Humpty Dumpty In Oakland by Philip K. Dick

Author:Philip K. Dick [Dick, Philip K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Philip K Dick, Dystopias, Realist, non-science fiction
Publisher: Vintage Books
Published: 1986-07-11T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

That night, as Al Miller sat across the dinner table from his wife, the terrible thought came to him again and again that Chris Harman was a completely reputable man, not a swindler at all.

He offered me that job, Al thought, to rehabilitate me.

“I've got some news,” he said to Julie at last, breaking his mood of introspection. “I got offered a job.”

At once she said alertly, “What job?”

“For seven-fifty a month,” he said. “Plus expense account. And that's just starting salary.”

“Seven hundred and fifty dollars?” she said, her eyes wide. “Tell me about it. What do you have to do? Who is it?”

“A phonograph record outfit,” he said. “It would be public relations.” His tone was so gloomy, so resigned, that her face fell. “It's just a fluke,” he said. “I'm not qualified for it. I'd last about two weeks. Or two days.” He continued eating.

“But why not take it?” Julie said. “Maybe you're wrong; you know you're always so pessimistic, and you just sit around and let things happen—this job falls in your lap and you just sit there. You don't exert yourself.”

“I exerted myself,” Al said. “I went out and got it.”

“Then you must think you can do it,” Julie said. “Isn't that logical? You're just having doubts, your usual doubts. I know you can handle it.”

Al said. “He just offered me the job because he felt sorry for me.” He could not rid his mind of the idea; it had been there ever since he had left Teach Records.

“What did you tell them? You didn't turn it down, did you?”

“I said I'd consider it,” he answered. “I said I'd tell them by Monday morning.” That gave him three days.

“All right,” Julie said in a brisk, practical voice. “Suppose they do just feel sorry for you. What does that matter?” Her voice rose. “It's still a good job; it still pays well. What do you care about their motives? That's paranoiac!” She gestured excitedly with her fork. “What's the name of the place? I'll go down and talk to them; I'll phone—that's what I'll do. And say I'm your secretary and you've decided after long consideration to accept the position.”

The whole world's mad, Al thought. It's all sham.

“If you have the gumption to go out and rustle up a high-paying job opportunity,” Julie said, “you have the gumption to take the job and do good at it. They wouldn't offer it to you if they didn't have faith that you could do it. Take it, or Al—I'm not exaggerating—if you turn it down, I know myself and I know I'll react by considering that you won't have been loyal to me. We took marriage vows. You're supposed to honor and obey me.”

“It's hard to obey in this case,” he said.

“Not obey, here,” she said. “But honor and respect. By taking a decent job so that we can have children, and do all the other things we want to do and deserve to do.” Her voice had become harsh with anxiety; he recognized the tone.

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