The Smiths and Joneses (18 page)

              “Sissy, when do you play with your friends?”

              “You really don’t know anything do you? We play together in the afterschool program.”

              “Do all of your neighbors go to the same school?”

              “Of course this way we’re with our friends all of the time.”

              “Do you use a computer yet?”

              “I don’t have my own portable phone yet, I do get to use Mommy’s computer sometimes.”

              “In the USA we have social media we use to stay in contact with our friends, what do you use here?”             

              Scott answers, “We have an application called, ‘My friends’ we use it to post messages, pictures and videos to our friends.”

              Sean asks, “Scott is the application censored?”

              “You mean like if you post something nasty or something that may be hurtful to someone else? In that case, the people behind the software stop our posts, if we try to post it three times we get banned from the site for thirty days and a social worker comes to visit.”

              “Scott, what does ‘a social worker comes to visit’ mean?”

              “To make sure we do not feel things we shouldn’t be feeling. It’s not right to hurt someone on the internet. We don’t want to hurt someone because we called them a name. Name calling isn’t accepted. We are all equal; we learn to treat everyone equal.”

              “Scott, do you have kids of different colors and religions in your class?”

              Jason jumps in before Scott can answer, “Sean, please drop the part of the question about religion, I thought we were clear, we don’t discuss anything about religion. Some might, however those discussions are private and are never to be spoken about out of the privacy of one’s home. People are free to practice any religion they would like; they can pray to any God they want to. What they can’t do is to show any public displays of religion, one can’t try to convert another or openly discuss religion with others unless they’re inside a recognized house of religion.”

              “Jason, do you happen to know who issues permits for officially recognized houses of worship?”

              “Sean, I’m sorry, I don’t.”

              “It’s OK, just curious. Scott, I’m sorry; I didn’t want to cause you any bad feelings, can you answer my other question?”

              “Yes Mr. Sean, we have people of different colors and ones who talk a different language, we’re taught in social history to treat everyone as equals. When I was in lower grades, everything was spoken in English and Spanish, now it’s all in English, those who can’t understand English are provided with translating software application for their smartphone or tablet.”

              “Scott, you said some classmates speak different languages, what language is spoken in class?”

              “English and we have a student teacher who translates everything into sign for those who might not be able to hear.”

              “Do you have any students who are deaf?”

              “No, but in social history, we learned we shouldn’t ask, and every class should have a translator.”

              “Doesn’t that slow the class down?”

              “I don’t know.”

              Sean asks, “Sissy, do you have any students who are deaf?”

              “Mr. Sean, what does that mean?”

              “Sissy, anyone who can’t hear?”

              “No, and we too have translators in my class.”

              “Sissy what about on the playground or the gym?”

              “We have translators there in case someone can’t understand.”

              “Kids, are those students in your class who don’t speak English taught English?”

              Scott responds, “No, the translation software helps them; they don’t have to learn to talk in English.”

              “Scott, don’t you think everyone should be able to speak English if they live here?”

              “I don’t know.”

              “Have you ever spoken to anyone who couldn’t speak English?”

              “Yes at the couple fast food restaurants that are around here.”

              “What happened?”

              “I asked if the restaurant had a translator; they did, so she told the order taker what I wanted.”

              “Scott is there any issues with gangs at your school?”

              Wolf jumps in saying, “I think we’ve tired out Scott and Sissy enough for one evening. I suggest this is a good time to pause. Sharon, why don’t you show us your garden in the back yard. Also, why don’t you have any pets?”

              “Wolf, we couldn’t get a permit for a pet, there were already too many in our local neighborhood for any additional permits to be issued. We have to wait for at least five existing pets to die before we can apply to get one. There is a limit to the number of pets allowed per kilometer.”

              “What happens if a pet has puppies?”

              “Can’t happen, every pet is sterilized before it can be taken home. The LSA Department of Animal Control sees to it. Every pet has to be purchased from the Department of Animal Control. You can’t buy a pet from a friend; we wouldn’t know if the pet was ill when we bought them. Having the Department of Animal Control check them, every pet is checked and cleared by the government. Every pet is neutered, so their population is held under control. Pets released into the wild hurts the pets. Pets are emotionally wounded when they are dumped. They might be carrying any type of disease which could harm other pets, or even jump to humans. It’s another example of how the government is protecting us.”

              “Does Scott and Sissy want a pet?”

              “Sissy wants a dog, frankly I don’t see it happening. We’re low on the list; there are others higher on the request list than us.”

              Sissy says, “Mr. Sean, I’m right here; you can ask me a question. I understand what you’re saying. I want a puppy. I have a friend who has one; I don’t know why if everyone is equal she can have a puppy and I can’t.”

              “Sissy, tell you what, we’ll look into getting you a puppy.”

              “Really? You know who to call to tell them they're not equal?”

              “Sissy don’t worry about it. I’ll see what I can do. No promises, let’s see how lucky I am.”

              “Please Mr. Sean, I’ll take care of the puppy. I promise I will.”

              “Sissy, let me see what I can do. Let me talk with your mother.”

              Sean asks, “Sharon how is the local crime rate? I ask because I noticed the first-floor windows all have bars on them as do other homes on the street.”

              “Sean, there are still many who haven’t yet realized we’re all equal, stealing from us is the same as stealing from themselves. We, like many others, have installed security bars to ensure we don’t tempt anyone. We try to use tinted windows that block most of what anyone outside can see looking in. We don’t want to be accused of tempting people who haven’t fully accepted the new order of the world.”

              “Why are the bars on the inside and not the outside of the windows?”

              “If they were on the outside the poor misguided people could remove them and gain entry, when they’re mounted on the inside they can’t unbolt them.”

              “Is there a lot of crime in the neighborhood?”

              Wolf quickly jumps in saying, “Sean; there’s no reason to dwell on crime committed by a few misguided mentally challenged people. They are a minority; the LSA is doing all it can to educate these poor people they are wrong. They are given time to think over their crime against their fellow citizen and asked if they will try to improve and learn stealing from themselves doesn’t improve themselves or anyone else.”

              Sean responds, “Wolf, I think a discussion of crime is important to all of the viewers.”

              Wolf stands to tower over the sitting Sean saying, “Sean, we’re not going to discuss the very small amount of crime that may exist in the LSA, we’re all equal here we’ve changed the legal system to help any of the misguided people who may not understand the reality of life.”

              Jason checks his watch, “I think we’re going to have to pause so we can put Sissy to bed.”

              Wolf responds by saying, “Jason, I think we’ve taken up enough of your time for one session, we’ll return tomorrow to continue our discussion. Signing off for the third episode is Wolf, Sean and the Smith family.”

Chapter 10  

              Kathy looks at me sitting still staring at the television screen, she asks, “Brad are you OK?”

“Are you shitting me?”

“Brad, what did I say?”

“Not you honey, they’ve gone nuts; religion is outlawed, but children as young as six share common bathrooms and showers. Man I wish I had gone to high school there. I spent two years trying to see Jenny’s chest.”

“Brad, who’s Jenny?”

“Some girl from high school, she developed very early. Every guy tried everything to get a look or touch of her chest. My stepmother used to say she was very sorry for Jenny because she had a permanent chest cold; her chest was swollen.”

“Bradly, you were a dirty young man and you’re a dirty old man now.”

“Yup, guilty as charged. But really, without religion where does their moral compass come from? Do they even have a moral compass? What or who determines right and wrong? It appears that sex is smiled upon, and prayer is frowned upon. I’m confused how they hold their society together. They hold it together by the central government providing everything to their people, they’ve become the parents to everyone. The central government determines what’s right and wrong. They determine what’s allowed. They control employment; they listen to everyone all the time. I’m not sure if the LSA is a progressive dream or a glorified prison camp.” 

“Brad, do you really think it’s like a prison camp?”

“Yes, they remind me of how North Korea operated before it fell apart and South Korea took over the entire peninsula. The only thing I didn’t see was posters calling Bloomberg the “Dear Leader.”

Kathy smirks saying, “I bet they’re there someplace; his ego is too large not to have huge posters of himself all over the country. What do you think about how Wolf handled tonight’s episode?”

“I think he was on the verge of losing it a couple of times. I’m sure he’s been given instructions by the LSA DepLIES to steer the program in the direction they want.”

“I wonder where the LSA expels people who don’t live up to their potential or break with the government. Russia used to send people to Siberia. They used to call it sending people to count trees.”

“I bet they’re sent to what used to be northern Canada, most likely dropped off and forgotten about.”

Kathy looks up then says, “That’s an interesting point. If that’s happening I wonder if what the communities up there look like. I wonder if they’re still progressive or if they’ve changed.”

“It’s too bad the program won’t ever show these communities, the LSA denies they even have prisons.” 

Kathy says, “I don’t know why they deny or try to cover up crime stats, there’s crime everywhere.”

“Honey, if they admit to having a crime problem, then they have to admit their program of equality doesn’t work as well as they claim.”

“I can’t believe they really accept everyone is equal.”

“Of course Bloomberg doesn’t believe it. He made his billions and then became progressive. He wants to decide what’s good for everyone else. He’ll do what he wants. However the LSA citizens have to do what he says. The old do as I say, not as I do.”

“Hey, my mother lived on that saying when I grew up.”

“Yea, most parents did.”

Brad continues, “Kathy, seriously tell me, don’t you think it’s wrong for kids to share restrooms and showers?”

“Yes, I was shocked. I wonder what else they’re not telling us yet.”

“Guess we’ll find out in a night or two. I’m glad they extended it, it’s the most interesting program I’ve watched in years.”

“I agree with that.”

@@@@@

Social media sites explode with messages and posts,

“No cookies!”

“No birthday cakes?!”

“No pets?”

“Bars on the windows? Crime must be much worse than they’re saying.”

“Shared showers?”

Hundreds of thousands of teenage boys volunteered to change schools and enroll in high school n the LSA. Within five minutes of the episode ending, there were over 160,000 posts from teenage boys about the LSA school shared gyms and showers. Pre-teen and teenage girls in the USA took a position against the shared locker rooms and showers. Most were disgusted with the idea. Some said they would refuse to attend school if that were the policy.