here now?” I ask. Dumb question.
“I’m teaching here now. And I have a new field of study. My daughter is teaching
here as well so I will be able to see her once in a while.”
As we stand and talk one of the ‘true elections’
guards walks up to us. I jump away. “You forgot your ‘memory’ sir” and offers
me a slip of paper. Memory? I reach out carefully and take the slip of paper. Something
the machine made. It says Memory
across the top and has Brightly’s picture on it. Below it reads ‘Thank you
Wilson. Can we depend upon your continued support?’ It includes an address
where I can send money. “I thought they didn’t like your question when I saw
that red light go on Willson.” I show him the ‘memory.’ He smiles. I will ask
him “I always wonder who politicians mean when they say ‘they’ or ‘those who.’”
“So that is what you asked the machine Willson. No wonder the reaction. Yes
that is indeed the question that if you understand you understand the Nation’s
politics. They, now I am using the word, never say who ‘they’ is. It is whoever
the listeners want it to be. Willson there is a part of the people who vote who
do so when they want somebody punished. And often I believe they mean
themselves.”
I start to ask and he answers before I can “As you
might have concluded I will be studying the coming national election now. They
actually are going to pay me to enjoy all this entertainment.” I tell him I
read that Jared would be helping Singh. “Willson we will get together for some
long talks. I like talking to you. Not many are as curious as you are about
everything.”
As I am leaving campus I pass again through large crowds
of students coming and going from the Libraries. I notice someone who looks
familiar I think. I had walked a few more steps before I turn, but do not see
him again. I start to walk on and hear a voice at a slight distance that says “until
the next time Willson.” I stop and turn but do not see who it was.
***
(To
be
Continued)
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