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Pesimists
From: nikolai kingsley Newsgroups: talk.bizarre Subject: Re: Pesimists Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 00:09:38 +1000 Organization: Maracites >Why are old people such pesimists, "At least - AT LEAST," he says, his voice almost cracking with the effort of added volume, "we have a moral code! It's like you're in the middle of the desert and you see all these *Vranti* staggering about in circles around you like crazy beetles. With no direction home, just like Spinrad said. Nothing to look towards. Nothing to *orient* themselves by!" His companion - a shrunken woman whose Eternal Transit Pass badge marks her as over two hundred years old - nods, the skin over her unnaturally smooth face and neck refusing to wrinkle. "But WE have morals! We might not be able to define good and evil absolutely, but we-" He is interrupted by one of the younger generation, can't be more than ninety, wearing the fashionable John-Borman-Style-Excalibur-armour. It looks like it weighs a tonne, but is made of molecule-thin plastic. "But YOU lot are always going on about a lack of Vranti morals. Where did your morals ever get you except older? Why don't you just shut up and let us watch the scenery in peace?" The Vranti is about to continue when the security camera extends itself down from the ceiling of the transit on a length of flexible cable and jams the barrel of its equaliser in his mouth. The old man grimaces and continues quietly: "It's the law. We're allowed to. It's a given right - the day you reach one hundred and twenty-eight years of age." He holds up the glowing green plastic spoon token. "This! You don't eat *soup* with this, boy. Pesim died in the South Wing Reactor for this!" The Vranti is too scared to even move his head away from the camera. I sigh but don't say anything. Some people take to religion like an oilspill to a duck, but why are old people such Pesimists? |
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