"But what _happened_?" asked Mr. Harrison.
"Oh, I could stand the big dummy acting as if he'd never been alone
with a girl before in all his life. But to _ask_ me for a kiss!"
"Is that what caused the eruption?" said Scholar Ross.
"When he _asked_ me for a kiss, I told him that I was saving my kisses
for a _man_!"
"And then?"
"Then he decided that I meant a man big enough to wrestle." Gloria
laughed and then looked thoughtful.
"What's so funny--and not so funny now?"
"I just realized that _I like men_!"
"But Bertram?"
"Darned if it isn't the first time I've ever resented being pawed,"
said Gloria in a matter-of-fact tone, as if it were her hair-do rather
than her virtue that was the subject of discussion. "So I grabbed
a hand, hung the arm over my shoulder with the inside upward, and
hip-tossed the big oaf over the railing into that silly little fish
pond."
"Gloria!" exploded her mother.
"Poor Bertram!" exclaimed his mother.
Scholar Ross sighed. "These things often go awry at first. Bertram
shouldn't have taken a double dose of his medication. And I'd guess
that Gloria hasn't been meticulous about hers, either. Now--"
He was interrupted by the arrival of Bertram Harrison, who looked as if
he'd just waded home across a mud flat at low tide. He stepped toward
Gloria purposefully; the girl crouched in a judo position and said,
"Want some more? Come and get it!"
"Now wait a moment," said Scholar Ross. "Gloria, where did you ever
learn such brutal, belligerent tactics?"
* * * * *
Gloria faced him, but kept one eye on Bertram. "Out of a book--where
else in this calm old world?"
The scholar said, "You see, Miss Hanford, the results of your
outrageous behavior? You've committed an act of physical violence.
You've--"
The girl gave one sharp bark of laughter. "Who started it with whose
caveman technique?"
"I think," said Scholar Ross to the four parents, "that this meeting
should be resumed at a later date. Bertram must _not_ overdose himself
in a misguided effort to make up for omitted medication. Gloria must
_not_ avoid hers--and, Mrs. Hanford, you'll not only have to watch
closely to see that she does take her pills; you'll also have to make
sure that Gloria doesn't counteract them by surreptitiously acquiring
some agitators to neutralize the tranquilizers."
"And suppose I call the whole thing off?" demanded Gloria. "Suppose I
don't agree to share bed and board with this souped-up sardine?"
The room grew quieter until the background sounds were gone and from
the patio came the faint, sweet strains of romantic music: Program
R-147.
Finally Scholar Ross said, "Miss Hanford, we cannot force you to do
anything, but we can make your life extremely uncomfortable if you
do not comply with what we believe to be best for society. You will
find--if you care to look it up--that there is a drastic shortage of
eligible young women on the planet Eden, Tau Ceti."
"You mean--migrate--to the _colony_?"
"I mean just that."
Gloria Hanford's face went white. She understood that if Scholar Ross
decreed Eden, Tau Ceti, for her, then she would end up on Eden, Tau
Ceti, and it made no difference whether by force, coercion, or gentle
persuasion.
Mrs. Hanford took a step forward and opened her mouth to speak. But
before she could protest, her husband put out a hand and stopped her.
His act was an admission that not money, position, nor logic would
overrule such a decision.
"Eden, Tau Ceti," breathed Gloria. She turned and faced Bertram
Harrison. "Junior," she said in a dry, strained voice, "if you'll wear
mittens and handcuffs, let's go back in the garden and get acquainted."
Her father exhaled a full breath.
Mr. Harrison tapped him on the shoulder. "How about a sample of that
bottle of natural bourbon?" he suggested.
"Not," Mrs. Hanford said shakily, "without me!"