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diff --git a/37572.txt b/37572.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..96c8a42 --- /dev/null +++ b/37572.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1501 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way of Decision, by M. C. Pease + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Way of Decision + +Author: M. C. Pease + +Release Date: September 30, 2011 [EBook #37572] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WAY OF DECISION *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Dianna Adair and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + Illustration: Tom meeting a prospective new group member. + + _History records numerous small colonies, based upon unusual ideas + of the family unit and social group. Most of these have failed in + practice, but usually because they were based upon idealistic + notions which had little to do with the economic or social + necessities of their times. But what of a new theory of the family + and social unit which is designed to conform with actual + conditions? And what is such a group likely to face when a new + member, a person without any understanding of the actual + conditions, has to be accepted as a member?_ + + + + + _The Way Of Decision_ + + _by_ M. C. PEASE + + +Tom Vord sat on the porch of his clan's house with his feet on the +railing. Across the valley, he could hear the muted roar of the commuter +track that led south to New Haven; but all he could see were the +sprawling rows of private houses that strung along the belt. And behind +them, more isolated from each other, the larger structures of the homes +of other clans. The bright greenness of spring lay over the land, and it +was fresh and sparkling. A typical suburban scene in this year of 2013, +Tom thought. Even the mixture of private houses and clan was symbolic of +the time. And in a way, symbolic also of the problem he had. + +Tom's face was brooding. His was a nature not easily satisfied, or +content with half-solutions--and he took the problems of the clan +seriously. Partly as a consequence of this, but also because he had the +self-control to avoid crises, he was the unacknowledged leader of the +clan, and its chief administrator. His age was hard to guess. He was not +old; his face was unlined, and his hair both present and dark; his eyes +showed an enthusiasm that indicated youth. And yet he was not young; +there was a maturity in his glance, an acceptance in his attitude that +made him seem older than he was. And so he sat there, relaxed, idly +looking out over the countryside, even as he wondered if the present +crisis was enough to disrupt the clan. + +Below him Ricky Vord came toiling up the steps to the house. Ricky was +the opposite of Tom. Young and intense, with a devil-may-care attitude, +he was the born salesman. His enthusiasms came bubbling out, and he had +the ability to carry with him anyone who might object. And if he did not +have the deepness of thought fully to understand the implications of all +that he said or did, he was the better salesman for it. + +With a wave, Ricky entered the house. There were muffled sounds from the +interior, and it was not for several minutes that the boy appeared on +the porch. Then it was with two tall glasses in his hands. "I consider +this Tom Collins weather," he said. "I suspect you do, too, only you're +too lazy to mix your own." He handed Tom the second drink and sat down +beside him. + +"Possibly," Tom said with a smile. "I certainly won't refuse. What do +you know?" + +"A lot of things," Ricky answered. He took a long drink. "Ah, that's +good," he said. "You know, I been down talking to Graves again. We got +that thing in the bag if we want it." His voice was off-hand, +deliberately so, Tom knew. + +"We have?" Tom's voice also was careful. "Do you mean with or without +the girl?" + +"Well ... You can't blame Graves for wanting to see his daughter +settled. He figures that if she gets into a clan, maybe she'll calm +down. And he could be right. Maybe she will; who knows? After all, she +does want to come in. That must mean something." + +"Sure, it means something," Tom agreed, his voice slightly sardonic. "It +means she wants to collect a whole clan. And as far as I am concerned, +she's welcome to it--as long as it isn't the Vord one." + +"Look," Ricky swung up onto the edge of his chair, turning to face Tom +and leaning towards him, "you're only seeing one side of this. You think +Marcia's just looking for a thrill, for something new, and +different--and that that's why she wants to join us. Maybe it is; I +won't deny it. I don't happen to think that's the reason, but it could +be. But what if it is? Why do we have to rear back and stand on our +dignity? Why can't we take her in, let her have her thrill, and then get +out. If a thrill is all she's looking for, she'll get out quick enough. +Unless she gets converted--that could happen, too. What do we lose? + +"And look what we lose if we do sit blindly on our dignity," he went on +with a rush. "The job at Midland's running out. Times are tough. There's +not many openings for a bunch of wiring-assemblers. As it stands now, +the choice is between Eltron Electric and Universal. Universal we can +get with no strings, except that we have to go to Detroit--and except +that it doesn't pay very well. + +"Eltron, on the other hand, is Graves; and Graves doesn't like the +clans. He's never had anything to do with them. A Free-Laborite from way +back. Only he's got a daughter, Marcia; and Marcia, bless her sweet +little soul, wants to join a clan. So the old man's willing to take +another look at things; he'll give us a contract when Marcia's a Vord, +and it'll be a good contract. In fact, he'll damn near let us write it. +What can we lose?" + +"You think we should take her in," Tom said. + +"Yes I do," Ricky answered. "Otherwise, we have to pull up stakes and +move, and that job out at Universal is no picnic. We won't do much more +than break even on it, and maybe it'll only last a few months; it's that +kind of a thing." + + +Tom smiled suddenly. "You are not quite consistent," he said. "You are +worrying about Universal being temporary. And yet you brush aside the +fact that Marcia may pull out. What would happen to us at Eltron if she +did?" + +"I don't know," Ricky answered, unabashed. "Maybe by that time we'd have +Graves convinced. Most guys who run companies get to like the idea of +contracting the clans, when they give it a try." + +"They should," Tom grunted. "It's the answer to their labor problems." + +"Sure," Ricky answered. "Only there are still guys like Graves around +who don't see it. His pet topic of conversation is the Iltor Clan; he +mentions it every time anyone suggests that the clans bring stability." + +"But the Iltor clan was wrong from the first," Tom said. "The guys who +put it together were unstable themselves; they tried to make the clan a +small-size empire of their own--almost a bunch of slaves. + +"So, eventually, they had a revolt. It had gotten to be a large outfit, +since they were willing to accept anybody who would be a slave--and +there are always lots of those--so the revolt was extensive and bloody. +That's not typical of the clans. Not of the better ones; not of those +that are really clans--and not empires. With any new idea like the +clans, you are bound to get some bad results. But do you hang the good +examples for the bad ones?" He sounded irritated. + +"Don't argue with me," Ricky said. "I'm just telling you what Graves has +in mind. Of course, actually, there's more to it than that. The thing +is, he took over Eltron Electric when it was practically on the rocks; +he salvaged it, built it up, made it what it is today. All by himself. +Using his own wits and his own guts. It all came out of him. Oh, sure, +he had help--some pretty able guys were in with him. But they were the +same type: Each of them knowing his own value, depending on himself and +not on any others. They worked together because that was where their +self-interest lay. A bunch of Free-Traders in the best tradition of the +word. Free-Trading's been their life-blood; naturally none of them are +apt to welcome the clan idea, and Graves least of all." + +"Do they really think they can hold out indefinitely?" Tom asked. "They +must know they are being left behind, that they're getting out of step." + +"I doubt it," Ricky said. "Graves says that the world is off on a +cock-eyed binge with this clan idea, and I'm quoting his words. He +figures it's going to come to its senses, eventually. At least that's +what he says; what he really believes deep down in his heart, I don't +know. Maybe, underneath, he's convinced; maybe if you could get him to +admit the truth, he knows he has to accept us if he's going to survive. +Maybe that's why he's letting Marcia twist his arm; it could be." + +Tom nodded. "In any case, we're in the middle," he said. He looked +sardonic. "Caught between the hammer of present reality and the stubborn +anvil of Graves." He finished off his drink. "What do you propose to +do?" + +"I propose to let Graves pay our bills, in spite of his opinions," Ricky +said. "And if that includes Marcia, why I don't really mind. One has to +put up with some inconveniences; and when the inconvenience is a dish +like her, I don't really mind at all." He leered in an exaggerated way. + +Tom chuckled. "Yeah," he said, "I know what you mean." He became +serious. "But that's my point; the girls will hardly take this point of +view." + +"They don't seem to object particularly," Ricky said. "Why should they? +They're only six to our seven--so Marcia will just round things out, +nice and even-like. + +"Marcia, as you say, is a 'dish'," Tom agreed "and I can't quite see her +rounding anything out to make it come out even. I think you're a damned +optimist. Besides, I'm not so sure the girls don't mind. They joke about +it, yes, but some of the jokes bite. I think maybe they hope they won't +have to object. Afraid we'll call them jealous. After all, what would +you do in their place?" + +"I don't know," Ricky said. "But if that is a factor, then I think they +ought to argue their own case. Where are they?" + +"Oh, Betsy and Rita have taken the kids down to the beach. Sandy is out +shopping for food. She figured she'd go down to Mark's Place, so she'll +be a bit late. Esther went over to see about shoes; she thinks she may +get a better bargain at a place she heard of down the line. Polly and +Joan went in with the boys to work; they're trying to wind up the +contract with Midland by this week. Decided there's no point in +stringing it out. Get it wound up and then take a vacation. I've been +over at Midland finishing up the legal details. Also had to go downtown +this morning to see the Income Tax people. When do you suppose they're +going to get a system set up that's reasonable for the clans?" His voice +betrayed a chronic irritation. + + +Ricky shrugged. "When the clans carry most of the votes. The whole idea +of a clan is too new in society for the law to have caught up with it. +If the clans had a majority, they could force things--and eventually +they will. But not yet. Particularly, since the most vocal part of the +non-clan majority considers us immoral. Destroyers of the family, +mockers of the sacrament of marriage." + +The sarcasm was heavy in his voice. "Someday, they'll see we've saved +the home and the family--not destroyed it. We've brought it into line +with the social facts of today, rescued it from the perennial +frustrations that filled the divorce courts. Aye, and the insane +asylums, too. Damn few people used to get out of marriage anything like +what they ought to. Take the average Free-Trader and Monogamist: His +family is just one small part of his life. Separate, distinct. It should +be a solid rock on which he can build his life outside. But it isn't, +except maybe in a very rare case. Mostly, it's just a thing that +occupies some certain hours of his day, with no relation to the rest. He +is left without an anchor. And the girl? She is boxed into a small +sphere of activity, bound by her duties to an inexorable frustration of +limited horizons." + +He jumped up and started pacing up and down, gesturing with his arms. +"Is this the great and beautiful thing they want to preserve? Or will +they admit the realities? Will they admit the truths of anthropology? +Realize that the idea of the family unit has had real meaning only when +it has been the economic unit as well? And that in the modern world the +economic unit is larger--and, therefore, the family must be, too? In the +modern world, the economic unit is a team of workers; therefore, the +family must be large enough to include the team. What's immoral about +this? It gives the family meaning in the modern world, and it gives the +individual something to live by. It gives him a reality that he could +not have alone." + +"Clear, concise, and possibly illuminating if I didn't know it already," +Tom smiled at the younger one's missionary instincts. "Why don't you +tell Graves this? Maybe we would not have to absorb his daughter." + +"What do you think I've been telling him?" Ricky asked. He looked a +trifle abashed, knowing that his enthusiasm had run away with him. "He +hit the ceiling when Marcia first started talking up the clan idea, +vowed that no daughter of his would ever disgrace the family name. I +managed to talk him out of that, anyway. But, I'm no magician; he's +still a Free-Trader of the old school. So my convincing him meant that +he was willing to use his power to get his daughter what she wants. +Which is us." + +"In other words," Tom said, "you talked him out of thinking the clans +are immoral, so he decided to _buy_ one." He bit the sentence off. + +"Well, yes," Ricky admitted; "that's one way of looking at it. But let's +look at it another way. The rules of the clan are that a new member is +provisional for a year. Any time in that year, we can always throw her +out if we have to. And even afterwards--when we can no longer throw her +out, and it could be we won't want to--there'll still be no reason why +we should have to bow down to the old man. We can walk out on him, at +least, any time. If Marcia doesn't want to come, then she can stay +behind; and neither Graves nor anybody else can stop us." + +"It sounds good," Tom said. "It's just that I don't believe it. The +strength of the clan is its independence. We thirteen, and our children, +against the world. One unit, free, and in a sense, complete. If we let +anyone else decide who shall be in us and who shall not, then we are +less free by that much. And by that much we are less strong. Maybe I'm a +stubborn fool, Ricky, but that's the way I see it." + +Ricky leaned against the porch railing. His face was thoughtful. "I wish +I could convince you," he said. "The trouble is, I haven't got time. +Graves has to have his answer now, to plan his production. Anyway, +Marcia's getting restless; I think I'll have to tell them yes or no +tomorrow." + +"Tomorrow?" Tom looked startled. "What are you going to do? Caucus it +tonight?" + +Ricky nodded. "I have to, Tom. It isn't that I want to bull it through +you. But if we don't get a vote on it tonight, then we've given up. +Graves has said he has to know, so he can plan; we can't keep it in the +air any longer. And I think the clan has a right to vote on the +problem." He looked apologetic. + +Tom sighed. "We seem to have agreed to disagree," he said. "So maybe +it's better to get the showdown over with." He got up, walked over to +Ricky, and punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Let's break clean and +come out fighting at the bell." And he walked back inside the house to +his room. + + + + +2 + + +It was only a short time later that Tom heard the sound of tires on the +drive. He went out to find that it was Sandy in the beach-wagon. The +name Sandy fitted her, even if it was short for Sandra. Blonde, with +something of a tendency to freckle, she had a quick alertness that was +almost tomboyish. Almost, but not quite, for she was very much a woman. + +"Need help?" Tom asked, giving her a quick kiss and moving to the back +to start unloading the bundles. "How did you make out?" + +"Not bad," she said; "In fact, it was fun. I don't know whether it was +worth it or not; it's a long drive down there. Maybe I saved enough to +pay for the gasoline. But they're more used to dealing with the clans. +The stores around here play both sides of the fence. Much more congenial +atmosphere down there." + +Tom could guess what she meant. The clans, buying in semi-quantity for +their groups of people, could demand and get preferential treatment of a +sort. But a number of the stores that still wanted the business of +private individuals--many of whom were bitterly anti-clan--did their +best to balance the issue with a lack of courtesy. He looked at the girl +with sympathy but she seemed cheerfully unconcerned. She was, he +thought, the kind to take that kind of treatment without a murmur of +complaint, and without giving any overt recognition to it. And yet she +was also the kind to feel it deep inside her. + +When the car was unloaded, they sat down at the kitchen table to rest a +moment. Tom sat back in his chair, eyes brooding. It was not for several +minutes that he noticed that Sandy was watching him, her chin on her +palms, her elbows on the table. And he knew that she knew he was +troubled and was waiting to see if he wanted to talk about it. "Ricky +thinks we ought to decide about Marcia, tonight," he said, his voice +sounding blunt even to himself. + +"You mean whether we should take her in or not?" she asked. + +"Yeah," Tom answered. "He thinks we should, whether she fits or +not--just so we can get the contract with Eltron Electric. Because +otherwise we would have to pull up stakes and go take that thing at +Universal." + +"And you don't think we should?" she prompted. + +"No, I don't," he said. "It seems to me like we'd be selling out if we +did that. Maybe I'm being a purist about it, but damn it all...." + +"But you can stop it easily," she said. "According to the charter, a +vote of membership has to be unanimous. All you have to do is say no." + +"Yeah--well, that's true," he said. "Only this is more than that. That +rule is just about ordinary members, the idea being to keep feuds out. +If somebody isn't going to be able to get along with a new member, why +let's find it out at the start. And, since the old member is more +important than the new one, let's block the new one. + +"But this thing's different; this isn't just a case of whether she's +compatible or not. I have nothing against Marcia, personally; I just +don't like this way of doing business. But this ties up our whole +future, economic and everything else. If I blackball her, I'm +blackballing our contract with Eltron; and matters of contract, or +economics, or whatall, are not supposed to be subject to veto. No ... I +won't vote against her all by my lonesome. If the clan is pretty well +split, maybe I will pull a technicality. But I won't just up and +blackball her all by myself, just because I think I'm right." + +Sandy was thoughtful. "What about this job at Eltron," she asked, +finally. "Can we swing it? It's bigger than the job here at Midland, and +bigger than the one at Universal. Is it too big?" + +"No," Tom said. "We can handle it. Oh, we may have to hire a few private +citizens, but we can do most of it ourselves. If we can average nine +people a week, we'll be all right. And we can' do that if we leave two +to take care of the kids, one to manage the house and cook and all, and +one to fill in, taking care of other outside matters, having babies, and +whatnot. But even if we can only average eight ourselves, it is still +reasonable with a couple of private citizens. No, I'm not afraid of the +job." + +"It'll be funny working alongside of private citizens," Sandy said, +musingly; "I hope we pick better ones than those guys at Sanford +Radio." + + +Tom laughed. "We will," he said. "The trouble there was that we didn't +hire them; the company did. And the guys were good enough--they just +didn't like the clans." + +"That's one way of putting it," Sandy said. "They just had some +preconceived ideas as to what kind of woman would join a clan. Happens +they were wrong, but it took a bit of jiujitsu to convince them." + +"Well, that won't happen here," Tom said. "We'll be hiring them +ourselves, and we'll probably be able to pick up all we want from the +other assembly clans. Times are rough all over, and they're not too +loaded with work, either. Of course, the rest of the plant is another +matter; but I don't think there'll be any open trouble. Things have +gotten a little better since those early days. People know a little more +about the clans, even if they don't approve." + +"So there is just the question of whether we want to do it, or not," she +said. He nodded but said nothing. "And you would much rather we didn't +want to.... Tell me, what's she like? I've only seen her the couple of +times that Ricky's brought her to lunch." + +"That's about all I have," Tom answered. "Oh, I've seen her out at her +old man's place a couple of times, too, but then I was working on the +old man. As far as I know, she is what she seems to be. Beautiful in a +way. A bit of a mantrap. Probably spoiled. I don't know. What did you +think of her?" + +"That's a damning sketch if I ever heard one," Sandy said. "I wonder if +that's all there is to her. Is she just a spoiled brat with a +well-developed body? Is that all she is? What's her background like? I +mean aside from money?" + +"Background?" Tom hesitated. "Well, she went through college, somewheres +or other. She's traveled in Europe a bit Generally circulated around. +Cultured, I guess you'd call it. + +"Certainly her old man knows what it's about. He's quite a character, +you know. Very dignified, very polished. Fine oak paneling in his study. +Lots of books, and he's probably read them, too. Quite a collection of +classical music, and he knows his way around it too--at least he knows +more about it than I do. The very picture of a cultured gentleman. And +it is with a perfectly gentlemanly manner that he tears you apart into +little pieces." + +"Oh?" Sandy raised her eyebrow. "What happened?" + +Tom smiled ruefully; "We had an argument." He shrugged. "The clans +versus Free-Trading. He has a fine and delicate hand with sarcasm. No, I +take that back. I don't know whether it was sarcasm or not; maybe he +was just leading me out. Anyway, I came out of there feeling as if I'd +been wrung dry." + +He was silent a moment, and Sandy made no move to break his thoughts. +"The logical question here, of course, is to what extent this makes me +think the way I do. And maybe it does, I don't know. I'm afraid of the +guy; I got the feeling he knows exactly what he's doing and why. And I +think he may be too strong for us." + +"You think we might end up as his puppets?" Sandy said, her voice +neutral. + +"Something like that," Tom admitted. "Oh, I know that's probably a +foolish thought. In fact, now that I look at it, I know it is. The guy +just impressed me; frankly I came out feeling somewhat awed by him. I'm +not used to the feeling. I guess it's just that he comes from a +background that I don't know anything about." + +Sandy pursed her lips and nodded. There was a pixyish gleam to her eyes +as she got up and started towards the door. As she left she asked him: +"And Marcia, is she anything like her old man?" She was out the door and +gone before he realized what her question meant. + +He sat there, staring after her for five full minutes before he got up +and started to put the food away. + + + + +3 + + +He had put the food away and prepared himself a cup of coffee, when he +heard the clatter of the bus. That would be Betsy and Rita with the +kids, he knew, back from the beach. By the noisy commotion, he gathered +they had enjoyed themselves, with no more than the usual number of cuts +and bruises and hurt feelings. Eleven kids, the oldest eight years, +could not conceivably go to the beach for the afternoon without some +crises; but, at least, they seemed to have gotten back in a happy +condition. + +Tom smiled as he thought of them, picturing the throng, but he made no +move to join them. When Sue, aged four, stuck her head in the door and +grinned to see him there, he just said "Hi." This she took as an +invitation, and hopped on in to begin telling him in disconnected +fragments, all about the day. He let her ramble for a moment until the +first flush of her enthusiasm was over. Then, with a kiss on the +forehead and a poke in the stomach, he sent her out, suggesting that she +tell him all about it later. + +When she had gone, he sat there, thinking about the girl. Sue was very +much like her mother, Polly. Dark-haired with light bones, she had the +quick and easy movements of a born dancer. And her eyes sparkled with +dancing lights. Sue, like Polly, was a born flirt, but a flirt out of +sheer interest in life. She was so much the image of her mother, both in +face and build and also temperament, that he wondered who her father +was. Certainly there was not much of any of the men visible in her. + +What would Marcia mean to the children? With a start he came back to his +problem. There was nothing apparent of the maternal instinct in her. But +then, neither was there in Joan, either; and Joan was a perfectly good +member of the clan. + +Oh, sometimes they laughed at Joan for being much too serious about her +part. She was the artist and the self-acknowledged arbiter of good +taste, the monitor of the proper way. She was the gracious hostess when +visitors were at hand. To her the clan had conceded the job of deciding +the arrangement of the rooms. To her the girls turned for advice in how +to dress. And her advice was good. With some real though limited talent +as an artist, she had the touch of instinct, the sense of rightness, and +the drive to be unsatisfied with anything but what was right. And she, +conceding that children were necessary and even desirable in their +places, still deplored the havoc they could wreak. She was not a good +manager of the children. + +But then, he thought, why should she be? The clan had other purposes +than to raise children; that was one of the important needs the clan +fulfilled, but it was only one. In fact, it was one of the strengths of +the clan that the different members had separate talents they could +bring to it. Each with his own value, each unique. With the separateness +that let them complement each other to form the whole. This was their +strength. + +No, Marcia was not greatly maternal, certainly--but this was not +important. But he could not quite decide what was important. + + +He was still puzzling over it when Betsy bounced into the kitchen. + +"Whew," she said, giving him a light kiss, "what a day!" She pulled out +a mirror from her pocket and looked into it. "I think I'm going to have +a red nose. That sun was bright and hot; I hope none of the kids got too +much. But they _will_ keep dashing into the water, and it's hard to +catch them again to get them to put their shirts on. I think Timmy's +back is a little red, but I guess it won't be too much." She collapsed +violently into a chair. + +Tom smiled at her. It was refreshing to see anyone who could be tired in +such a dynamic way. "You look as if you had a day," he said. + +"We did," she said, looking happy. She heaved herself up to get a cup +and saucer and to pour herself a cup of coffee. Then, sitting down, she +looked at him. "And what have you been doing?" she asked him. + +"Oh, buzzing around town," he told her. "And brooding." + +"Brooding?" she asked. He explained to her what the situation was, +telling her that they must soon decide what to do about Marcia--whether +to accept her as a member of the clan or not. He told her that only by +accepting the girl could they get the job at Eltron Electronics that +they wanted. And he told her Ricky's thinking that the thing must be +decided that night, and warned her of the coming caucus. The words +boiled out of him; when he was through, he slumped down, suddenly tired. + +Betsy cocked her head and studied him. There was a soft look in her eyes +of the sort she usually saved for the children. "Why has it upset you?" +she asked. + +"Upset me?" Tom seemed surprised. "Well, yes, I suppose it has. Sue was +in here, and I got to thinking of the kids. What this'll mean to them." + +"The kids?" She looked surprised. "Why should this mean anything to the +kids? Anything special, that is?" + +"Well, if we turn her down, we got to take the Universal job," he +explained. "And that means moving. Moving's always hard on kids. And if +we accept her, then the kids'll have a lot to do with her." + +"I assume she won't roast them live over the coals," Betsy said. "And I +think the kids are tough enough to take almost anything else." She +snickered. "You don't see them as much as I do. If you did you'd know +they were a lot tougher than they look, the delicate little things!" + +"Oh, I'm not talking about that," he said. "I don't expect her to bat +them around or anything. But I just wonder how they'll take to _her_." + +She shrugged. "If they don't like her, they can always come to me. Or +Rita. Or Polly or Esther or Sandy. Or even Joan, providing they don't +mess up the livingroom while they do it. The kids will get along, don't +worry. + +"As a matter of fact," she went on, "that's a funny thing. One of the +chief arguments against the clans is that it doesn't single out a man +and a woman as the parents of a child. This is supposed to do something +to the child--make him insecure, somehow. But as far as I can see, it +makes him more secure. In the first place, he's got that many more +parents to choose from, and he can usually find one at least in the mood +and with the time to give him what he needs at the moment. Then, too, +the clan can afford to have one or two of its people completely +concentrated on the children at any given time. And that job can get +sort of passed around so nobody gets fed up with it. + +"Or, rather, if a person does get fed up with the kids, she doesn't have +to force herself to be halfway decent to them; she doesn't have to have +anything to do with them at all until she gets over her blues. So most +of the time, the kids get the kind of attention they ought to get, and +they get it from a person who's in the mood to give it. Personally, I +think that they're a lot better off under this system, and you'd have a +hard time telling me any different." + +"They do look healthy and happy," he said. + +"They sure do." She looked proud and satisfied. "I'd hate to be the one +to try to keep up with them if they were any healthier. Or any fuller of +ideas." + +"That's why I hate to risk it," he told her. "Everything's going so well +now.... The kids are so obviously.... But I take it you don't think +there's much risk?" + +"No." Her tone was incisive. "Any storms she can cook up, the kids can +stand better than you and I can." + +"Maybe you're right," Tom conceded. "But what about yourself? You think +she is apt to make 'storms'?" + + +Betsy shrugged. "There's always storms when you take in a new member. +You have to adjust; and, even more, the new one has to adjust. And +adjustments aren't ever easy. I remember when I came in. I had some bad +times--and I was brought up in a clan, too; I knew what I was getting +into. But still there were times when it hurt. When I felt lost. When I +didn't know what you people were like. When I felt like a stranger, not +knowing your private jokes and unconscious language. When I felt out of +place and alone. + +"There were plenty of times when this happened, but I stuck it out. And +I learned. I learned what made you people tick, and why you did some of +the things you did. I grew into being a part of you. Now I am one of the +clan, legally, socially, and in my inmost self. + +"That's _my_ story. Marcia will have a lot harder time; she doesn't even +know what a clan is. She's not only never been a part of one, but the +people she has been with have sneered at them, and made no effort to +understand. She hasn't even been able to get along with one husband; +she's going to have a hard time learning to get along with seven. Not to +mention six co-wives. Chances are she's been spoiled, made the center of +things without due cause. She was an only child, wasn't she? She's going +to have it awfully tough." + +"Do you think she can take it?" Tom asked. + +"Not knowing the lady, that's guessing too hard," Betsy answered. "I +think it's possible that she can learn. And maybe it's not entirely +against her that she doesn't know anything about the clans except what's +wrong. She'll soon find out she doesn't know a thing, and then she can +start from scratch--learn like the kids do. Maybe that's easier than the +unlearning of the 'almost-right' that people like me have to do. At +least she's got no preconceived ideas that will stand more than a day or +two of actual experience." She shrugged. + +"The thing that I'm worried about," Tom said, "is that she may be able +to split us--divide us up into factions and set us against each other. I +hope she can't, but what happens if she does?" + +"Then we split," Betsy answered. "But so what? I don't think she can do +it; but even if she can, so what? I wouldn't want it to happen but it +wouldn't be a disaster. We'd all land on our feet somewhere. I know I'd +head out for the nearest clan and I'd get into that clan just as soon as +I could. When I got into it, and got accepted as a real part of it, then +I'd think of the rest of this as just an unhappy incident. A tragedy, +but not the end of life. But as far as I'm concerned, this is too remote +a possibility to worry about." + +"You are quite unafraid, aren't you?" Tom said. + +"Yes," she answered simply, her voice calm and cool. "I'm not afraid of +Marcia--not of what she can do to the kids or to myself. I think the +kids are strong enough emotionally to stand anything. And I think I am, +too." + +There was a quiet confidence in her voice. She reached out and patted +his hand. Then, getting up, she started to get out the food for the +evening meal while Tom continued to sit there, thinking. And when Tom +got up and walked out, she still said nothing but looked after him with +a look that had something warm and tender in it. + +As he walked through the livingroom, he saw Rita stretched out on the +couch. He looked questioningly at her wondering if the day had been too +hard for her, being, as she was, six months along towards the twelfth +child of the clan. But she smiled at him and shook her head. "Don't be +worried," she said; "I'm just a little tired but not too much." + +"Anything I can get you?" he asked. + +"No, thanks," she said, her voice cheerful. "I just need to get off my +feet." + +He started to say something about Marcia, but then stopped. What good +would it do? he asked himself. Rita, with the instinct of birth close +upon her, was too absorbed in herself and the life she carried. The +problem, to her, would exist only if it threatened herself or her child. +And by all the signs, she felt no threat. Her calm acceptance of the +daily life, her quiet absorption in the now and here, measured a +confidence in the clan that was complete. + +No, to talk of Marcia could do no good. If he succeeded in impressing +her with the importance of the problem, it would be because he made her +realize that Marcia was a threat. It would be at the expense of her +feeling of security, the security that let her wait her time out in calm +acceptance and assurance. And if he did not persuade her of the +problem's significance, she could not contribute to it. Under normal +circumstances, she was not one to deal with abstract questions. She had +an acute awareness of personalities that transcended logic. She had an +instinct, a sixth sense, almost, for responding to the needs of others. +But she was not a philosopher, and neither could she handle abstract +problems. + +And so he smiled at her and told her: "Call me if you do want anything. +I'll be outside." And he passed on through and out the door. + + + + +4 + + +As he walked out the door, he saw, coming in the gate, the rest of the +clan returning from work. The children were rushing to meet them, +whooping their greetings. The whole scene was one of happy chaos. Out in +front was Paul, his round, cherubic face beaming with delight. He bent +down to whisper something in little Randy's ear which sent that boy off +shrieking with delight. Behind him was Sam, Polly, and Herb. + +Sam's face was dark and his eyes deepset. Generally, he looked sullen +and dour. But those who knew him, could also see the twinkle in his eye +and knew that he had a subtle and penetrating sense of humor. The kids +liked him, and both Alice and Ken, aged five and six, were crowding +around him now while he gravely asked them something. + +Polly, beside him, was peering around delightedly, sparkling with the +general excitement. Her eyes were darting all around looking, Tom knew, +not for any one thing or person, but simply to absorb it all. + +On Polly's other side was Herb. The mechanic of the crowd, he had an +eager interest that was somewhat boyish. His happiest moments were spent +under the car or bus with his face all smeared with grease. With people, +he lacked the touch that he had with machines. There was an awkwardness, +almost an uncouthness, that would have been tragic, Tom thought, +anywhere but in the haven of a clan. + +Behind them, Joan walked with Mike. Her face was still earnest and +intense, and Tom thought that she was probably expounding some theory of +the art. He felt sorry for Mike, but, then, Mike was a chap that invited +that sort of thing. He seemed to be chronically unable to express a +disinterest in anything and, as a consequence, was the one on which most +of them poured out their troubles and their ideas. But, then, perhaps he +was interested. Maybe he was interested in the people even when he was +not in the ideas. + +Finally, there came Esther and Pete. Esther was the feminine organizer +of the clan. She it was that planned the details of what should happen +when, and who should do what. The others were just as glad to leave +these matters to her. She had a passion for fairness that made them +trust her distribution of the chores. And she had the will to get things +organized, the wish to see things settled long in advance. Tom saw she +was talking earnestly to Pete; he wondered what project she was working +on. + +Pete was the philosopher of the clan. With a somewhat pixyish mind, he +was afraid of no thoughts, and took nothing at all for granted. As to +whether he was a really deep thinker, or just one who liked to play with +logic and semantics, Tom did not know. Perhaps it was too soon to tell. +Philosophers are not made at the age of twenty-five, but only when they +have lived their lives, and are ready to profit fully by its experience. +At the moment, Tom saw, he was looking rather bored by Esther, and +seemed to welcome the onrushing crowd of kids. + + +Tom looked at them all. Whom should he talk to? he wondered. Or should +he talk to any of them? There was no longer in him the same drive about +the problem. In some way he did not yet understand, his talks with Sandy +and with Betsy had boiled off some of the urgency. And yet, the problem +still was urgent. Ricky still meant to bring it up at caucus, and Tom +still had to know what his own response would be. It was with something +of a shock that he realized that he did not know--but the fact was that +he did not. And he did not even know why he was uncertain. The problem +had seemed so clear when Ricky had first mentioned it; but now, now it +was not clear at all. + +Tom waited until they all had washed off the dust of the road and combed +their hair and changed their dresses. In the meantime, he mixed them +cocktails ready for their return. And when they had once more assembled, +he let them trade around the items of the day's news. It was not until +he saw Pete wander off to gaze out the window at the gathering sunset +that he made any move. + +When he saw that Pete was alone, he went over to stand beside him. "What +do you know, Pete," he said. + +Pete turned to face him. "Hi, Tom. You look puzzled tonight. Not your +usual fatherly self. What's up?" + +Tom shrugged. "It's this Marcia business that's bothering me," he said. +"Ricky's going to caucus it tonight, and I been trying to figure it +out." + +"What's his rush?" Pete asked. "Or is Ricky just being impetuous?" + +"No," Tom said. "There's a reason for it. Graves has got to make his +arrangements soon, so he's been putting the pressure on for us to decide +quick. If we don't decide tonight, we are apt to be left out." + +"Oh?" Pete's voice was noncommittal. + +"What do you think of it?" Tom asked. "Should we take her in or not?" + +"Well, I don't know," Pete stalled. "The reasons why we should are +pretty obvious. It will solve some of our worries if we do. What are the +reasons why we shouldn't?" + +"I don't know," Tom said. "It just seems wrong to me. Seems like we'd be +giving up too much of our ... well, our ideals. Maybe I'm being old +fashioned, but it just seems immoral to me, somehow." + +Pete leaned against the window frame. "You mean it's like marrying a +woman for her money? Sort of gigolo-like?" + +Tom nodded. "Yes, I guess that's it," he said. "I suppose what's +bothering me is that the idea of the clan is to make the family the same +thing as the economic unit; but this seems like it's being too damn +economic about it, too mercenary. It just doesn't seem right." + +Pete said nothing for a long moment while he meditated. "Well, that's +one way of looking at it," he said, finally. "But on the other hand, +maybe you got to stop and think this thing through. Why is it bad to +marry a woman for her money? It occurs to me that a monogamistic +marriage of that sort is bad--and I think it probably _is_ bad--because +it inevitably leads to living a lie. You got to fool the woman, because +otherwise she doesn't get anything out of the marriage. If the marriage +is to mean anything, both the man and the woman have got to get out of +it some sense of belonging; that's what the marriage is for. Now the man +may get the belonging, the security, from the money. But the wife--she +can't get anything out of it unless he can fool her. She's already got +the money, so that doesn't mean anything to her; and she's got what the +money can buy. + +"Unless he can fool her into thinking that he really loves her for +herself alone, she doesn't get anything at all out of it. So, he's got +to fool her. And the worst of it is that, if he doesn't succeed, she'll +walk out on him with her money; then he'll lose what he's after, too--so +he's got good reason for being afraid. The situation is necessarily +unstable; it's almost bound to lead to grief of one kind or another. So, +that kind of a marriage is bad." + +"Why's this any different?" Tom asked. + +"For one thing, because we can't live a lie," Pete said. "Living a lie +of that sort requires great concentration and continuous effort. With +the clan, no one person can concentrate on any one other. The lie, if it +ever got started, would be a very short-lived one; and I don't think it +would ever get started. Not only is it pretty obvious when a new girl is +added to a clan, that we can't all be so desperately in love with her; +it isn't necessary. A person joins the clan. She's getting a new way of +life, and a whole new group of friends. Until she's been in the clan a +while, these are not more than friends; it takes time really to +integrate a person into a clan. But, at least they are friends--people +who will help you to stand against the world. + +"So she does get something out of the clan. She gets a sense of +belonging, and it doesn't depend on any one person but on the +group-structure of the clan. The clan is there to belong to, regardless +of any one individual. But with a monogamistic marriage, the structure +is lost when either person pulls out. So this thing means that, in the +first place, the clan can't live a lie, and, in the second, that there +is no need for the lie, anyway. Finally, this means that the situation +is quite different from a monogamistic marriage for money. Even if, by +chance, the thing is unstable, there is still no reason for fear." + +"You think this thing's all right, then?" Tom asked. + +"Didn't say that," Pete smiled. "I don't think it's particularly +immoral, but that doesn't say it's all right; I don't know. I haven't +really thought it out. But what I am saying is that you can't just take +over the old ethics into the clan. We got to create a new code and we +got to start from the bottom." + +"I guess you're right," Tom said. He stared thoughtfully out the window +for a moment. Then he shrugged and turned away. "But it doesn't help +much," he added to himself as he wandered toward the dining room. + + + + +5 + + +It was after supper, when the dishes had all been washed and the +children packed off to bed, that the clan gathered in the livingroom. +They had chatted for a short time, but all fell silent when Ricky got +up. He went to the mantlepiece and, turning, announced: "I find that +there are problems before the clan that require the mature consideration +of the clan. I therefore request a caucus." The words were the ritual of +the process, established through long custom, and the clan's by-laws. + +Tom stood up and, with some ostentation, counted the people present. He +then announced: "I find that there is present the full membership of the +clan that is adult, and that has been accepted into responsibility for +the clan. Also, there are no strangers present. I believe you may call a +caucus." He sat down. + +"We have the word of Tom," Ricky said. "Does anyone doubt that I may now +call a caucus?" He looked around carefully. "Since no one seems to have +a doubt, I do now declare that the clan is assembled in caucus, and ask +Sandy to operate the recorder." Sandy reached over to a box sitting on a +table and flipped a switch. She spoke into a microphone, giving the date +and time, and then announced that the recorder was on. + +Paul bounced up out of his chair. "What is the purpose of this caucus?" +This, too, was ritual. + +"I have called this caucus," Ricky said, "to ask the clan to consider +the application for membership of Marcia Graves. It is my opinion that +this question must be decided now, since various collateral problems of +some urgency will be determined by our decision on this matter. Does +anyone question this, or feel that the matter should not be considered +at this time for any reason?" Although this was part of the established +pattern of a caucus, he looked at Tom since the latter could, if he +wished, protest the matter. Tom, however, smiled and barely shook his +head. + +"Since there is no objection," Ricky continued, looking slightly +relieved, "I will summarize the situation as I see it. + +"Marcia has requested admission to the clan. She has been instructed in +what this means both legally, and--in so far as it can be described or +codified--socially. I do not think it can be said that she does not know +what she is doing. As regards the girl herself, all of you have met her, +I think, several times. This, of course, is not sufficient to determine +her fitness or compatibility. However, it is as much as can reasonably +be done before decision. + +"In accordance with the custom and the law, then, it is proposed that +she be admitted on a conditional basis for a period of one year. During +this time the clan may, by a majority vote in caucus, refuse her further +membership. At the end of one year, in the absence of such a vote, she +will be admitted to full membership and reciprocal obligations with the +clan established. Subsequent severance of this relation can be +accomplished only through the courts for due cause, and with due +consideration of the equity of both parties." His voice was almost a +monotone as he recited the formula. + +"In the present case," he continued, his voice coming alive, "there are +certain collateral problems. Marcia is the daughter of Mr. Graves, +president of Eltron Electric. Mr. Graves has long been a Free-Trader, +and Eltron Electric has never contracted with the clans. However, it is +clear that, if his daughter becomes a clanswoman, then he can no longer +maintain this aloofness towards the clan. Specifically, he has indicated +he will be willing to contract the Vord clan for a desirable piece of +work if we accept his daughter. It is my opinion that, if he can once be +persuaded to contract a functioning clan, then he will find this the +desirable way to operate, and will therefore stop opposing the clans. He +has had a continued history of labor-troubles, with strikes, +absenteeism, high turnover, and all the rest. Once he has tried the +clans, he will find they solve his worst headaches; he may well end up +our best friend, almost no matter what happens to Marcia." + + +Ricky continued, "It is this matter of Graves that makes this matter +urgent. Graves must decide in the next day or two how to handle this +piece of work. He will either give it to us, or set up his own +supervisory organization in this time. So we have to decide quickly. +This, however, is not the only basis on which we should decide. It is +one of them, and, I think, is a legitimately important one. But it is +only one; we must also consider Marcia and the clan. She is one whose +background is not in this direction. Her father, as I said, is rather +vigorously Free-Trading and Monogamistic. She is poorly prepared, +psychologically, for clan life. + +"And yet, she is sincere in wanting to join the clan. She has tried the +other life and had it fail her. She hopes, in the clan, to find what she +needs; and I think it quite possible that she may. I would not advocate +this unless I thought she had at least a reasonable chance of +succeeding. + +"As regards the clan, this, I suppose, is something each of us will have +to decide for ourselves. Personally, I think she has a lot to +contribute. She is intelligent, well-educated, and she has had a lot of +cultural experience that none of us have had. I think she could add much +to the clan, if we can only integrate her in. But that 'if' is the +question. And each of you will have to decide yourself what is the +answer to it. + +"But I think I have talked enough, here," he said. "I've told you my own +point of view. I think it is time to listen to the other side." He +looked at Tom, and waved his hand as if presenting him the floor. + +Tom got to his feet. He looked around at all these faces so familiar to +him. What should he say? he wondered. What did he want to say? He did +not know; he felt confused. And this surprised him. + +He looked at Ricky, and remembered their argument that afternoon. What +was Ricky really after? he wondered. Was he just asking the clan to be +opportunistic? To take Marcia in, just because of what the contract +could do for them? + +Or did he really think Marcia could fit? That she could learn to be a +real part of them? Or, again, as he remembered Ricky's comment that she +was a 'dish', had Ricky gone overboard about her? Was he so taken by her +looks and all that he was forgetting the clan? Not consciously, of +course; he would not, could not, do that consciously. But perhaps +unknowing? Using the other arguments as rationalization? + +Somehow, Tom doubted this. Ricky might not be too deep a thinker but, +Tom thought, he was generally extremely level headed. No, he thought, +Ricky was probably quite serious in thinking the clan should accept +Marcia, that she, in one way or another, would be good for the clan. And +that left only the question of whether he was right or not. + +Tom's eyes swung to Sandy, and he remembered his discussion with her. +And he remembered her parting shot which had asked him if he was afraid +of Marcia. If, perhaps, he did not resent her for being better educated +than he, and if, maybe, she might awe him. Was that it? he wondered. Did +he feel awe at her? He did of her father, certainly. He remembered his +talks with Mr. Graves, and remembered coming out of them feeling beaten +and bedraggled--something of the way he might feel towards Marcia. + +Yes, he had to admit it, there was that feeling there. She was from a +background he did not know and it did, in truth, somewhat scare him. How +much did this influence him? He did not know. + +He looked at Betsy, thinking of his talk with her. He remembered how she +had brushed aside any thought that the kids might be harmed by Marcia. +Was she right? Were the kids so stable emotionally that nothing Marcia +could bring into their world would seriously harm them? Remembering Sue +who had come to flirt with him with her four-year-old eyes, it was not +hard to believe that Betsy was right. + +Also there was Betsy's discussion of what might happen to Marcia. Betsy +had argued, Tom remembered, that Marcia might well learn to fit, that +she would find all the old rules by which she had lived outside the clan +so completely inadequate that she would be forced to learn from scratch. +Was that right, he wondered. After the initial period when she would be +learning how little she knew, would she then be able to learn like a +child, without undue prejudice, just because her background was so +different? It was possible, he had to admit. + +And finally he looked at Pete. Pete had argued that it was not immoral +to take in Marcia for economic reasons, that it was not like marrying a +girl for her money. Economics were an integral and avowed part of the +clan idea; and certainly the moralities of a clan had to be different +from those of a monogamist marriage. Yes, he had to admit that he +thought Pete's arguments sound. There was a different ethics here. There +had to be. What the true ethics would say of the case of Marcia, he did +not know. But at least he could not lightly dismiss it all as simply and +obviously immoral. It could not be that simple. + + +As Tom looked at them and pondered what he should say, the answer +suddenly came to him. It came to him like a revelation, and he felt as +if something inside of him had broken, something that had hampered and +restricted him, even without his knowing it. He felt free, suddenly, +free and exultant. + +He smiled at them and said: "When Ricky told me this afternoon, I was +afraid; as I talked to several of you since that time, I continued to be +afraid. And I was afraid when I came here tonight. But now, as I look at +your bright faces, I am no longer. You and I are the clan, and the clan +is stronger than anyone outside. Not Marcia, nor Graves, nor anyone else +can break it; only we can break it--only we, by losing faith in it. I +know now that I have not had the faith that I should have. The faith in +you, and in us, and in our relations to each other. As I stood here +looking at the faces of those I talked to, and remembering what you +said, it came to me how foolish I have been. + +"I don't know whether this thing is right or not; I don't know what its +ultimate result will be. Maybe it will be good, and maybe bad. But if +it's bad, it won't be so bad as to be a disaster. The clan will survive +anything that may come of it, and may even be the stronger for it. And +if the results are good, why then of course everyone will be the winner +for it. No, I don't know what the results will be, but now I am willing +to face whatever they are without fear, and with confidence in the clan. + +"My vote will be to accept Marcia." He sat down feeling quite at peace +with himself for the first time in what seemed like a long, long time. + +As Ricky came forward to take the floor again, and ask for further +discussion, Tom looked around. Sandy, he saw, was looking at him with a +smile in her eyes. She approved, he knew. And so did Betsy. She was +watching him with a warm look that spoke her feelings. Pete was staring +off into space, no doubt following down some logical train. + +The others were each reacting in their separate ways. Paul was +interested but probably had no idea of what it really was about. Rita, +in her maternal self-absorption, was not really concerned. Polly was +watching him with sympathy for him as a man, but not with any basic +understanding. Sam, with his dead-pan face was hard to read. His +penetrating eyes saw deeply, but what they saw was hard to tell. Herb +was looking around him with awkward movements; he was probably feeling +very shy at the thought of a new member. Marcia, Tom thought, might well +be good for him, teach him a greater social finesse. + +And there was Joan, leaning forward intently, no doubt wondering how +Marcia would affect the artistic balance of the group. Mike was looking +interested but not concerned. And Esther was sitting back in her chair +with a vague smile on her lips. Probably, Tom thought with a mental +chuckle, she was already planning some suitable induction ceremony. + + +From here on out, Tom sensed, it was only a matter of formality. Other +discussion there would be; arguments, perhaps. But in the end, Marcia +would be admitted by unanimous vote. And he was content that it be so. + + + * * * * * + + + Transcriber Notes: + + This etext was produced from Science Fiction Stories 1953. Extensive + research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this + publication was renewed. + + Obvious punctuation errors have been repaired. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Way of Decision, by M. C. 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