childs. He fell all over himself to disentangle from the big-eyed other.
I had thought about the UMS action for months and wanted to talk about it, and Charles seemed perfect to fulfill that function.
We could get dinner, Charles suggested as we strolled off the dance floor.
Ive already eaten, I said.
Then a snack.
I wanted to talk about last summer.
Perfect opportunity, over a late dessert.
I frowned as if the suggestion were somehow improper, then gave in. Charles took my armthat seemed safe enoughand we found a small, quiet autocafe in an outer tunnel arc. The arc branched north of Shinktown quarters for permanent residents and offered little convenience shops, most tended by arbeiters. We passed through the central quadrangle, a hectare of tailored green surrounded by six stories of stacked balconies. The quadrangle architecture tried to imitate the worst of old Earth, retrograde, oppressive. The shop arc, however, was comparatively stylish and benign.
We sat in the cafe and sipped Valley coffee while waiting for our cakes to arrive. Charles said little at first, his nerves evident. He smiled broadly at my own few words, eager to be accommodating.
Tiring rapidly of this verbjam, I leaned forward. Why did you come to Shinktown? I asked.
Bored and lonely. Ive been up to my neck in Bell Continuum topoi. You dont know what this is, I presume.
No, I said.
Well, its fascinating. It could be important someday, but right now its on the fringe. Why did you come?
I shrugged. I dont know. For company, I suppose. I realized, with some concern, that this was my way of being coquettish. My mother would have called it bitchy, and she knew me well enough.
Looking for a good dance partner? Im probably not your best choice.
I waved that off. Do you remember what Sean Dickinson said?
He grimaced. Id like to forget.
What was wrong with him?
Im not much of a student of human nature. Charles examined his tiny cup. The cakes arrived and Charles slapped palm on the arbeiter. My treat, he said. Im old-fashioned.
I let that pass as well. I think he was monstrous, I said.
Im not sure Id go that far.
My lips wrapped around the word again, savoring it. Monstrous. A political monster.
He really stung you, didnt he? Remember, he was hurt.
Ive tried to understand the whole situation, why we didnt accomplish anything. Why I was willing to follow Sean and Gretyl almost anywhere
Follow them? Or the cause?
I believedbelieve in the cause, but I was following them I said. Im trying to understand why.
They seemed to know what they were doing.
We talked for an hour, going in circles, getting no closer to understanding what had happened to us. Charles seemed to accept it as a youthful escapade, but Id never allowed myself the luxury of such japes. Failure gave me a deep sensation of guilt, of time wasted and opportunities missed.
When we finished our cakes, it seemed natural that we should go someplace quiet and continue talking. Charles suggested the quad. I shook my head and explained that I thought it looked like an insula. Charles was not a student of history. I said, An insula. An apartment building in ancient Rome.
The city? Charles asked.
Yeah, I said. The city.
His next suggestion, preceded by a moment of perplexed reflection, was that we should go to his room. I could order tea or wine.
Ive had enough of both, I said. Can we get some mineral water?
Probably, Charles said. Durrey sits on a pretty fine aquifer. This whole area lies on pre-Tharsis karst.
We took a small cab to the opposite arc, hotels and temp quarters for Shinktowns real source of income, the students.
I dont remember anticipating much of anything as we entered Charless room. There was nothing distinguished about the decorinexpensive, clean, maintained by arbeiters, with no nano fixtures; pleasant shades of beige, soft green, and gray. The bed could hold only one person comfortably. I sat on the beds corner. It occurred to me suddenly that by going this
I had thought about the UMS action for months and wanted to talk about it, and Charles seemed perfect to fulfill that function.
We could get dinner, Charles suggested as we strolled off the dance floor.
Ive already eaten, I said.
Then a snack.
I wanted to talk about last summer.
Perfect opportunity, over a late dessert.
I frowned as if the suggestion were somehow improper, then gave in. Charles took my armthat seemed safe enoughand we found a small, quiet autocafe in an outer tunnel arc. The arc branched north of Shinktown quarters for permanent residents and offered little convenience shops, most tended by arbeiters. We passed through the central quadrangle, a hectare of tailored green surrounded by six stories of stacked balconies. The quadrangle architecture tried to imitate the worst of old Earth, retrograde, oppressive. The shop arc, however, was comparatively stylish and benign.
We sat in the cafe and sipped Valley coffee while waiting for our cakes to arrive. Charles said little at first, his nerves evident. He smiled broadly at my own few words, eager to be accommodating.
Tiring rapidly of this verbjam, I leaned forward. Why did you come to Shinktown? I asked.
Bored and lonely. Ive been up to my neck in Bell Continuum topoi. You dont know what this is, I presume.
No, I said.
Well, its fascinating. It could be important someday, but right now its on the fringe. Why did you come?
I shrugged. I dont know. For company, I suppose. I realized, with some concern, that this was my way of being coquettish. My mother would have called it bitchy, and she knew me well enough.
Looking for a good dance partner? Im probably not your best choice.
I waved that off. Do you remember what Sean Dickinson said?
He grimaced. Id like to forget.
What was wrong with him?
Im not much of a student of human nature. Charles examined his tiny cup. The cakes arrived and Charles slapped palm on the arbeiter. My treat, he said. Im old-fashioned.
I let that pass as well. I think he was monstrous, I said.
Im not sure Id go that far.
My lips wrapped around the word again, savoring it. Monstrous. A political monster.
He really stung you, didnt he? Remember, he was hurt.
Ive tried to understand the whole situation, why we didnt accomplish anything. Why I was willing to follow Sean and Gretyl almost anywhere
Follow them? Or the cause?
I believedbelieve in the cause, but I was following them I said. Im trying to understand why.
They seemed to know what they were doing.
We talked for an hour, going in circles, getting no closer to understanding what had happened to us. Charles seemed to accept it as a youthful escapade, but Id never allowed myself the luxury of such japes. Failure gave me a deep sensation of guilt, of time wasted and opportunities missed.
When we finished our cakes, it seemed natural that we should go someplace quiet and continue talking. Charles suggested the quad. I shook my head and explained that I thought it looked like an insula. Charles was not a student of history. I said, An insula. An apartment building in ancient Rome.
The city? Charles asked.
Yeah, I said. The city.
His next suggestion, preceded by a moment of perplexed reflection, was that we should go to his room. I could order tea or wine.
Ive had enough of both, I said. Can we get some mineral water?
Probably, Charles said. Durrey sits on a pretty fine aquifer. This whole area lies on pre-Tharsis karst.
We took a small cab to the opposite arc, hotels and temp quarters for Shinktowns real source of income, the students.
I dont remember anticipating much of anything as we entered Charless room. There was nothing distinguished about the decorinexpensive, clean, maintained by arbeiters, with no nano fixtures; pleasant shades of beige, soft green, and gray. The bed could hold only one person comfortably. I sat on the beds corner. It occurred to me suddenly that by going this
Similar Books
