Liberty's Heirs

Chapter 6

"You realize, don't you, that there was a time when people didn't have to work?  When there weren't jobs for them?"  The elderly woman wearing an Advocate's robes had exceptionally dark skin and short hair in tight curls, no doubt she was from Africa.  She spoke with an almost artificially high voice, almost as if she were trying to be a cute little girl.

"Yes, we are reminded of it every of it during every Thanksgiving Day.  At the end of the Time of the Ancients, people could sit around, losing their lives in imaginary games." Blion responded mechanically.  They sat in the family's living room, his parents had gone to work.  The day had finally come when an Advocate arrived to threaten, cajole, or in some other way ensure that Blion was not to continue his vacation.

"Yes, of course that's true, child" she replied.  "That was the way things were when the Time of the Ancients ended.  Their world was having severe problems because of their idle decadence."  Blion thought "decadence" was an odd way to describe the Ancient way of life, it was consistently portrayed as short and horrific.

"Yes, Advocate.  We know that the Aye rescued us from that.  Their wars would have made the human species extinct."  Blion spoke the words by rote as he looked out the window at something more novel.  He was focused on a rabbit that found its way up to their house and was looking in at him with concern.  His words were practically the same as ones that he had heard Advocates say over and over and over again at the Thanksgiving Day ceremonies that everyone was required to attend.  The same boring speeches he had heard twice a year for his entire life.  Another one was coming up in a few weeks.  Was there some way to catch the rabbit and make it a pet without his parents knowing?  No, there really wasn't.

"For a time, the civilization of the Ancients had the technological capabilities to provide adequate food, clothing, and shelter for everyone on earth.  Instead of doing that, while some were dying of hunger, others had games and videos to entertain them endlessly.  It was so much that many of them slipped into a kind of madness.  They became detached from reality, friendships, and family.  Some died because they forgot to eat, drink, and rest."  "But that's not what I'm talking about.  The fact of the matter is that the Aye continued over-entertaining humans as a way to keep them under control during the period of the Camps."  Blion looked back at her inquisitively, the Thanksgiving Day ceremonies had never included this tidbit of dirt on the way the Aye ran things nor had his school teacher ever brought it up.  He decided to research it further next time he went to the museum.  The Camps were mentioned briefly in history lessons as a consequence of a failure to submit to the Aye.

"Yes, Blion.  People who were idle got into trouble.  Even though the Aye provided all that they needed to live, they hurt each other, and tried to rebel.  People need to feel productive and useful.  People who have jobs feel better about themselves and get along better.  That's why when the Camps were over and the Advocacy program began, the Aye worked with the Advocates to make sure that everyone had a job.  Yes, the last eight decades or so have been mankind's golden age.  The best years that humanity has ever experienced.  We have a lot to be grateful for."  She gestured expansively as Blion's eye's glazed over at the the Thanksgiving-type babble.  He turned his attention back to the rabbit outside.

"My duty as an Advocate is to make sure that everyone I am responsible for is as happy as can be.  If you need help finding a job, child, I'm here for you.  I have a suggestion about a field you can go into that's suited for your abilities and interests."  She reached over to grab Blion's hand in kindness but she looked at his face and saw he had tuned her out.  "Either you don't believe me or you're not interested," she said squinting her eyes.  The sweet little smile that she'd held for the whole visit was gone, replaced with a stern brow.  "That's why what you think doesn't make a difference here.  You have to have a job or you and your family are going to go under discipline.  Do you want that?"