Berry grinned, white teeth showing all around. “If she wants a man, Roy, it sure won’t be you,” he said. All of the other men began to laugh as we worked to untangle the fishing net. I just shook my head. Toby shook his head and waited for me to respond.
“You should know the mind of a woman,” I said, “since you’ve lived as one so long.” Everyone started laughing and I smiled to myself.
“The only kind who would want you, that is,” he said back with a grin.
“I didn’t think you cared,” I responded, giving him a wink. We all began to laugh until the boss's daughter came up behind us. She was the most obnoxious creature I had ever seen. A beautiful woman, some people thought, but she was just cold and mean. She especially hated me.
“If you guys would work your hands as much as your jaws you’d have been done and headed home by now.” I looked at her through narrowed lids. She stood there clad in brown leather, red bandana wrapped around her head and very dark brown eyes. They would have been alluring on someone else. I looked back down at the net and began to work again. “Good plan,” she said, directing it to me. “I just want you to say something to me that I don’t like. I see the way you look at me.” I kept looking down and then finally I looked up.
“You talking to me, Karen?” I asked innocently.
“That’s not Karen, that’s Carrie. Don’t you know the difference?”
“Yes. Karen is the nice one.” Everyone began to laugh. She put her hands on her hips.
“I’m going to go talk with my mother about firing you, Roy. Maybe if you're lucky the nice one will intervene for you.” She started to walk away and then turned back jutting her finger at me. “You’re ass is mine! You’re gonna be sorry about this.”
“What? Jesus! I’m sorry.”
“Not as much as you will be.” She stomped off and we all looked at each other.
“Oooh. She’s goin to tell Mama and Mama gonna whip your ass,” Berry said. Everyone started laughing, even me. I waved in her direction. What were they going to do, fire me from a job that sucked anyway?”
“She needs her ass whipped,” Toby said. “Spoiled brat. I hear there is a big ball or something going on in G-Dome and none of the upper echelon on this planet of equals, is willing to take her.” He choked out a laugh.
“I can understand that,” I said. “The spoiled brat. Too bad you can’t take her.”
“Not me. I’m only a fisherman. Berry can maybe. He has great expectations.”
“My only expectation is getting off of this rock, not marrying into some elitist family.” Anger flashed in his eyes for a moment and then disappeared just as fast. “They got us to settle here from old burned out Earth, and it’s even worse here than there. I didn’t have to come to mars to be poor and enslaved.”
“You are hardly poor or enslaved,” I said.
“I don’t have air or water. If you have to pay people for air and water and they can name the price, you ain’t free are you?”
“You got plenty of water,” Toby said. “In this artificial lake, so get yo Yellow Ass to fishing like you supposed to.”
“Black thing!” Berry said, untangling his bit of the net finally. He looked up and innocently asked, “Oh, did I say that outloud? I’m so sorry.”
“We are multicultural and multiracial. That’s a good thing,” I said cheerfully.
“Oh just shut up!” Berry said. Toby laughed.
“He’s right about that, Roy”, Clyde said. He was a tall wiry man with a red beard and long sideburns. “Shut up and get the other end of the net so we can fold this thing and get out of here. Multiracial. Who cares?”
“I care.”
“Because nobody knows what you are,” Toby said.
“I’m a human,” I said.
“I don’t know if you are. You could be an alien, or a hybrid.”.
“Don’t matter. We are multicultural and multiracial. Doesn’t matter where I come from.” We walked toward each other, each carrying a corner of the net, and grasped the corners together as we met. Step by step we folded it and then rolled it into a large roll. Berry put it up on his shoulder and climbed the bank to the awaiting cart. He threw it in the back. Toby and I went up and climbed in. Clyde rode shotgun. Berry got in last and started the vehicle.
“Do I have to do everything?” He asked in his usual grouchy manner. “You drive next time, Roy. I’m not a chauffeur.” I shrugged.
“You’re the foreman, man. Lead on. Drive. Give us direction.” He glared at me for a moment which made me laugh as we cut across the flat, level ground under the dome. We were moving slow, about 15 miles an hour. It was a very large dome, but still a dome. We moved from The Outskirts, as they called them, into the living quarters that were supposed to be urban. They were more like overly crowded rural areas, mostly created for growing plants and animal husbandry . As we went further we came into the better houses. The upper class lived in those. As we went farther toward the center the rich luxury condos and apartments, rising up out of the domes sometimes so they could look down on all of the inhabitants like watching an ant terrarium, were more plentiful.
Since we worked for some of the richest folks, we lived in the cosmopolitan center in small apartments so they could have easy access to us. They didn’t like to travel. Carrie, the daughter of Mrs. Mary, widow and divorcee, was our boss. She was a socialite, if there was any such thing nowadays. There were so few of them left they could barely separate themselves from everyone else.
There were fewer rich men, for some reason. I guess they all died off, or got killed. I didn’t know what happened to them. I didn’t really care either. The way they treated us sometimes was like farm animals. We were treated like some type of subhuman species. The ones that were most pleasant and helpful, like a dog, as compared to a rat, were treated well. The others, like rats, were treated horribly and did the most disgusting jobs possible.
When we moved to mars everyone was constantly talking about every job having equal weight. They called it an equal honor system where each job was as important to the next. Cleaning sewage was as important as being a big financier, or head of state in this new classless society. We came believing that and thinking that we would be placed in jobs we liked and get decent pay and benefits.
We did in actuality, but we had no idea that it was almost impossible to move out of your band, as they called them, once you were assigned to them. The garbage workers, sewer cleaners, and other hard disgusting jobs were like prisons to one group of people. Next we had the skilled labor band, then we had the Technocrat band, and finally the governance band. It was almost impossible to move from one to the other. The only way that could be accomplished was to become a religious person, which was outside of the bands, make a name there, and then enter back into any band you wanted.
The problem with that, since they thought many people would do that, was that it was almost impossible to attain a place of leadership in a religious institution. So here I was, a former entertainer, now a fisherman. I had caught lobsters, I had hunted, I had even herded sheep, but I couldn’t get away from working with animals. I was only happy that I wasn't in the band below me which had to slaughter them and clean them. Had I known it would be like this on mars I would have never have come. I only took this job temporarily, but here on mars there was no such thing. You stayed where you started.
The worst part was that every dome was different. They had a different form of governance, but you were not free to change domes. Some people became refugees. I don’t know how they found the transportation to travel hundreds of miles across the Martian wasteland only to possibly be turned back, or to be trapped out there and roast to death, freeze to death, or suffocate to death, depending on where your unit broke down. That was not a trip I wanted to take. The question kept arising in my mind. How was I going to get out of there?”
We arrived at the back of the large complex. A large sign stood just behind a driveway leading to Mary’s Tower–Jillian Mary Inc.. This was where Jillian Mary had both residence and industry. It was a large tower reaching up beyond the dome. We took a right turn into the driveway. We slowly drove around the large green area to the back of the building. After weaving through several large trash compactors, heating and cooling units, and water recycling units we came to a large black door garage door. We pulled in front of it and it opened automatically.
We got out of the small truck and I unloaded the net. I turned to Berry, “Satisfied Boss.”
“Boss nothing,” He said. “We're home now. Let’s not pretend. More like Overseer.”
“Jesus. Is it that bad?” He gave me a knod. We unloaded everything and I punched in the coordinates where the fish were for the robotic gathering truck. It would go, scoop them up, and deliver them to the right factory for cutting, cleaning, and making into nice little square cakes just the way everyone liked them except for the rich. Their fish was fileted and still looked like fish.” Toby and Berry headed toward the elevator. I followed. They turned back.
“Don’t worry.” I waved them on. “I put in the numbers, things will be fine.”
They kept going. I stopped for a moment. Had I forgotten something. Before I could take another step one of the guards was approaching me. “You’re Roy Grant, Right?” He asked.
“Sure.”
“Take the second elevator. The lady upstairs wants to see you.”
“Me? You sure about that?”
“Sure as I can be. Only one button in there. It’s express.” He turned and walked away. I made my way to the small elevator on the left hand side that we never took. It was express to the upper floors. Not to a penthouse. They had two or three floors up there like their own little town sucking up all of the oxygen. I wondered why they wanted me up there. Had I pissed off Carrie that much? I walked over and hit the button. The elevator arrived fast and the doors opened.
It was a nice little car with mirrors all around rimmed in thick leather. One button flashed in front of me. Not even two buttons, just one. I hit it and we began to slowly gather speed as we moved upward. It stopped gently and the doors opened. I was in the lobby of an upper floor, I guess. It looked like some type of office. I stepped out and walked to the info. desk. No one was there. I made a right turn down a very wide hallway until I came to a double door covered with large sheets of woven leather. I stopped and peeped in. I wasn’t going to go in there.
I saw her–Mrs. Mary talking with Carrie. She looked up and saw me. She waved emphatically and smiled pleasantly. I walked in. The place was gigantic. Two or three hundred people could have lived on these floors. I couldn’t hide my amazement. There was Carrie all dolled up in a beautiful white gown. Her hair was full of thick curls and she had a beautiful, white rose in her hair matching the white gown and evening gloves. It looked fascinating against her very dark skiing.
I looked at Mrs. Mary who glanced at her angrily. When she saw me her face changed to a warm smile. I lifted an eyebrow.
“Don’t worry Mr. Grant,” she said smoothly as she approached me with her hand extended. I looked down at my own to make sure I didn’t have any dirt on my hands. “Don’t worry about that,” she said. She took my hand in a firm grip. She didn’t let go.
“I have a favor to ask of you,” Mr. Grant.
“Of me, really?”
“Seems that Carrie’s date couldn’t make it. It was a last minute thing so she is left dateless. We are having an important dinner. She has to have a date.” I wondered what she was telling me about it for. “She seems to think that you would make a good fill in. I asked her if she liked any of the men. After what seemed like pulling teeth she said you two had a good relationship.” I pursed my lips and looked at Carrie. She grinned to the point of almost laughing.
“Since that is the case, I would implore you to do me and my family the honor of escorting my daughter to The Founders Dinner. I would be eternally grateful.” I looked at Carrie again. Mrs. Mary continued. “Yes. I can tell what you are thinking–a lot of blowhards, and spoiled rich kids full of themselves. Who wants to be in a room with them? Right?” I shrugged. “You’re being polite,” she said. “Truth is that I feel the same way as you, that’s why Carrie will be representing my family, and you will be representing the company. Of course, you can keep fishing, if you’d like, or you could take a step up in your employment opportunities.” She turned and walked over to Carrie, stood there a moment, and then looked at me over her shoulder. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“Oh, Mrs. Mary. I would love to take Carrie to the gathering. I’m so flattered,” I lied. “Unfortunately, I don’t have the required…”
“Don’t worry. A suit is on the way, and you may use one of our many showers and apartments to get prepared. You only have an hour. Dinner will be served there so you don’t have to worry about that. So if I were you, I would get cracking.” She walked past me on the way out. She paused. “Suite 7B, this floor, someone will meet you.” Her smile disappeared as she quickly exited the room up to some other business, I thought. I looked at Carrie. She stood there with her arms folded, frowning.
“Well get to Suite 7B, and don’t forget a corsage that will match my gown. Told you I’d get even.” She walked out in the same direction as her mother. I made my way to suite 7B and let myself in. It was a large suite with plush white carpeting and a large hatian wool living room set. In the corner there was a large glass table balanced on large silver metal hoops matching the coffee table and end tables in the living room. Off to the side I looked into a large bedroom that had what looked like a King Size bed. It looked so inviting. I was wiped out.
Everything was so clean I was afraid to sit on anything. I was covered with mud and water and the smell of fish. The doorbell rang as I stood there and a woman came in carrying a dark suit and a corsage. “Mr. Grant.” She began to hand them to me and then changed her mind. “You are a bit, soiled, '' she said. “I will put these on the sofa here and when you are ready, after a shower, I hope you can put these on.”
She headed to the sofa and began to lay them out while talking. “Mrs. Mary had these made for you from the measurements on your uniforms. I hope you are still the same size.”
“Yes, I am.”
“Good. They should be a good fit. If you need any adjustments just buzz me.”
“Sure. Thank you, Maam.”
“Oh. I haven’t heard politeness here in a long time,” She smiled. “You’re welcome, Sir. Good evening.” I headed to the shower as she let herself out. It felt good to take a nice warm shower. When I got out I found that there was not only a suit there but even fancy draws. I put them on and threw my old ones away, and then dressed myself up in the suit. I looked like James Bond or something as I looked in the mirror and combed my hair. There was a small bottle of colon in front of the mirror. I used just a little. I looked the way I used to before coming to this shithole planet. Here I was, a NightClub performer in my past life, catching fish. The doorbell rang.
I headed to the door picking up my corsage on the way. I opened the door and in stepped Carrie. For the first time since I had ever seen her she didn’t look mean to me. She smiled pleasantly. “You clean up well,” she said looking at me from head to toe.
“Thank you,” I said. I held up the corsage.
“Could you pin it on, please?” she asked. I fumbled with the straight pin on the back of the flower as I stepped closer. For the first time I noticed that she was a very attractive woman. She must have seen it on my face. She smiled shyly, and then knowingly, as I pinned it on.
“I’m sorry for pulling you into this craziness, but…I did say I would get even.” She laughed playfully this time without the meanness. “I picked you because I knew you wouldn’t kiss up to me, or take this as more than it is. I’m not mistaken am I?” I looked at her askance. She grinned and then laughed a little under her breath. “Good,” she said, “maybe better than I expected.” She looked at me again, turned toward the door and hooked her arm. I put mine in hers as we headed out the door. “Welcome to my world,” She said.
Tags:
futurism, sci-fi, short stories
Posted at: 10:26 PM | Add Comment
