Ripeness is All, Page 2

One had everything he needed, in hisown place. But now it seemed that he needed something more, somethingnobody had ever heard of. He walked on, thinking about the School.

  Everybody was born in a House, and kept there till he was weaned, andcould walk. Then he was taken to the School. There he grew up in anatmosphere of Group Living, and was gradually showed everything that heneeded--everything that there was. The hes and shes played together;they were instructed in the Ways of Life.

  As they grew older, they were taken around the City. They were showedthe places that the Cars could take them; they were showed how to pushthe buttons. Of course the robots did a perfect job of instruction.There were Kitchens, in which one could eat. There were parks andgardens, in which one could stroll and lounge. There were Emporiums, inwhich one could get clothes and things. It was all--as it was.

  When one reached puberty, he was taken from the School, and given aPad. There he lived, listening to the soft music that came from thewalls, eating and sleeping. And doing. He selected his android from anEmporium, and did her as he pleased. She was his company, the Warmth ofhis Pad. She shopped in the Emporium for him, she fixed him cozy littlemeals, and brought him his pipe or his cigar. She spread the depilatorycream upon his face in the morning, and wiped, with so soft a touch, hisbeard away; and she bathed him, in the scented waters.

  * * * * *

  He remembered that after a year or two, he had felt almost restless.From his touch, Meg had understood. She had whispered "House" to him,and he had gone out and instructed a Car. That had been his firstexperience of a Girl. He supposed that it had been the same with theothers. He had never inquired. In the garden bower the idea of childrenhad come to him, and his mind had been at rest. He had not tried a Beduntil the fifth or sixth time. He had, he supposed, taken for grantedthat the Girls lived in the same way that he did. They had their ownandroids, their own Pads. They never associated with the Men, except ina House. Men got together sometimes, and ate and drank, and had androidorgies; no doubt the Girls did likewise.

  With a great effort, aided by hints from what he could remember of Life,he pieced an idea together, not knowing what he had done. Of coursehuman copulation was too dangerous: it might make one unhappy. He hadlearned, in the bowers, that Man and Girl were not of the same temper,and that their union was not always perfect. Somehow it was better, evenso, but it was too difficult. It tended to be--painful.

  He did not know the word. He did not know any of the words for thesestrange thoughts of his, but they were now very palpable to him, andvery urgent. His android was his, and was never dissatisfied; and so,neither was he. It was a perfect and complete system. And what washappening to him? The word "happiness" came upon him, and he shuddered,almost in terror. What did it mean? Too many things were happening, allat once.

  * * * * *

  He turned into a street, and stopped. He had never seen it before.But why should this disturb him? The District was a big place. But hethought he had better get out of this street. Maybe pick up anotherandroid, maybe even take her home: have a redhead for awhile, maybe. Megwouldn't mind. How could she? What was the matter with him? Other Menchanged readily, or kept a whole Padful. The waitresses were much indemand. One did not even have to take them home: there were convenientrooms in every Kitchen.

  Then suddenly all this was shaken from him. He was standing before alarge building, and he did not know what it was.

  He stood for a long time, looking at it. Now and then a Man seemedto pass, but he could not be sure. It was like a shadow, like theflickering of a breeze. He wondered what the building could be.

  At length he seemed to hear a murmur as of the waters, and at last avoice broke upon him.

  "This is a library," it said. "There are books here, and teachers, fromwhom you can learn."

  It was too much. He screamed, and ran down the street.

  After a few blocks he became calmer; forgetfulness rescued him. Hepushed a button, and a Car conveyed him to his Pad.

  Meg met him, all warmth and smiles. He sat down, and she brought him hisslippers and a cold bottle of beer. He drank deeply. She sat on the armof his chair, caressed him, and asked if he would like some dinner. Shehad--

  He cut her short.

  "Meg, honey," he said, "I'm a little tired, that's how. You go to bednow, huh, put on some of that jasmine perfume? You dig?"

  "Sure, honey! Dig dig!" she replied.

  The dark waters rose, and beat against him.

  He finished his beer, and got himself another.

  Meg whispered, "Say, honey!" The bed rustled softly.

  He fought down his mind, and rapidly drank his beer. Almost as ever,he embraced the Warmth, and slid into a comfortable oblivion. Meg laybeside him in the darkness.

  * * * * *

  He awoke early, and she laid her hand upon him.

  Abruptly, he squirmed away.

  "Don't do that!" His voice was loud. "It's no good, all that stuff!Something's--wrong!"

  He jumped out of bed, and began rapidly to put on his clothes.

  Meg lay still for a moment. Her circuits were not built for such things.There was nothing wrong, and nothing registered. Then the cheery morningmusic started out of the wall, soothing and bright, and she began to humwith it. She arose, went lightly to her dressing, freshly and sweetlytripped into the kitchen.

  "Scrambled eggs, honey?" she asked, in the most caressive of tones.

  He had all but forgotten his outburst.

  "Yeh, sure honey", he answered.

  He ate copiously, and drank several cups of black coffee.

  "Fine day!" he said, belching his appreciation.

  He patted his companion good morning, exceptionally affectionately, andwent out into the street.

  There he met an old friend and drinking companion. He lived next door,it seemed. They were neighbors! He had seldom been so glad to seeanyone, as this old friend.

  "Hi there, Charlie!" he boomed. "How's it all? Like Man, I'm glad to seeyou! What's it, huh?"

  Then he waited, with an expectant grin. He waited a considerable timeafter Charlie had sauntered past him and ridden off in a Car.

  Then it came to him.

  "He didn't see me! Like as if I wasn't here! Yeah!"

  He hurried down the street, and did not think of a Car at all.

  He slowed his pace, and walked for a long time. Nobody saw him. He triedto think. The effort was too much, and his mind was a strained blank,and almost pained him. This street: it seemed familiar. Yes, he hadgone cruising here, several times. He began very nearly to regret hisdeficiency of memory. Wasn't there a nice park, up here a little way?He quickened his pace, perspiring freely. It was right here--no, itcouldn't be! Not that again! He couldn't be invisible to other people!There couldn't be things all around him that he couldn't see! It wasn'tright! What did that word mean? He fainted.

  When he came to, the library was still there. He staggered to his feet,and stood still a moment, gazing. There was something cut in the stoneover the large front doors. Why would anybody cut something like that inthe stone? It didn't make sense. It wasn't comfy at all.

  Then, in the back of his brain, a little light burst, and he heard thewords, "All men by nature desire to know."

  There it was again. Hadn't he dreamed it? What was this "know"? Itwasn't eating or drinking or doing or anything.

  Then there floated into his pulsating areas this "Aristotle".

  No dig at all. But he knew that it was the inscription in the stone, andhe walked up the broad front walk and entered the doors, which openedautomatically for him.

  He walked over the marble floor. Out of the corner of his eye he seemedalmost to discern an occasional dim figure hurrying past. He walked uptwo flights of stairs, seemingly alone, and yet seemingly surrounded. Itwas strange, and it was perfectly natural. He had never felt so alivebefore. Not even in a Bed had he felt himself so much of a Man. And hedid not t
hink about doing. He had not the slightest interest in it. Hewanted to _know_, whatever this might mean. He paused in front of adoor. It opened, and he entered and eased himself into a chair.

  "You must begin with the alphabet," the voice began. "This is the letterA."

  It flashed upon the screen. He copied it on the plate before him. Overand over again he copied the letter, and heard its name repeated. He wason the way.

  * * * * *

  He remained for weeks, for months, in the library. His room wascomfortable, his meals were tasty and well balanced. He lost weight, hegained continually an alert, aware sense of well-being and purpose. Hewas developing a mind, and beginning to know.

  Throughout the day he studied consciously, or received hypnoticinstruction; during the night, while his sleep was more keen and morerestful than ever before, the instruction continued. He learned