Looking Backward from the Tricentennial

Part III - Chapter Thirteen

Part III: What do I want?(March 18-22, 2076)

It is perhaps well enough that the people of the nation do not know or understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.

- Henry Ford

Chapter Thirteen

When he dressed for lunch with Reverend Shaver, the fit of the outfit from Lord Hoot's impressed Julian, especially considering he'd never actually tried it on. The black shoes were exceedingly comfortable, and the khakis rested lightly on his hips. His polo shirt, top button open, was tight across his shoulders but loose enough over his midsection that it cloaked his mild bulging. He would look good when the reporter showed up to take their picture.

Edith Bartlett was alive and well, Julian thought yet again. Not only was she Ray's mother, but Idabee had also shared that Edith was the doctor responsible for putting him into cryonic suspension. Equipped with that information, Julian had found numerous news articles—none of them recent enough to require payment—about Dr. Edith Leete, head of the cryonics department at Washington General Hospital.

There was silence as he and Ray descended in the elevator toward the underground parking lot. Julian considered confronting the doctor with his new knowledge, but Ray spoke first, explaining they would take a car into the city instead of his usual bus because of the walking involved. "I don't want you to overexert yourself today, before or after lunch." Julian nodded approval; he felt fine but recognized the doctor's experience was the best guide.

As they exited into the cavernous structure, two passengers, presumably residents, were disembarking from a light brown bus. Julian held the elevator doors open, and the pair thanked him as they entered. When the bus driver looked expectantly in their direction, Ray waved a dismissal, and the bus lumbered away.

Ray didn't own a personal vehicle, but River Place Towers maintained a community transportation pool. The small, two-person vehicle, which glided silently to the curb, was reminiscent of the old Smart cars. It was empty. "No driver?" Julian asked.

"No driver," Ray chuckled. "I'll be honest with you, Julian; I had to pass a basic driving course twenty-some years ago, but I'm not sure I've actually driven since then. Autonomous vehicles have been very safe for as long as I can remember." He walked around the car and settled himself into what Julian thought of as the driver's seat.

There was no steering wheel; the large dashboard was desk-like. Ray tapped more commands onto a center display, and after the men pulled seat belts across their bodies, the vehicle rolled smoothly forward, winding its way through the garage before emerging onto a surface street. Ray paid no attention to what was going on, but Julian was entranced by the self-driving vehicle and the world outside the windows.

Traffic was dominated by buses, but a fair number of individual vehicles were also headed into Washington. The whole scenario seemed calmer somehow. After a moment, Julian realized what was missing. "There are no traffic signs," he observed. Ray looked puzzled. "Speed limit, exit markers, that sort of thing."

"The car has all the necessary information," Ray explained. "Cities like Washington are under automatic traffic control; individuals don't drive."

"But what about the bus? I saw you wave to the driver that we weren't going to be taking it."

"That was the conductor; the bus is self-driving, too."

Julian thought for a moment. "So, they supervise a self-driving bus? That seems unnecessary."

Ray swiveled toward him. "When you say 'unnecessary,' what exactly do you mean?"

"If all the driving is automatic, it seems like a make-work job."