For Us, The Living

by Robert Heinlein

  The thing for which Perry most admired the Americans of his period was that in them, potentially, lay 2086. In a short century and a half these callous, kind hearted, gullible, deceitful bumpkins had stumbled and zig-zagged into a culture they could be proud of. Somehow or other (Cathcart's explanations seemed too simple now) the universal longing of the older generations that things might be different for their children had borne fruit. Perhaps that alone had accounted for it. Perhaps to have the desire for better things for our children, and our children's children, than we had for ourselves is to be immortal and to become divine.

  Perry had ample opportunity as the days marched by to see this culture as well as to hear about it and view it in shadow show. He visited the socialistic state of Wisconsin which had grown up in its own direction within the framework of the federation. Diana and he spent several days in the Gulf States where there still remained the large group of blacks not yet assimilated by the white majority. Here he found a culture as free as the rest of the country—perhaps less highly mechanized, but undoubtedly richer in arts, and social graces, and zest for living.

  Gradually Diana introduced Perry to her friends and helped him over the rough spots in adjusting himself to new social customs. After a few weeks of the casual, easy, good-humored atmosphere of her circle of acquaintances, he felt, and she agreed, that he was ready to get by in any company without betraying the peculiar circumstances of his life. He had acquired some of the modern liking for privacy and decided not to expand the number of those who knew.

  One morning about six weeks after his advent Diana announced that she expected a visitor. Perry looked up with interest. "Who is it? Anyone I know?"

  "No. It's a young fellow named Bernard. I used to be very close to him. He's a dancer, too. We used to be partners."

  "What do you mean, 'used to be very close to him'?"

  "Why, I was very fond of him. We lived together about a year."

  "What!"

  "Why, Perry, what's the matter?"

  "What do you mean? Do you mean you lived with him in the sense that we are living together now?"

  Her face grew dark. "You've no right to ask that sort of a question. However, I will answer. We lived together, as man and woman, as you and I are doing."

  He strode up and down, a black look on his face. Finally he turned and faced her. "Diana, is this your way of telling me that you are through with me?"

  She reached out and placed a hand impulsively on his arm. "Why, no, darling. No, No."

  He shrugged off her grasp. "Then why do you invite this old flame of yours here? Are you trying to humiliate me?"

  Her face was white and tense. "Perry, Perry darling! Nothing of the sort. You mustn't think such things. He is coming because he has occasion to. He and I are billed to appear in a series of dances together. He's coming here to work out the choreography and rehearse."

  "Why hadn't I heard about it?"

  "There was no reason to discuss it, Perry. We signed the contract last fall and we don't open until the first of May. But now we must rehearse."

  He looked up and his face had cleared a little. "You used to love him, Diana?"

  "A little. Not as I love you, Perry."

  "He means nothing to you, nothing at all?"

  "I wouldn't say that. I'm still very fond of him and he was very good to me. We just got bored with each other and split up, but I still count him as a staunch friend."

  He looked sulky. "Staunch friend, my foot. I'll bet he's still nuts about you."

  Diana looked hurt and bewildered and seemed about to cry. "Perry, Perry, darling. I don't understand you. What is this all about? What have I done to harm you? We were so happy, so very happy, and now all this. It seems so silly. Why? Why?" Tears welled up and spilled over. Perry wore the harassed indignant look of the eternal male confronted with the incomprehensible irrational feminine viewpoint.

  "Good Lord! What do you expect? I guess I'm as tolerant and broadminded as the next one, and I've never thought it was my business to go poking my nose into your past, but can't you see that this is a bit thick? When a guy shows up whom you admit is an old lover of yours, and you want me to receive him into the house as a friend of the family, it's too much. Anybody'd be jealous. Don't you think I have my pride?" His face settled into sullen, stubborn lines and the corners of his mouth twitched. "The free and easy business may be all right for casual love-making, but apparently you didn't realize that I was serious. I thought we were married. I thought you felt the same way about me. I didn't know what all this casual immorality you showed me amounted to." He passed his hand over his face. "OK. I've been a sap. But don't you worry. I'll pack up and be out of here in no time. Thanks for everything you've done for me of course. I'll figure up what I owe you and pay you back right away."

  Diana stood rigid, her hands clenched and her face screwed up like that of a child whose world has crumbled about her. Scalding tears pressed out of her tight shut eyes and splashed on her breast. He turned to go. She moved quickly and clung to him. "Perry! Perry! No! Don't! What have I done? I don't understand. Please, darling, please. Anything, but don't just leave me alone." She sobbed brokenly. Perry patted her awkwardly. Her sobbing continued. He turned her face up and wiped at her tears.

  "Don't cry kid. I can't stand it. And let me go. It's better that way. Stop it, kid, please. Oh Lord, what can I do?" The sobs abated, and died away. She sniffled and gulped.

  "Perry, it's some awful mistake. But tell me that you love me and you're not going away."

  He looked troubled. "Well, I don't want to go away. Listen, Dian', I love you and I want to stay. Look. Will you call up this mug and tell him to stay away?"

  She looked unhappy. "I can't Perry. He'll be here any minute."

  "What can we do then?"

  "I don't know."

  "Christ!" He strode over to the view windows and stared out, his fists jammed against his hips. Diana waited. Then he turned. "Look, Dian'. I guess I'll have to be polite to this guy for today. After he's gone we can figure out what to do about your contract and so forth." She started to speak, then fell silent. "Well?"

  "All right, Perry." He smiled and took her in his arms and kissed her. He felt the warm glow of one who has done a magnanimous thing. He could not know that she was still deeply troubled.

  As they were finishing lunch they heard the thump of a careless landing overhead. Shortly the door light glowed and there was admitted their guest. He was a young man, tall, well muscled and beautifully made. Perry noted with dissatisfaction his obvious good looks. He greeted Diana with "Hello, beautiful!," swung her off her feet, kissed her, and set her down with a flourish. Diana turned uneasily to Perry.

  "Bernard, this is Perry."

  The visitor seemed momentarily startled, recovered himself, made the ghost of a formal bow and muttered, "Do you a service?"

  Perry acknowledged as briefly.

  Bernard turned to Diana. "Dancer?" Diana shook her head. Bernard continued, "OK. Let's get going. I've got a lot of brand new stuff and, baby, it's hot. Look at this." He pulled a roll out of his belt, then shrugged off the belt and threw it on the couch. "This one now. It's historical, see? I'm an army aviator and you're a war nurse. We do the first half in costume with lots of action, then in the finale we duck the costumes and it's all symbolical. The score is Radetzky's War Birds with my own arrangement." They fell into a discussion of technical terms which Perry failed to understand. He went over to the reproducer, selected a record and cut in the earphones. Grimly he kept up the pretense of studying for the better part of two hours. Finally he realized that he had played a record on engineering materials and processes three times and remembered none of it. He snapped off the machine and turned and watched the rehearsal. There was no avoiding the fact that Bernard was graceful and handsome. His shoulders were broad and his hips narrow and he moved like a black panther. His body was the true golden bronze all over and his profile could have been the model for a Greek coin. Except
for a slight petulance of his features in repose Perry could by no rationalization regard him as effeminate in spite of his occupation. At the moment they were rehearsing a phrase in which Diana leaped into the air and was caught by him as he turned. Bernard seemed dissatisfied.

  "No, beautiful, no. You're not in time. It goes like this: Tata Tata, tata tata, thrrrrrrump, bump bump." He illustrated in pantomime. "Now try it." The music started and Diana whirled and came out in a long flying leap. Bernard caught her from a turn, swung her about and set her down. "That's better. Now once more." He caressed her upper arm. Perry felt his jaw muscle tighten until hard lumps and an acrid smell came into his nostrils. Diana whirled again and leaped to be swept from the air like a netted butterfly. Bernard gave a shout. "Bravo! Bravo! That's it!" He retained her in his arms and planted an enthusiastic kiss on her mouth, then hugged her to him. Perry was on his feet and striding across the floor.

  "Put her down!"

  Bernard looked up with surprise and annoyance across his face. "What did you say?"

  "Put her down!" Perry grasped his arm roughly. "Cut out that stuff. Put her down."

  "Do you know that you are being offensive?"

  Diana squirmed loose and stood between them. "Perry, please! Bernard, don't pay any attention. Perry, please go back and sit down."

  "Just a moment, Diana." Bernard stepped toward Perry. "Your words require explanation. Why were you offensive?"

  "Offensive! Pah!" Perry gave a short hard laugh.

  "He obviously is not rational. Come, Diana." Bernard placed a hand on her shoulder.

  Crack! Perry's left fist connected with Bernard's jaw and he went down in a heap. He struggled to his knees, fingered his jaw, and looked at Perry with an expression of utter amazement.

  "Get up and defend yourself." The amazement increased.

  Without moving Bernard spoke. "Diana, get behind me. He's dangerous." Instead she broke from her shocked immobility and flung herself on Perry.

  "No more, Perry! No more! Oh God, look what you've done already."

  "Diana, come away from him. We've got to get out of here." She turned, still clinging to Perry.

  "No, he won't hurt me. You get out. Go. Go at once."

  "I can't leave you alone with him."

  "Yes, go. I'm perfectly safe. Get out." Perry finally spoke.

  "Do as she tells you. I won't hurt her, you fool. But get out or I'll cut you to ribbons."

  Bernard backed toward the door, hastily grabbing his belt as he did so. As he opened the door, Diana stopped him. "Bernard!"

  "Yes?"

  "You won't do anything?"

  "Do anything? I'll have to report it." He slid through the door and closed it. Diana burst into tears. Perry stared at her.

  "What did he mean by that?"

  Between sobs she explained. "He's going to report you for violating a major custom. And then they'll come and take you away, and you'll have to be examined to find out what they'll do with you." She burst into tears again. "Oh, Perry, why did you strike him? Oh dear, oh dear, we were so happy."

  "What do we do now?"

  "There's nothing to do."

  "Do you think I'm going to sit here and let that young punk send the police after me on a measly assault and battery charge? Say, can I take the air car?"

  She turned in sudden alarm. "Perry! You're not going away?"

  "Why not? I can be miles away before they get here. Then when this quiets down I'll get in touch with you."

  "Perry, don't think of it. You couldn't stay in hiding. You'd be picked up the minute you tried to use your credit account. It's impossible and it would just make things worse."

  The visephone light glowed. Automatically Diana answered it. The image of a kindly looking woman with a brisk official manner appeared in the screen. "Office of Public Safely at Truckee. Are you Diana 160-398-400-48A?" Diana nodded, too miserable to speak. "Is there a citizen there called Perry?" Another nod. "Let me speak with him, please." Defiantly Perry placed himself in range. "You are Perry?"

  "Yes."

  "We are informed by Bernard 593-045-823-56G that you experienced a major atavism today involving an antisocial violence. Do you recall anything of that nature?"

  "Yes."

  "How do you feel now? Any impulse to break custom?"

  "I'm all right."

  "That's good. The field investigators will be along shortly. Can you arrange to come along with them today?"

  "I have to, don't I?"

  "It would be better. A quick investigation is always more satisfactory."

  "They'll find me here. I'll come."

  She smiled. "That's sensible. You'll be well in time. Very well, then—Clearing." Her image faded.

  For the next half hour a morose silence filled the room. Diana hesitated to speak and Perry was busy with his own unhappy thoughts. Finally came the door signal for which each had been uneasily but impatiently waiting. Diana opened the door and admitted two pleasant, clean cut young chaps. One of them spoke. "You're Diana? And you must be Perry. Truckee safety Office. I'm Bill; this is Leslie. Believe there's a service to do you?"

  Perry made a wry face. "You could call it that." The second young man looked anxious and stepped forward.

  "How do you feel, buddy? Need any immediate treatment?" He glanced at his partner, who answered.

  "No trauma or gross lesions. Let's check your pulse. Hm—a little high, nothing startling."

  Perry pulled his wrist away. "Cut it out. I'm all right."

  "Okay. I don't like to give a sedative before the preliminary examination. That pulse won't hurt you. Got everything you need? Let's go." Diana donned a tunic. "You coming too, sister? Okay."

  Shortly thereafter Perry found himself being ushered alone into an office in the Truckee Civic Hall. He was greeted by the occupant, a middle-aged, grey haired black man, who thumbed through a stack of papers and presented him with a sheet. "Here's a resume of the report about you. Look it over." Perry glanced over the paper and handed it back. The official looked inquiringly at him.

  "Any truth in it?"

  "Do I have to answer questions? Don't I get to see counsel?"

  "Why certainly, if you wish. But it saves unpleasant delay and mistakes if the state knows the facts at once."

  "Oh well, I don't deny it. The report is correct as far as the general facts go."

  "Very well then. We can skip the preliminary examination in that case. Consider yourself remanded for examination and disposition. Will tomorrow be satisfactory?"

  "Good Lord, you seem in an awful hurry. When do I see my counsel?"

  "You needn't be examined so soon, if you object. Who is your counsel? I'll have him sent in."

  "I don't know any."

  "Very well. I'll assign one." He touched a button and Perry was shown out. In the course of the next two hours he was assigned to a room (cheerful, clean, reasonably comfortable), given a card of special customs to read, weighed, measured, photographed, blood tests made, fluoroscoped, metabolic rate checked, and a dozen other items of clinical examination performed. When he was finally back in his room, tired and extremely confused, he sat down and tried to order his thoughts.

  The door light glowed and an attendant entered, grinned and uttered the formal, "Service."

  "Service," answered Perry. "What do you want?"

  "Here's your menu. Check off what you want. You wanta eat here or in the refectory?"

  "Here, I guess. Say, what is this joint; a hotel, a jail, or a hospital?"

  "It's a detention center. Say, ain't everything been all right? You want anything?"

  "No, thanks. Can I televue someplace? I need to get a message out."

  "Sure, it's in that panel there by the window."

  "Thanks." The attendant left and Perry tried to call Diana. There was no answer. He tried a second time and desisted to answer the door light. Diana stood in the door. Presently she disentangled her arms from about his neck and he saw that she was accompanied. Her compan
ion was a spare intellectual man of about thirty-five who greeted Perry cordially. Diana introduced them.

  "Perry, this is Master Joseph. He's here to help you. He's your counsel."

  "Well, young fellow, if what Diana tells me can be considered as objectively correct, you have one of the strangest cases I've ever dealt with." In a few minutes Master Joseph had put Perry at ease and had drawn out of him the salient details of the event that had landed him where he now was. Then he inquired into the past few weeks of his life and the incredible story of his renascence. The talk turned to Perry's life in the twentieth century. Master Joseph seemed to have an inexhaustible curiosity concerning the social customs of that period, the beliefs men lived by, and Perry's opinions of the mores of both periods. While they talked, Perry's dinner arrived and he expressed embarrassment that he could not invite them to eat. Joseph answered that he could, if he wished, and signaled the attendant. After dinner the talk continued. Perry asked him what his chances were. Joseph considered this.

  "Well, you are undoubtedly in violation of a basic custom. The Court will be sure to find affirmatively."

  "What's the punishment?"

  "Punishment?" Joseph's eyebrows raised. "There is no punishment. You have several serious psychological blockages and you will be requested to submit to treatment."

  "What kind of treatment?"

  "I don't know. Whatever your attending psychiatrists prescribe."

  "Psychiatrists? What the hell? Do you think I'm crazy?"

  "No, but I think you are badly in need of reorientation by psychiatry."

  "What does a lawyer know of psychiatry?"

  "I'm not a lawyer. I'm a psychiatrist."

  "Then why were you sent to me as counsel?"

  "Lawyers aren't private counsels. Those in court work are technical assistants to the court. I'll get one to see you if you wish, but he probably won't be much help. A lawyer is likely to regard any irregularity as most irregular—which it is of course." He grinned. "My advice is not to worry and get a good night's sleep. I'll order a sedative for you. No, Diana, you'd better not stay tonight. I want him to rest." He arose to go and studied the evening sky through the window while Perry and Diana said good night.