New Folks' Home: And Other Stories (The Complete Short Fiction of Clifford D. Simak Book 6) by Clifford D. Simak

Author:Clifford D. Simak [Simak, Clifford D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Published: 2016-03-01T07:00:00+00:00

Second Childhood

Originally published in the February 1951 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction, “Second Childhood” may be the culmination of the list of second thoughts Clifford D. Simak had about the concept of immortality. And it makes suicide look like a good idea, if only one could do it. …

—dww

You did not die.

There was no normal way to die.

You lived as carelessly and as recklessly as you could and you hoped that you would be lucky and be accidently killed.

You kept on living and you got tired of living.

“God, how tired a man can get of living!” Andrew Young said.

John Riggs, chairman of the immortality commission, cleared his throat.

“You realize,” he said to Andrew Young, “that this petition is a highly irregular procedure to bring to our attention.”

He picked up the sheaf of papers off the table and ruffled through them rapidly.

“There is no precedent,” he added.

“I had hoped,” said Andrew Young, “to establish precedent.”

Commissioner Stanford said, “I must admit that you have made a good case, Ancestor Young. Yet you must realize that this commission has no possible jurisdiction over the life of any person, except to see that everyone is assured of all the benefits of immortality and to work out any kinks that may show up.”

“I am well aware of that,” answered Young, “and it seems to me that my case is one of the kinks you mention.”

He stood silently, watching the faces of the members of the board. They are afraid, he thought. Every one of them. Afraid of the day they will face the thing I am facing now. They have sought an answer and there is no answer yet except the pitifully basic answer, the brutally fundamental answer that I have given them.

“My request is simple,” he told them, calmly. “I have asked for permission to discontinue life. And since suicide has been made psychologically impossible, I have asked that this committee appoint a panel of next-friends to make the necessary and somewhat distasteful arrangements to bring about the discontinuance of my life.”

“If we did,” said Riggs, “we would destroy everything we have. There is no virtue in a life of only five thousand years. No more than in a life of only a hundred years. If Man is to be immortal, he must be genuinely immortal. He cannot compromise.”

“And yet,” said Young, “my friends are gone.”

He gestured at the papers Riggs held in his hands. “I have them listed there,” he said. “Their names and when and where and how they died. Take a look at them. More than two hundred names. People of my own generation and of the generations closely following mine. Their names and the photo-copies of their death certificates.”

He put both of his hands upon the table, palms flat against the table, and leaned his weight upon his arms.

“Take a look at how they died,” he said. “Every one involves accidental violence. Some of them drove their vehicles too fast and, more than likely, very recklessly. One fell off a cliff when he reached down to pick a flower that was growing on its edge.

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