• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

“What do you mean?”

“They know damn well what my views are on prolonging life. And now that it’s happening in my own family, they think it’s checkmate. I can no longer talk about it while she’s draining the pot herself. And one of them actually said to me, ‘When it’s your own mother, it’s a different story, isn’t it?’”

“What did you say?”

“What could I say? That I want her dead and the machines were not my idea? I can’t say that. Why couldn’t she have just died? She lived almost a hundred years. Is that bad to say?”

“No. It’s normal.”

“What I don’t understand about the fundamentalists is that their whole life seems to be about the kingdom of heaven. If the next world is so goddamn great, why all the hesitancy to go there?”

“They think God is keeping those people alive.”

“I know. As if God is actually spending any time thinking about my mother. And what kind of a God is that? Did he allow man to come up with the respirator to counter his wisdom of taking breath away? Or is he so bored that he’s playing a game? And if he is playing a game, why doesn’t he just win?”

“You’re talking to an atheist, Mr. President. I don’t believe in a God game.”

“You know, you never told me you were an atheist.”

“Well, you didn’t ask me. It wasn’t in the interview.”

“What were you born as?”

“Second-generation atheist.”

“Wow. What was the religion when it was still there?”

“Catholic.”

“Have you even been to church?”

“Weddings and funerals.”

“Some people think they’re the same thing.”

“The funerals have better food.”

The President laughed. “Did my mother look like she had any life in her at all? Anything?”

Susanna didn’t answer right away. “Well, she looked peaceful.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“No, Mr. President. She didn’t.”

“So why can’t they turn off the goddamn machine?”

“They want the income and they don’t want the lawsuits. Especially because it’s you.”

“See? This is what I hate. I want her to rest in peace, I don’t want the machines. But because it’s me they’ll keep her alive longer than anyone.”

The President stood up and walked over to pour himself a drink. “I don’t want to answer any more questions. I need to be free of this so I can do my work and make my decisions. They are prolonging life for profit, Susanna, and the young people know this and are resentful, and I don’t blame them. That’s what these uprisings are all about. How can I go out and publicly state that this violence is an outrage when I would be right there with them if I were their age?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t know. Maybe your mother will pass soon, naturally.”

“How is that going to happen? With that equipment they can keep a cabbage alive.” Susanna took a moment to think.

“Would you like me to talk to Nate Cass?”

“Talk about what?” And then the President realized what she was saying. He thought for a moment before he answered. “Yes. See what he thinks and ask him what he would do if it were his mother.”

“I can do that.”

At that moment the intercom buzzed and the President was told his wife was outside. “Get up. Walk with me to the door.” He led Susanna out and as he opened the door he started a conversation they had not even been having. Susanna realized who it was for and went with it perfectly. “Talk to the Chinese counsel and see what their polling is. And ask John to get some feedback. Sorry for working you late, but at least you got fed.”

“And Chinese food at that. Thank you, Mr. President. Hello, Mrs. Bernstein. It’s great to see you.”

“Hello, Susanna. Are you two finished? I didn’t want to barge in.”

“You’re not barging in,” the President said. “We were just wrapping it up. The public opinion on China looks great.”

“I know. I hear it everywhere. Congratulations, Susanna.”

“I had nothing to do with it, Mrs. Bernstein. This is your husband’s accomplishment.” And with that, Susanna was out the door, before any other subjects could be brought up.

* * *

Lee Dong Wo was chosen to be the grand architect of the new Los Angeles. Wo had only been twenty-seven when he was picked to design the Beijing Olympics.