Scholar Ross shook his head. "You haven't failed. You can't help it if
your daughter is a throwback--"
"Throwback!" exclaimed Gloria.
"--to an earlier, more violent age when uncontrolled groups of
headstrong youths formed gangs of New York and conducted open warfare
upon one another for the control of Tammany Hall. Those wild days were
the result of unregistered, unrestricted, and uncontrolled matings.
Since no attempt was made to prevent the unfit from mating with the
unfit, there were many generations of wild ones--troublemakers. It is
not surprising that, with such a human heritage, an occasional wild one
is born today."
* * * * *
The scholar took another surreptitious (he hoped) glance at the bare
ankle and said, "No, you are not directly to blame. We know you
wouldn't spawn a troublemaker willfully and maliciously. It's just
an unfortunate accident. You must not despair over the past--but you
_must_ spend your efforts to calm the troubled future."
"What should we do, Scholar Ross?" asked Paul Hanford.
"I have to speak bluntly. Perhaps you'd prefer the ladies to leave."
"I'll not go," said Mrs. Hanford firmly, and Gloria added, "I'm not
going to let you talk about me behind my back!"
"Very well. As Scholar of Genetics, I am head of the local Division
of Domestic Tranquility. I would prefer to keep my district calm and
peaceful, without the attention of the punitive authorities, and I'm
sure you'd all prefer this, too."
"Absolutely!" said Paul Hanford.
"Now, then," said Scholar Ross, "for the immediate problem, we'll
prescribe fifty milligrams of dociline, one tablet to be taken each
night before retiring. This will place our young lady's frame of mind
in a receptive mood to suggestions of gentler pursuits. As soon as
possible, Mr. Hanford, subscribe to _Music To Live By_ and have them
pipe in Program G-252 every evening, starting shortly after dinnertime
and signing off shortly after breakfast. Your daughter's dinnertime and
breakfast I mean, and the outlet should be in her bedroom. It is not
mandatory that she heed the program material all the time, but it must
be available to set her moods. Finally, upon awakening, a twenty-five
milligram tablet of nitrolabe will lower the patient's capacity for
anticipating excitement during the day."
He paused for a moment thoughtfully, and added as if it were an
aside, "I'd not go so far as to suggest that you--her parents--make a
conscious effort to avoid listening to periods of Program G-252, but
I'd definitely warn you not to fall into the habit of listening to it."
He eyed the ceiling thoughtfully, then consulted his notebook. "Come
to think of it, I'll also give you a prescription for Program X-870
which you can use or not as you desire. Have this one piped into your
bedroom, Mrs. Hanford, and try to strike a somewhat reasonable balance.
Say no greater imbalance than about two of one to one of the other
and if you, Mr. Hanford, spend any time listening to your daughter's
program material, you should also counteract its effect by listening to
an equal time of the program prescribed for Mrs. Hanford."
He turned back to Gloria and shook his head.