Rebekah doesn’t want to do that. So she’s getting trained locally. She’ll be able to provide basic health care after she’s certified.
I could ask Rebekah if she thinks going to a pleasure house is healthy. That would be an interesting conversation. Except it’s almost impossible to have a private conversation with her.
The last time we were alone together she was all upset because Mama had made an appointment for her with another family counselor so she could begin the marriage evaluation process. She’ll be 18 a few months after I turn 16. She’s required to get married sometime before she’s 19.
“I’m not going to do it, David,” she said. “I’ll run away if I have to. But I’m not going to be forced to marry some stranger.”
“I’ll run away with you,” I said. And I meant it. I would run away with her in a minute. We’d find somewhere to go. She still dresses like a boy and has real short hair, so maybe we could say we were brothers, or even homosexuals. Everyone likes homosexuals because they stick together and don’t cause problems. They’re not a threat to anyone like the single men who just want women but have no hope of getting any except at the pleasure shops. I wouldn’t mind posing as a homosexual if it meant I could be with Rebekah.
Simon and I are out back, doing yard work. Since I’m clearly not going to discuss pleasure shops with him, he segues to another topic.
“So Dave,” he says, “what kind of sun-cycle do you think you’ll get for your birthday?”
We talk about the pros and cons of various models. I’ll probably get a good one. Affordability is not a problem in our family, and if I drop some hints, Mama and my fathers will likely get me what I want.
“You should get a two-seater,” Simon suggests. “If you get a two-seater can I ride with you sometimes?”
“Sure,” I say.
I think about sun-cycles while I rake. I like thinking about how machines are made, what makes them work, how they could work better. I’m good at taking things apart and then putting them back together. When I choose a career, I might want to be an engineer. I think I’d like that if I don’t run away before then with Rebekah.
“Hey, Dave,” says Simon, ruining my train of thought. “Do you suppose that under her clothes, Rebekah has the same parts as Mrs. Edelson?”
“What kind of a stupid question is that, you little idiot? Don’t talk about Rebekah that way.”
“It’s just that someone at school saw her with me and Papa John, and asked me if she was a boy or girl. And I said she’s a girl, but he said if she was really a girl, she would be all covered up in one of those long, hooded robes that girls are supposed to wear now in public. He asked me if I’d ever seen what’s under her clothes.”
“Simon,” I say. “Do you have a death wish? Because if you don’t stop talking that way about Rebekah, I’m going to kill you here and now.”
“Hey, it’s not me that said anything about Rebekah. I’m just telling you what someone else said.”
“Well, don’t,” I warn him. And I start raking again, thinking about sun-cycles, and Rebekah, and what’s under her clothes.
Chapter 11
Susannah
The Women’s Conference
I can’t believe I let my mother talk me into this. With all that’s going on, with all I’ve got to worry about, and grieve about, she convinces me to go with her to the Women’s Conference in Chicago.
And if that’s not bad enough, we’re accompanied by her all-brawn, no-brains trio of late-model husbands.
Jeff, Matt and Lars are supposedly with us for protection. They take turns driving the rover, staring wide-eyed at the passing scenery, and telling each other jokes they recall from their childhoods.
“Do you know why birds fly south in the winter?” says one of them upon observing a flock in the sky, not bothering to pause before the punchline. “Because it’s too far to
I could ask Rebekah if she thinks going to a pleasure house is healthy. That would be an interesting conversation. Except it’s almost impossible to have a private conversation with her.
The last time we were alone together she was all upset because Mama had made an appointment for her with another family counselor so she could begin the marriage evaluation process. She’ll be 18 a few months after I turn 16. She’s required to get married sometime before she’s 19.
“I’m not going to do it, David,” she said. “I’ll run away if I have to. But I’m not going to be forced to marry some stranger.”
“I’ll run away with you,” I said. And I meant it. I would run away with her in a minute. We’d find somewhere to go. She still dresses like a boy and has real short hair, so maybe we could say we were brothers, or even homosexuals. Everyone likes homosexuals because they stick together and don’t cause problems. They’re not a threat to anyone like the single men who just want women but have no hope of getting any except at the pleasure shops. I wouldn’t mind posing as a homosexual if it meant I could be with Rebekah.
Simon and I are out back, doing yard work. Since I’m clearly not going to discuss pleasure shops with him, he segues to another topic.
“So Dave,” he says, “what kind of sun-cycle do you think you’ll get for your birthday?”
We talk about the pros and cons of various models. I’ll probably get a good one. Affordability is not a problem in our family, and if I drop some hints, Mama and my fathers will likely get me what I want.
“You should get a two-seater,” Simon suggests. “If you get a two-seater can I ride with you sometimes?”
“Sure,” I say.
I think about sun-cycles while I rake. I like thinking about how machines are made, what makes them work, how they could work better. I’m good at taking things apart and then putting them back together. When I choose a career, I might want to be an engineer. I think I’d like that if I don’t run away before then with Rebekah.
“Hey, Dave,” says Simon, ruining my train of thought. “Do you suppose that under her clothes, Rebekah has the same parts as Mrs. Edelson?”
“What kind of a stupid question is that, you little idiot? Don’t talk about Rebekah that way.”
“It’s just that someone at school saw her with me and Papa John, and asked me if she was a boy or girl. And I said she’s a girl, but he said if she was really a girl, she would be all covered up in one of those long, hooded robes that girls are supposed to wear now in public. He asked me if I’d ever seen what’s under her clothes.”
“Simon,” I say. “Do you have a death wish? Because if you don’t stop talking that way about Rebekah, I’m going to kill you here and now.”
“Hey, it’s not me that said anything about Rebekah. I’m just telling you what someone else said.”
“Well, don’t,” I warn him. And I start raking again, thinking about sun-cycles, and Rebekah, and what’s under her clothes.
Chapter 11
Susannah
The Women’s Conference
I can’t believe I let my mother talk me into this. With all that’s going on, with all I’ve got to worry about, and grieve about, she convinces me to go with her to the Women’s Conference in Chicago.
And if that’s not bad enough, we’re accompanied by her all-brawn, no-brains trio of late-model husbands.
Jeff, Matt and Lars are supposedly with us for protection. They take turns driving the rover, staring wide-eyed at the passing scenery, and telling each other jokes they recall from their childhoods.
“Do you know why birds fly south in the winter?” says one of them upon observing a flock in the sky, not bothering to pause before the punchline. “Because it’s too far to
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