and came to his senses somewhere along the way, horrified to cringing at his behavior. That woman on 253 was an acro employee and she could report him. But was sliding up against her an expellable offense? At the very least it would draw attention to his name. Anonymity was best, always best. Drab clothes, drab interests. He called Loris. Yes, she was free. Yes, she said, she would come over and “help him wash windows.” The word wash was their code for meeting at his place for sex and chitchat.
Three-quarters of an hour later, having finished their pre- and post-coital routines, their minds had cleared and they talked. Quentin turned on his side so he could look at her profile.
“Lloyd is helpless,” she said, “with anything beyond kids' arithmetic — easy kid's arithmetic — but he passed anyway. He said one question was how many days did he think he could live outside the acro. How long do you think you could?”
The white corner of her eyeball was the whitest he could imagine, and her skin looked as smooth as fine plastic. He loved every part of her face.
“It looks pretty dangerous on the vid,” he said. “Not much to eat. Three days if one of those animals didn't kill me.”
“I was thinking three or four days for myself. Lloyd said he answered three days.”
It seemed to Quentin that words coming from such a lovely face sounded lovelier than words from an ordinary face, such as Noreen's, his former partner who had an ordinary face to mask her absence of personality.
Loris said, “I searched the vid for where different kinds of plants grow, and the plants on those Outside the Acro vids don't grow anywhere near this latitude. Last night they showed jungle plants and jungle animals. That was somewhere else, not around here.”
He was right: her words were a sumptuous weave of rhythms, lingering vowels, and honied intonations. He thought of her lovely tongue sliding inside her mouth... inside his mouth.
“When will you move in here? I have more room than you and Lloyd.”
She turned her head enough to see him. “He's a genuinely decent man. I helped him study for the test but he's just clueless. He can't remember anything detailed for more than fifteen minutes. I wouldn't be surprised if they expelled him. But if I stay with him, maybe I can prevent that.”
“Maybe you could find someone to replace you.”
“I should. I don't know how I got matched with him. Obviously some glitch. But waiting out the six months will be quicker than dealing with the appeals. In four months, ask me again.”
“I love your lips. You look like artwork.”
“Bethina says hi.”
“I don't care if Bethina breathes.”
“She stood over my desk and shook that chest of hers and said to me — ” (Loris raised her voice to a lisping squeak) “'Be sure to tell Quentin hiee.' I said, 'Do you want me to say it like that?' and sweet Bethina said, 'Oh, if you only cooould.'”
“Bethina is makeup and clothes hung on soft food. I saw a dog stand in front of her and vomit. Strickman still trying to snake her?”
“He tries. If that man could manage to be indecent, he'd be too shocked at himself to finish the job. Between his clenched sphincters and Bethina's once-a-day screaming fit, I don't know how the office functions. I just don't.”
“I meant to tell you,” Quentin said. “I had another impulse. It was one of the assistants at the testing center. I rubbed against her a little bit. I don't know what's going on with me.”
“I'll hope it was anticipation to see me,” Loris said. Then, “I have to go.” She looked fully at him with her Mona Lisa smile. “I have to leave in ten minutes. Is there time to wash the furniture.”
Eight minutes forty-eight seconds.
....
“Mr. Strickman? Mr. Strickman? I know you're in a meeting, but—” Bethina hurried across the office, waving a single paper, letter-sized, in front of her face. “Sir? The food product delivery? It's going to be three hours
Three-quarters of an hour later, having finished their pre- and post-coital routines, their minds had cleared and they talked. Quentin turned on his side so he could look at her profile.
“Lloyd is helpless,” she said, “with anything beyond kids' arithmetic — easy kid's arithmetic — but he passed anyway. He said one question was how many days did he think he could live outside the acro. How long do you think you could?”
The white corner of her eyeball was the whitest he could imagine, and her skin looked as smooth as fine plastic. He loved every part of her face.
“It looks pretty dangerous on the vid,” he said. “Not much to eat. Three days if one of those animals didn't kill me.”
“I was thinking three or four days for myself. Lloyd said he answered three days.”
It seemed to Quentin that words coming from such a lovely face sounded lovelier than words from an ordinary face, such as Noreen's, his former partner who had an ordinary face to mask her absence of personality.
Loris said, “I searched the vid for where different kinds of plants grow, and the plants on those Outside the Acro vids don't grow anywhere near this latitude. Last night they showed jungle plants and jungle animals. That was somewhere else, not around here.”
He was right: her words were a sumptuous weave of rhythms, lingering vowels, and honied intonations. He thought of her lovely tongue sliding inside her mouth... inside his mouth.
“When will you move in here? I have more room than you and Lloyd.”
She turned her head enough to see him. “He's a genuinely decent man. I helped him study for the test but he's just clueless. He can't remember anything detailed for more than fifteen minutes. I wouldn't be surprised if they expelled him. But if I stay with him, maybe I can prevent that.”
“Maybe you could find someone to replace you.”
“I should. I don't know how I got matched with him. Obviously some glitch. But waiting out the six months will be quicker than dealing with the appeals. In four months, ask me again.”
“I love your lips. You look like artwork.”
“Bethina says hi.”
“I don't care if Bethina breathes.”
“She stood over my desk and shook that chest of hers and said to me — ” (Loris raised her voice to a lisping squeak) “'Be sure to tell Quentin hiee.' I said, 'Do you want me to say it like that?' and sweet Bethina said, 'Oh, if you only cooould.'”
“Bethina is makeup and clothes hung on soft food. I saw a dog stand in front of her and vomit. Strickman still trying to snake her?”
“He tries. If that man could manage to be indecent, he'd be too shocked at himself to finish the job. Between his clenched sphincters and Bethina's once-a-day screaming fit, I don't know how the office functions. I just don't.”
“I meant to tell you,” Quentin said. “I had another impulse. It was one of the assistants at the testing center. I rubbed against her a little bit. I don't know what's going on with me.”
“I'll hope it was anticipation to see me,” Loris said. Then, “I have to go.” She looked fully at him with her Mona Lisa smile. “I have to leave in ten minutes. Is there time to wash the furniture.”
Eight minutes forty-eight seconds.
....
“Mr. Strickman? Mr. Strickman? I know you're in a meeting, but—” Bethina hurried across the office, waving a single paper, letter-sized, in front of her face. “Sir? The food product delivery? It's going to be three hours
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