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diff --git a/59495-0.txt b/59495-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f9e1ed6 --- /dev/null +++ b/59495-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,270 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59495 *** + + + + + + + + + + + + + REJECT + + BY JOHN JOHNSON + + _The officials had been napping the + day Donnie passed inspection.... How + else could you explain such an error + in his emotional conditioning?_ + + [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from + Worlds of If Science Fiction, August 1956. + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that + the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] + + +Donnie clenched his small fists and tried not to cry, but two +elliptical tears ran slowly down his cheeks. The sight of them made Mr. +Ames even madder. + +"Look at him," he stormed, turning to Martha. "Just look at him. Every +damn time I try to reason with him, he starts to snivel like an animal, +instead of acting like a normal human being." Mr. Ames flicked his +cigar ashes toward a vacuum cup on the wall and looked down at the boy. +"Now stop that stupid crying and tell me what this is all about." + +Donnie sniffled a couple of times and wiped his nose on the back of one +of his blue uniform sleeves. + +"Well," Mr. Ames said, coldly. + +The boy took a deep breath and raised his head. "I want you to spend +some time with me," he said. "I want you to--" he searched the elusive +shadows of memory until he found the word he wanted--"I want you to +_play_ with me. That's it. I want you to play with me once in a while." + +Mr. Ames blinked his eyes and stepped back. "Play," he repeated. "What +do you mean _play_?" + +Donnie hesitated. "You know," he said, finally, "take me on long walks +and sit down and play games and tell me stories once in a while." + +"But you've got all the stories you need," Mr. Ames said, waving his +hand at the banks of audiotapes stacked neatly on the wall shelves. +"And your audio-prompter can tell them better than I can." + +"Yes," Donnie said, "but that's a machine and I want--" + +"What's wrong with a machine," Mr. Ames said, his face getting red. +"Some of our best things come from machines. Didn't they teach you that +at the Incubator?" + +"Yes," the boy said, "but isn't there anything besides machines? I +can't play with machines, I want to play with you!" He began to sob +again. + +Mr. Ames dashed his cigar to the floor. "I give up," he said. "By the +Red Balls of Jupiter, I give up!" + +"Now, Henry," his wife said. "Remember, the boy's only seven." + +"Don't 'Henry' me," Mr. Ames said, "And besides, what does being seven +have to do with it. When I was his age, I was an honor student in +physics. _He_ can't even pass algebra." + +Donnie stared at the toes of his boots. + +"I've given this kid everything," Mr. Ames went on. "He's going to +the best pre-nuclear school in the whole hemisphere. He's got his own +rocket kit. Why, he's even been on a study cruise to the moon! How +many kids his age have been to the moon already? I bet no other kid in +our project has been there. And what do I get as a reward." Mr. Ames +didn't wait for an answer. "Trouble. That's what I get, trouble. Why in +Galaxy he can't leave me alone like a normal child is more than I can +understand." He stopped for breath and lit a fresh cigar. + +"Maybe the boy's sick," Martha said timidly. + +Mr. Ames ignored her. "I've tried to be a good father to him," he said, +his voice self-righteous. "I'm giving him a chance to make something +out of himself. All I ask is that he be of service to the world, and +make me proud of him some day. But what does he do? Does he concentrate +on his career, like the rest of the kids? Hell, no, he wants to hang +around me, always underfoot, always asking stupid questions. Play!" Mr. +Ames snorted. + +"It's not just play." + +"Heh, what's that?" Mr. Ames jumped. + +"I said it's not just play," Donnie repeated, bravely brushing away +his tears. "You don't give me any--" he searched again for the right +word--"any _companionship_. A boy needs companionship. Don't you +understand?" + +"No, I don't," Mr. Ames said. "And I'm sure they didn't teach you +that in the Incubator either. Don't you realize you should be fully +coordinated by now. Instead, you want me to take time from my work--Why +it's preposterous. It's, it's--unscientific!" + +"But, all I want--" + +Mr. Ames held up his hand. "Enough of this," he said. "I refuse to +discuss it anymore. Now go to your room and get ready for your study +period." + +The boy burst out crying again and ran out of the room. + +Mr. Ames shook his head. "Definite neurotic tendencies," he muttered to +himself. + +"What dear?" his wife said. + +"Nothing, Martha," he answered. "Just talking to myself." He sat down +heavily on the couch and sighed. What was wrong with Donnie, anyway? +Where did he get those archaic ideas from? Surely he had been taught +that the whole purpose of the incubator system was to speed up learning +and growth processes so children wouldn't have to waste precious years +growing up, like they did in the old days. Why their new technological +age simply had no time to fool around with infantile desires. There +were too many things to do, too many knotty scientific problems to +solve. Emotions, Mr. Ames mumbled to himself, you never could trust +your damn emotions. + +That night, after Donnie was in bed, Mr. Ames went to his study and +pulled out the boy's file. It explained what he was fitted for, what +abilities he had inherited, and what his primary training included. +Mr. Ames noted sadly that the boy's Scientific Quotient was 142, well +above normal, and that he would stand six feet tall and weigh close to +195 pounds when fully developed. + +Mr. Ames, who was incubator-born himself, was completely sold on +the ingenious system the Federation of World Councils had devised. +No more hit-and-miss mass reproduction, where morons were gradually +out-breeding intelligent beings, but instead, selective artificial +insemination through which only the best strains were permitted to +reproduce. Each generation, the human race got healthier and smarter. +Insanity and inherited diseases were a thing of the past and nature's +primitive law--only the fittest shall survive--was now a glittering +reality. Why the Federated Incubators even took over the burden of +educating the children for the first five years. Parents no longer +had to be bothered caring for helpless, bawling brats. By the time +Incubates were placed on the available list, they were completely +self-sufficient and emotionally conditioned to fit into any family +group. Parents simply picked what they wanted. Mr. Ames, of course, had +selected a future nuclear-chemist. + +It was a beautiful system, Mr. Ames told himself, and even more +important, it worked. But somehow, some way, there was something +radically wrong with their child. + +"Definite neurotic symptoms," Mr. Ames murmured, half aloud. By +Jupiter, there was only one thing to do. He shut the folder firmly and +spun around to the trans-audio. A green light appeared on the panel +almost immediately. + +"Your connection, please?" the automon said. + +"Give me the local Incubator." + +There was a pause, then a click. "Federated Health and Service, +coordinator speaking. May I help you?" + +"Yes. This is Mr. Henry Ames, over at the Amarillo Group Project. I +have a complaint to make." + +"Yes?" The coordinator, a woman, was carefully polite. + +"It's about the child you sent us." + +"Specimen please?" + +"What? Oh, it's a boy, Class Triple A, breed, nuclear chemistry. We got +him about 18 months ago and--" + +"What is your number please?" + +"It's ... just a minute." Mr. Ames consulted the folder. "My number is +34-72-oh-41. And we've got a three-year guarantee," he added pointedly. + +"Yes, sir. Just a minute sir." There was a whirring sound at the other +end of the circuit. After a short wait, the coordinator's voice came +through again. + +"Well, sir," she said. "You have the select model in our scientific +line of seven-year-olds. According to our records, he checked out +perfectly on all phases of learning and aptitude. Have you tried memory +teaching?" + +"Yes, I've tried memory teaching. He learns fine." Mr. Ames stopped. +"Look, you don't seem to understand. He's okay as far as performance +goes. He does everything we tell him and all that, but he's +still a real pain in the--I mean, he's developing very annoying +characteristics." + +"Please go on, Mr. Ames." The coordinator's voice was warm and +sympathetic. "How does he annoy you?" + +"Well, for one thing, he's getting pronounced possessive tendencies. He +almost seems to resent being left alone. Why, just this evening he told +me he wants us to _play_ with him!" + +"Did you say _play_ with him?" + +"That's right," Mr. Ames said, triumphantly. "And he says he needs +companionship, or something like that." + +"Companionship," the coordinator repeated. "Oh, dear. This is more +serious than I thought. I'm afraid you definitely have a reject, +Mr. Ames. If he shows these tendencies at this early age, then the +situation will be intolerable later on." + +"It's intolerable right now," Henry insisted. "Anyway, I thought you +people were supposed to clear up all this emotional unbalance in the +primary psych indoctrination." + +"We usually do," the coordinator agreed, "but every once in a while, +one slips through inspection with faulty communal-perception. The +one you've got is obviously a throw-back." The coordinator coughed +apologetically. "It's really not the boy's fault, of course, but I'm +afraid we'll have to reclaim him." + +"The sooner the better," Mr. Ames said. "This mess is upsetting my work +at the lab. When can I get a replacement?" + +"We'll send a new model over when we pick up the reject. Will tomorrow +morning be convenient?" + +"Sure. Fine. Just make sure this one is normal. You better check our +physio records too. I hear the people down the circle got one that +didn't look like them at all." + +"Don't worry," the coordinator assured him. "You'll get a boy you can +be proud of this time. Will there be anything more now?" + +"No, no, I guess not." An uneasy feeling slipped into Mr. Ames's +consciousness. "I just wondered," he said, suddenly. "What will happen +to Don--I mean, the reject you sent us. Will he be--uh--destroyed?" + +The coordinator laughed. "Heavens, no, Mr. Ames," she said, lightly. +"He'll be sent to the Biological Reservation and allowed to live out +his life span with other rejects. He'll be much happier there. We're +not savages, you know." + +"That's right," Mr. Ames said, his tone matching her brightness. "We're +not savages. Well, we'll be expecting the new one tomorrow, and thanks +for all your trouble." + +"No trouble at all," the coordinator said, smoothly. "Feel free to call +on us any time." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Reject, by John Johnson + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59495 *** diff --git a/59495-h/59495-h.htm b/59495-h/59495-h.htm index 224dae2..5fe2e39 100644 --- a/59495-h/59495-h.htm +++ b/59495-h/59495-h.htm @@ -74,40 +74,7 @@ div.titlepage p { <body> -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Reject, by John Johnson - -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/license - - -Title: Reject - -Author: John Johnson - -Release Date: May 13, 2019 [EBook #59495] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REJECT *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 59495 ***</div> <div class="figcenter"> @@ -385,378 +352,7 @@ on us any time."</p> -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Reject, by John Johnson - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REJECT *** - -***** This file should be named 59495-h.htm or 59495-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/9/4/9/59495/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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/license - - -Title: Reject - -Author: John Johnson - -Release Date: May 13, 2019 [EBook #59495] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REJECT *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - REJECT - - BY JOHN JOHNSON - - _The officials had been napping the - day Donnie passed inspection.... How - else could you explain such an error - in his emotional conditioning?_ - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Worlds of If Science Fiction, August 1956. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - -Donnie clenched his small fists and tried not to cry, but two -elliptical tears ran slowly down his cheeks. The sight of them made Mr. -Ames even madder. - -"Look at him," he stormed, turning to Martha. "Just look at him. Every -damn time I try to reason with him, he starts to snivel like an animal, -instead of acting like a normal human being." Mr. Ames flicked his -cigar ashes toward a vacuum cup on the wall and looked down at the boy. -"Now stop that stupid crying and tell me what this is all about." - -Donnie sniffled a couple of times and wiped his nose on the back of one -of his blue uniform sleeves. - -"Well," Mr. Ames said, coldly. - -The boy took a deep breath and raised his head. "I want you to spend -some time with me," he said. "I want you to--" he searched the elusive -shadows of memory until he found the word he wanted--"I want you to -_play_ with me. That's it. I want you to play with me once in a while." - -Mr. Ames blinked his eyes and stepped back. "Play," he repeated. "What -do you mean _play_?" - -Donnie hesitated. "You know," he said, finally, "take me on long walks -and sit down and play games and tell me stories once in a while." - -"But you've got all the stories you need," Mr. Ames said, waving his -hand at the banks of audiotapes stacked neatly on the wall shelves. -"And your audio-prompter can tell them better than I can." - -"Yes," Donnie said, "but that's a machine and I want--" - -"What's wrong with a machine," Mr. Ames said, his face getting red. -"Some of our best things come from machines. Didn't they teach you that -at the Incubator?" - -"Yes," the boy said, "but isn't there anything besides machines? I -can't play with machines, I want to play with you!" He began to sob -again. - -Mr. Ames dashed his cigar to the floor. "I give up," he said. "By the -Red Balls of Jupiter, I give up!" - -"Now, Henry," his wife said. "Remember, the boy's only seven." - -"Don't 'Henry' me," Mr. Ames said, "And besides, what does being seven -have to do with it. When I was his age, I was an honor student in -physics. _He_ can't even pass algebra." - -Donnie stared at the toes of his boots. - -"I've given this kid everything," Mr. Ames went on. "He's going to -the best pre-nuclear school in the whole hemisphere. He's got his own -rocket kit. Why, he's even been on a study cruise to the moon! How -many kids his age have been to the moon already? I bet no other kid in -our project has been there. And what do I get as a reward." Mr. Ames -didn't wait for an answer. "Trouble. That's what I get, trouble. Why in -Galaxy he can't leave me alone like a normal child is more than I can -understand." He stopped for breath and lit a fresh cigar. - -"Maybe the boy's sick," Martha said timidly. - -Mr. Ames ignored her. "I've tried to be a good father to him," he said, -his voice self-righteous. "I'm giving him a chance to make something -out of himself. All I ask is that he be of service to the world, and -make me proud of him some day. But what does he do? Does he concentrate -on his career, like the rest of the kids? Hell, no, he wants to hang -around me, always underfoot, always asking stupid questions. Play!" Mr. -Ames snorted. - -"It's not just play." - -"Heh, what's that?" Mr. Ames jumped. - -"I said it's not just play," Donnie repeated, bravely brushing away -his tears. "You don't give me any--" he searched again for the right -word--"any _companionship_. A boy needs companionship. Don't you -understand?" - -"No, I don't," Mr. Ames said. "And I'm sure they didn't teach you -that in the Incubator either. Don't you realize you should be fully -coordinated by now. Instead, you want me to take time from my work--Why -it's preposterous. It's, it's--unscientific!" - -"But, all I want--" - -Mr. Ames held up his hand. "Enough of this," he said. "I refuse to -discuss it anymore. Now go to your room and get ready for your study -period." - -The boy burst out crying again and ran out of the room. - -Mr. Ames shook his head. "Definite neurotic tendencies," he muttered to -himself. - -"What dear?" his wife said. - -"Nothing, Martha," he answered. "Just talking to myself." He sat down -heavily on the couch and sighed. What was wrong with Donnie, anyway? -Where did he get those archaic ideas from? Surely he had been taught -that the whole purpose of the incubator system was to speed up learning -and growth processes so children wouldn't have to waste precious years -growing up, like they did in the old days. Why their new technological -age simply had no time to fool around with infantile desires. There -were too many things to do, too many knotty scientific problems to -solve. Emotions, Mr. Ames mumbled to himself, you never could trust -your damn emotions. - -That night, after Donnie was in bed, Mr. Ames went to his study and -pulled out the boy's file. It explained what he was fitted for, what -abilities he had inherited, and what his primary training included. -Mr. Ames noted sadly that the boy's Scientific Quotient was 142, well -above normal, and that he would stand six feet tall and weigh close to -195 pounds when fully developed. - -Mr. Ames, who was incubator-born himself, was completely sold on -the ingenious system the Federation of World Councils had devised. -No more hit-and-miss mass reproduction, where morons were gradually -out-breeding intelligent beings, but instead, selective artificial -insemination through which only the best strains were permitted to -reproduce. Each generation, the human race got healthier and smarter. -Insanity and inherited diseases were a thing of the past and nature's -primitive law--only the fittest shall survive--was now a glittering -reality. Why the Federated Incubators even took over the burden of -educating the children for the first five years. Parents no longer -had to be bothered caring for helpless, bawling brats. By the time -Incubates were placed on the available list, they were completely -self-sufficient and emotionally conditioned to fit into any family -group. Parents simply picked what they wanted. Mr. Ames, of course, had -selected a future nuclear-chemist. - -It was a beautiful system, Mr. Ames told himself, and even more -important, it worked. But somehow, some way, there was something -radically wrong with their child. - -"Definite neurotic symptoms," Mr. Ames murmured, half aloud. By -Jupiter, there was only one thing to do. He shut the folder firmly and -spun around to the trans-audio. A green light appeared on the panel -almost immediately. - -"Your connection, please?" the automon said. - -"Give me the local Incubator." - -There was a pause, then a click. "Federated Health and Service, -coordinator speaking. May I help you?" - -"Yes. This is Mr. Henry Ames, over at the Amarillo Group Project. I -have a complaint to make." - -"Yes?" The coordinator, a woman, was carefully polite. - -"It's about the child you sent us." - -"Specimen please?" - -"What? Oh, it's a boy, Class Triple A, breed, nuclear chemistry. We got -him about 18 months ago and--" - -"What is your number please?" - -"It's ... just a minute." Mr. Ames consulted the folder. "My number is -34-72-oh-41. And we've got a three-year guarantee," he added pointedly. - -"Yes, sir. Just a minute sir." There was a whirring sound at the other -end of the circuit. After a short wait, the coordinator's voice came -through again. - -"Well, sir," she said. "You have the select model in our scientific -line of seven-year-olds. According to our records, he checked out -perfectly on all phases of learning and aptitude. Have you tried memory -teaching?" - -"Yes, I've tried memory teaching. He learns fine." Mr. Ames stopped. -"Look, you don't seem to understand. He's okay as far as performance -goes. He does everything we tell him and all that, but he's -still a real pain in the--I mean, he's developing very annoying -characteristics." - -"Please go on, Mr. Ames." The coordinator's voice was warm and -sympathetic. "How does he annoy you?" - -"Well, for one thing, he's getting pronounced possessive tendencies. He -almost seems to resent being left alone. Why, just this evening he told -me he wants us to _play_ with him!" - -"Did you say _play_ with him?" - -"That's right," Mr. Ames said, triumphantly. "And he says he needs -companionship, or something like that." - -"Companionship," the coordinator repeated. "Oh, dear. This is more -serious than I thought. I'm afraid you definitely have a reject, -Mr. Ames. If he shows these tendencies at this early age, then the -situation will be intolerable later on." - -"It's intolerable right now," Henry insisted. "Anyway, I thought you -people were supposed to clear up all this emotional unbalance in the -primary psych indoctrination." - -"We usually do," the coordinator agreed, "but every once in a while, -one slips through inspection with faulty communal-perception. The -one you've got is obviously a throw-back." The coordinator coughed -apologetically. "It's really not the boy's fault, of course, but I'm -afraid we'll have to reclaim him." - -"The sooner the better," Mr. Ames said. "This mess is upsetting my work -at the lab. When can I get a replacement?" - -"We'll send a new model over when we pick up the reject. Will tomorrow -morning be convenient?" - -"Sure. Fine. Just make sure this one is normal. You better check our -physio records too. I hear the people down the circle got one that -didn't look like them at all." - -"Don't worry," the coordinator assured him. "You'll get a boy you can -be proud of this time. Will there be anything more now?" - -"No, no, I guess not." An uneasy feeling slipped into Mr. Ames's -consciousness. "I just wondered," he said, suddenly. "What will happen -to Don--I mean, the reject you sent us. Will he be--uh--destroyed?" - -The coordinator laughed. "Heavens, no, Mr. Ames," she said, lightly. -"He'll be sent to the Biological Reservation and allowed to live out -his life span with other rejects. He'll be much happier there. We're -not savages, you know." - -"That's right," Mr. Ames said, his tone matching her brightness. "We're -not savages. Well, we'll be expecting the new one tomorrow, and thanks -for all your trouble." - -"No trouble at all," the coordinator said, smoothly. 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