Towers of Utopia by Mack Reynolds
Author:Mack Reynolds
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: utopia, future, science fiction, series
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2017-03-29T00:00:00+00:00
Part Four: Carol Ann Cusack
By the time Carol Ann Cusack had gotten back from her brisk constitutional in the parks which surrounded Shyler-deme, Sidney Cusack was up and shambling about the apartment. He looked at her blearily even as he dialed a cup of coffee on the auto-table in the little alcove that doubled as kitchen and dining room. Why they still called them kitchens was a question; less than half the apartments in the deme contained any kind of stove.
Carol Ann said commiseratively, âHow are you feeling, dear?â
He grinned at her in self-deprecation. âLousy as a louse. However I discovered a great truth which shall undoubtedly be useful the rest of my life. You should never mix liquor and trank.â
The table sank in the middle, came back up again with the steaming coffee. He reached for it shakily and carried it into the living room.
âWhereâve you been, doll, jogging around the woods again? One of these days youâre going to meet some crackpot out there, this early in the morning, when thereâs nobody else around, and heâll knock you over the head.â
âI doubt it,â she said, turning the sides of her wide warm mouth down. âThe Security TV spy lenses are operative on a twenty-four hour a day basis. Anything offbeat picked up is flashed to whoeverâs on duty. If necessary, a Human Relations officer comes zipping up in a patrol car. I donât believe thereâs been a successful mugging in the history of Phoenecia.â
âThere can always be a first time.â He shakily sipped at the coffee.
Carol Ann went over to the auto-table and dialed her own breakfast. Scrambled eggs, synthetic bacon, toast, margarine, marmalade, coffee. She made a practice of taking a good breakfast. Watch the calories, if you must, at lunch and dinner, but start the day with a substantial meal.
She said casually, her glossy brows slightly quizzical, âYou came in late, dear.â
He looked over at her impatiently. âI was discussing a deal with Larry Tinker and Bert Allen.â
âOver drinks and trank?â
âOh, come off it Carol,â he said irritably.
âSorry,â she said, sitting down to the small table. âBut why is it always a deal youâre working onânever a job?â
He was slightly indignant. âYou know how hard Iâve tried to get a job, doll. There just arenât any jobs any more these days. Youâre lucky to have one. Why, half the people in this country must be on Negative Income Tax.â
âItâs partly luck, perhaps, but luck averages out. Just about everybody gets just about the same amount, over the years. Youâve got to be able to grab it when it comes along.â
Her food arrived and she darted a look at the time and began to eat.
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â he demanded, as though being put upon.
She sighed. âOh, golly, Sid, youâre too hard to please in looking for work. You donât take your chances when they come along. Any kind of a job at all is better than just sitting around day in and out collecting your NIT.
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