Operators and Things:The Inner Life of a SchizophrenicBarbara OBrienSmashwords EditionCopyright 1!" Barbara OBrienContentsIntroduction, by Michael MaccobyPrefatory Note, by L. J. ReynaSchizophrenia: The Deon in !ontrol#$%T O&EThe "perator# Lea$e%efore the "perator# !ae#$%T T'OThe "perator##$%T T(%EEThe Dry %each and the &a$e#The Subterranean !raft#anSoethin'Soethin' ()tend#My *ncon#ciou# +riendThe +reudianSparrin' Partner#The Picture##$%T )O*%The Rea#onin' MachineThe Te)tboo,#The %roncoThe P#ychiatri#t# and the Schizophrenic#The -uidance and the Plannin'.oo, "peratin'The Doctor#That Soethin'Pri$ate *ni$acMutatin' Man.inton: Departentalized ManMeo on Mental In#titution#The /nife and the .atchet$##E&+I,Introd-ction0($erythin' about thi# p#ycholo'y i#, in the deepe#t #en#e, e)perience12 !.-. Jun' ha# 3ritten, 0the entire theory, e$en 3hen it put# on it# o#t ab#tract air#, i# the direct outcoe of #oethin' e)perienced.2 Jun' al#o 3rite# 0To experience a drea and it# interpretation i# $ery different fro ha$in' a tepid reha#h #et before you on paper.2 4!.-. Jun', Two Essays on Analytical Psychology, Ne3 5or,: Meridian, 6789. Pa'e 6:;. The e##ay, 0-eneral Rear,# on the Therapeutic # account of her hallucination#. Jun', uch ore #o than +reud, i# a3are of the healin' and creati$e a# 3ell a# the de#tructi$e eleent# in the uncon#ciou#.?Thi# boo, i# one per#on># e)perience of li$in' a drea 3hich doe# not fit ea#ily into ab#tract theory, e$en the author># o3n. # #chizophrenic 3orld to #oe yth or odel, no atter ho3 inade=uate, of the uncon#ciou# proce##e#. In thi# connection, t3o point# ade by %arbara are particularly intere#tin' to e. The fir#t i# her feelin' that the draa #ta'ed by her uncon#ciou# 3a# an attept to #a$e her fro the unbearable, an idea that #upport# +reud># hypothe#i# that the hallucinatory @hy#tericalA echani# i# an attept at reco$ery, not the di#ea#e it#elf. 4Si'und +reud, 0"n the Mechani# of Paranoia,2 in Collected Papers Volume III, London: The .o'arth Pre##, 67:8 Pa'e# BBBCB;D. In fact, +reud credit# the idea of hallucination# a# attept# at reco$ery to Jun'># ob#er$ation# that the fli'ht of idea# and otor #tereotype# occurrin' in thi# di#order @deentia praeco) or paraphreniaA are the relic# of forer obEectCcathe)e#, clun' to 3ith con$ul#i$e ener'y. %arbara place# her#elf in the dia'no#tic cate'ory of paranoia. It i# probably ore correct to call her illne## paraphrenia, 3hich, a# +reud point# out, i# clo#e to paranoia and can de$elop fro it. The difference# are de#cribed briefly in the abo$e paper. Thi# paper i# 3orth readin' fro another an'le, al#o. %arbara># de#cription of the 0cure2 offered by the p#ychoanaly#t #he #a3 i# =uite different fro +reud># theorie# about paraphrenia and it# aeteo#i#, 3hich he con#ider# le## #e)ual in the noral #en#e, ore related to early infant proble# 3hich i'ht better be called proble# of tru#t and autonoy.? %arbara># hallucination# are not, ho3e$er, the 'od# and de$il# coon to another a'e1 they are horror# of "r'anization Man1 they are reaction# to force# bloc,in' attept# at creati$ity in 3or, and attept# to enEoy relation#hip# of tru#t 3ith other#.Tho#e 3ho are creati$e in %arbara># 3orld are ipaled by the hoo, and tho#e 3ho tru#t are reo$ed. +or o#t of u#, the#e proble# of creati$ity and intiacy are the difference bet3een a eanin'ful and #ati#fyin' life a# oppo#ed to a life of =uiet: de#peration. To %arbara, they are atter# of #tayin' ali$e, and thi# i# perhap# a# 'ood a 3ay a# any to #tate #iply the difference bet3een the eanin' of a proble to a noral per#on and to a #chizophrenic. # con#iderable intelli'ence and the creati$e ur'e 3hich led to her no$el and to thi# boo,.P#ycholo'y doe# not ,no3 uch about creati$ity. +reud analyze# Do#toe$#,y a# a neurotic, but he adit#: 0%efore the proble of the creati$e arti#t analy#i# u#t, ala#, lay do3n it# ar#.2 4Si'und +reud, 0Do#toe$#,y and Parricide,2 in Collected Papers. Volume V, London: .o'arth Pre##, 678D.? In a #iilar 3ay, one can e)plain &illia %la,e># hallucination# and hi# denunciation# of the Royal # .oo, "perator#, but the u#ic of %la,e># 3ord#, the for of their content, and the fact of creati$ity, rather than #ta'nation, reain an a3e#oe y#tery. %arbara 3rite# and #he 3rite# 3ell1 creati$ity i# a therapy by 3hich %arbara tran#cend# the p#ychiatri#t#> 3or,CaCday 3orld of confe##ion# and #tandardized in,blot#. She ipo#e# re'ularity and for o$er chao#, #ocializin' the uncon#ciou# lan'ua'e in a 3ay only the be#t therapie# e$er approach. 5et, a# I ha$e #aid, there i# a 'reat di#tance bet3een bare #ur$i$al and a #ati#fyin' life.%arbara 'i$e# u# another idea 3hich ha# to do 3ith #oe of the o#t intere#tin' re#earch into the connection bet3een ental illne## and phy#iolo'ical ibalance. She feel# that her uncon#ciou# pre#ented her 3ith a draa 3ith at lea#t one oral to it: 'et your adrenal 3or,in', 'et an'ry or you 3ill de#troy your#elf. Recent re#earch indicate# that depre##i$e p#ychotic# and #oe #chizophrenic# @indeed #oe noralCneurotic#A 3ho react to #tre## 3ith fear #ho3 a different phy#iolo'ical pattern to #tre## than do tho#e 3ho react 3ith an'er or cunnin'. +or e)aple, tho#e 3ho fear @the an'erCin people a# +un,en#tein 4D. .. +un,en#tein, S. .. /in' and M. (. Drolette, Mastery of tress, !abrid'e: .ar$ard *ni$er#ity Pre##, 678;.? call# theA #ecrete le## noradrenalin. Perhap# the an'erCin people fear the feelin' of an'er it#elf ore than they fear retaliation by real other#. Perhap# the reaction of fear i# a phy#iolo'ical poi#on 3hich threaten# a per#on># life. Perhap# only a p#ycholo'ical chan'e, a 3illin'ne## to be an'ry, can #upport a phy#iolo'ical reor'anization. It i# al#o po##ible that the fear of bein' an'ry #pread# to becoe the fear of doin' anythin' acti$e 3hich becoe# the 3i#h to cra3l into a hole. %arbara># ad da#h acro## the country #ee# to e li,e a fir#t #tep to3ard curati$e acti$ity a# 3ell a# the abandonent of an en$ironent fro 3hich her ind ha# already fled.If the reader #hare# y curio#ity, he or #he 3ill ha$e the 3i#h to ,no3 ore about %arbara. &hat doe# #he loo, li,eF &hat 3a# her childhood li,eF &hat i# #he doin' no3F &hat ,ind of people ha$e been iportant to her, other than people in authorityF # o#t ipre##i$e =uality. +aced 3ith a atter of life and death 3hich la#ted not for a oent but for onth#, her uncon#ciou# produced, alon' 3ith /af,aCe#=ue Eud'e# and (d3ard -. Robin#onCtype 'an'#ter#, character# li,e Nic,y 3ho are 3ar and playful. Thi# boo, it#elf ha# an eleent of a .olly3ood #cript, but a #cript 3hich illu#trate# an># o#t endearin' =uality, the ability to tran#late the dan'er# 3ithin hi, the fear# about 'ood and e$il, into an e)ternal draa 3ith heroe# and $illain#, 3ith patho# and huor. 4+or a di#cu##ion of the $alue of an># playfulne## and hi# ability to 0reflect fearle##ly on the #tran'e cu#to# and in#titution# by 3hich... @heA u#t find #elfCrealization,2 #ee (ri, .. (ri,#on, Childhood and ociety, Ne3 5or,: &. &. Norton and !o., 678D, particularly the chapter 0The +ear of # di#appearin' after a fe3 #hoc, treatent#.There i# a uch better chance that the Man i# #till 3ith you after the hundredth do#e of #hoc,. %y that tie you ay becoe #o deoralized that you don>t care 3hether the Man ,ill# you or not1 or the doctor# ay inEect dru'# 3hich induce you to tal,. 5ou find your#elf ea'erly tellin' the doctor# and anyone el#e 3ho#e ear you can capture about your $i#itor and hi# purpo#e in hauntin' you.They don>t belie$e you. Thi# doe#n>t alto'ether #urpri#e you. t #ee and hear the Man1 he># not tuned in on the. The Man ay 'et na#ty after your re$elation of hi# pre#ence and you ay 'et an'ry enou'h to ta,e a fe3 punche# at hiI and feel Eubilant about doin' Eu#t thi#. &hile you are 'loryin' in thi# fir#t relea#e of your onth#Cold ten#ion, you find that you are bein' fitted #nu'ly into a re#trainin' Eac,et and that #tron' tran=uilizin' dru'# are bein' #tuffed do3n your throat, or that the #hoc, treatent# ha$e been increa#ed to reduce your a''re##i$ene##.The tran=uilizer# or the #hoc, therapy ha$e the de#ired effect and your ipul#e to challen'e the Man di#appear#. 5ou re$ie3 your #ituation de#pondently and finally re#i'n your#elf to the ine$itable, realizin' that there i#n>t a thin' any huan bein' in the 3orld can do for you. 5ou 3ait 3earily for the Man to 'o bac, to Mar#. 5ou i'ht be in the in#titution for the re#t of your life and the Man +ro Mar# i'ht be there 3ith you.5ou ha$e a coon $ariety of the ental di#ea#e, #chizophrenia, a ental di#order ore pre$alent in t yet been deterined, althou'h your chance# of reainin' intact, if hit, ay be #uri#ed. 5our chance# of bein' hit by #chizophrenia in the iediate future are hi'her, and your chance# of a,in' a coebac,, if hit, aren>t uch better.There i# an aazin' lac, of accurate ,no3led'e aon' layen concernin' the effect# of #chizophrenia upon it# $icti#. The o#t pre$alent current notion i# that, 3hen the ind i# #plit in #chizophrenia, the indi$idual becoe# t3o people, t3o di#tinct per#onalitie#, or e$en ultiple per#onalitie#I that the #ubcon#ciou# ind, rebellin' a'ain#t the repre##ion# ipo#ed upon it, ha# declared ci$il 3ar, de#erted the con#ciou# authority1 and that in the re#ultin' #chi#, the ne3 per#onality 3hich eer'e# periodically i# copo#ed of the part# of the per#onality 3hich the indi$idual ha# con#ciou#ly, deliberately, per#i#tently repre##ed.In infre=uent ca#e#, thi# appear# to be Eu#t 3hat doe# happen. The uncon#ciou# ha# rebelled, a##ued control, created the per#on it 3i#he# to be, forced the con#ciou# controller into a #all, ti'htly clo#ed bo) 3here it cannot e$en #ee 3hat i# 'oin' on, and then ta,en o$er the floor of the con#ciou# ind.In o#t ca#e# of #chizophrenia, ho3e$er, the uncon#ciou# appear# to prefer not the techni=ue# of the actor, but tho#e of the director. It doe# not create a ne3 per#onality but, in#tead, #ta'e# a play. The aEor difference i# that the con#ciou# ind i# peritted to reain, an audience of one #ittin' lonely in the theater, 3atchin' a draa. on 3hich it cannot 3al, out.($en thou'h the circu#tance# 3hich induce or perit the uncon#ciou# ind to ri#e and ta,e o$er are #till a y#tery, the fact that in #chizophrenia it ri#e# to do Eu#t that i# #tri,in'ly clear. t ,no3 anybody at all in thi# city. .e 3rote carefully in hi# noteboo,. I 3a# to coe bac, to hi# office the ne)t day at the #ae tie and he 3ould coe 3ith e to the ho#pital.I left and 3aited out#ide the buildin'. I 3aited a full fi$e inute# but neither .inton nor .azel cae. There hadn>t been uch point in tellin' Dr. Donner that .inton and .azel 3ould really a,e the deci#ion about y 'oin' to the ho#pital. They had been ar'uin' all ni'ht about ho3 y head #hould be repaired. Their $oice# had #till been #nappin' at each other 3hen I had fallen a#leep..azel 3anted e to 'et y head repaired but #he recoended only one ethod: co$erin' y head 3ith #tone. Stone, #he #aid, 3ould pre$ent "perator# fro tunin' in on y ind. .inton 3a# oppo#ed to #tone.0&hat># 3ron' 3ith #tone,2 .azel had a#,ed hi. 0< 'ood thic, coat of #tone 3ill ean #afety. The lattice3or, 3ill 'ro3 in fine and there 3on>t be any dan'er that #oe bu#ybody "perator 3ill fiddle around 3ith the lattice3or, 3hile it i# 'ro3in' in.20That># 3hat I> tal,in' about,2 .inton had #hot bac, at her. 0I 3ant to 'et at the lattice3or, 3hen it># 'ro3in' in. I 3ant to a,e certain that it 'ro3# in ri'ht. No #tone. It># 'ot to be board and peephole.2Per#onally, I 3a# in fa$or of #tone. I ,ne3 3hat lattice3or, 3a#. It 3a# the "perator#> ter for habit pattern#. My habit pattern# had been #calloped out and they had to 'ro3 bac, a'ain. t 3ant a #cre3ball li,e .inton #uper$i#in' the 'ro3th of y habit pattern#.I loo,ed at y 3ri#t 3atch. They al3ay# had pic,ed e up a# #oon a# I left the doctor># office. I 3ent bac, to the hotel, opened the door to y roo and li#tened. Nothin'. I 3ent in and #at do3n and 3aited. +inally, I 3ent to bed. t around. The "perator# ne$er allo3ed e to #leep ore than #i) hour#. I had #lept fifteen hour#.Dr. Donner 3a# in hi# office loo,in' uch the #ae a# he had the day before. .e doe#n>t ,no3, I thou'ht. .i# "perator ay ,no3 but he doe#n>t ,no3. 0They>re 'one,2 I told hi. 0The $oice#. They 3ent a3ay and they didn>t coe bac,.2The doctor># outh #a''ed and then #napped #uddenly and #tretched into a 3ide #ile, .e too, a deep breath and then #iled a'ain and a#,ed e to #it do3n and to tell hi all about it. .i# head nodded happily a# I tal,ed.0&ill they be bac,F2 I a#,ed..e thre3 a ,nifeC#harp loo, at e a# if he thou'ht I i'ht be tryin' to 3arn hi of #oethin'. Then he #tepped in and too, char'e. .e hadn>t been in char'e until then. .e Eu#t had been #ittin' around the #ae 3ay I had been, 3aitin' to #ee 3hat the "perator# 3ould do. .e #tood up $ery tall and loo,ed $ery confident. 0No. No. They 3on>t be bac,. 5ou 3on>t ha$e to 'o to a ho#pital. &e 3on>t ha$e to u#e #hoc, therapy. 5ou>re 'oin' to be all ri'ht.2 .e thre3 another #harp loo, at e to #ee if I 3ere ob#er$in' ho3 confident he 3a#. .e 3ent bac, to hi# de#, and #ho$ed paper# around and loo,ed a# if he 3ere decidedly in char'e of e$erythin'.0No ho#pital,2 he #aid $ery confidently.No #tone, I thou'ht, no #tone.0&e>re 'oin' to u#e p#ychoanaly#i#,2 Dr. Donner #aid.The board and peephole, I thou'ht, and I realized that .inton had 3on.Dr. Donner #urpri#ed e. I had al3ay# ia'ined that p#ychoanaly#t# pre#ented a cal, #erene facade to their patient#, a bul3ar, a'ain#t 3hich all eotion# could brea, 3ithout lea$in' a dent. Dr. Donner 3a# ipatient, #en#iti$e, Eupy. I ob#er$ed but did not ab#orb hi# ipatience. Since the $oice# of the "perator# had di#appeared, I had been epty and dry, an autoaton 3ithout eotion, alo#t 3ithout thou'ht. Peace had finally coe to e after onth# of the bedla of the "perator#, a 'abby cro3d if e$er there 3ere one, and the =uiet beach of y ind 3a# at re#t.0Did you read fanta#y fictionF2 Dr. Donner a#,ed. 0The "perator# #ound li,e character# created by a 3riter of fanta#ie#.2My eorie# of the "perator# 3ere #harp a# icicle# but #earchin' throu'h the pa#t of #anity 3a# li,e pic,in' up roc,#, e$ery effort de$a#tatin'. I #aid, finally, 0I u#ed to read Time. I tried to read the E"ening Times e$ery ni'ht but I didn>t al3ay# ha$e the tie. I didn>t ha$e the tie, e$en, to al3ay# read Time.2 The repetition of the 3ord deli'hted e. I 3anted ore of it, 05ou i'ht #ay,2 I added, 0that I didn>t ha$e the tie to ta,e ad$anta'e of the tie.2.e tried a'ain. 05ou e)erci#ed rear,able #elfCcontrol, tra$elin' around the country the 3ay you did for #i) onth#I con#iderin' the condition you 3ere in.2I #tifled the ipul#e to tell hi that hi# #tateent 3a# ab#urd. I hadn>t been in control. I had been controlled. I #aid, becau#e I 3ondered if he had doubt# about it, 0I 3ant you to under#tand that all the flu,eyClu,ey ha# #topped. I> perfectly all ri'ht no3.2 ()cept that y head 3a# #o dry and #o epty.05ou>$e 'otten rid of aEor #ypto#. 5ou realize that you had #chizophrenic hallucination# and that the "perator# did not e)i#t. %y the 3ay, 3hy do you refer to your delu#ion# a# Lflu,eyClu,ey>F2I #tared blan,ly. &hy did IF0Thin, about it a oent,2 he #aid irritably. 0Don>t #ay there i# nothin' 'oin' on in your ind. 5ou #ay that $ery often. %ut there i# al3ay# ental action 'oin' on #oe3here in the ind.2I tried to thin, but the effort hurt and I re#ted. < 'entle 3a$e bro,e on the dry beach of y ind: y ind i# re#tin' becau#e it need# re#t ore than it need# an analy#t at thi# point. I 3a# about to put the 'entle 3a$e into 3ord# 3hen another 3a$e flooded #oftly o$er the #hore: it 3ould not be 3i#e to #ay thi#. I #tared and 3a# #ilent.The analy#t loo,ed at hi# cloc,, too, out hi# noteboo,, #cheduled e for another appointent, and 3aited 3hile I laboriou#ly copied the tie and date on a piece of paper.I 3ent directly to the par, 3here I 3a# no3 #pendin' o#t of y tie. The par, 3a# lar'e and peaceful. In it# center 3a# a la,e on 3ho#e 3ater# duc,#, 'ull#, ud fo3l and one lar'e #3an 3ent about their daily routine of li$in'. I had al3ay# li,ed bird# but had ne$er found uch tie to 3atch the. Tie 3a# all about e no3.The #3an 'lided acro## the la,e and on it# bac, 3a# a lon', blac, rod. The 3oan #ittin' on the bench be#ide e leaned for3ard. 0&ill you loo, at that #3an,2 #he #aid. 0There># #oe ,ind of #tic, on it# bac,.2I loo,ed carefully at the #3an. # hi# le',2 I #aid. 0Maybe it># #ore and the 3ater i# irritatin' it, or el#e the #3an i# Eu#t re#tin' it.2She peered o$er the 3ater. 0"h, ye#, I #ee no3,2 #he #aid.I 3a# deli'hted 3ith the 3a$e#. They 3ere #oft and 'entle and they brou'ht u#eful inforation into the dry epty ca$ern of y head. I #hould ne$er ha$e ,no3n about the lon' blac, #tic, bein' a #3an># le'. I had ne$er #een a #3an before. I 3al,ed to the la,e for a clo#er loo,.The #3an># le' #till loo,ed li,e a blac, #tic,. I 3a# a bit dubiou# about it# bein' hi# le', but I tru#ted the 3a$e#. The 3a$e# 3ere far ore cle$er than the dry beach.I 3atched the bird# for hour#. They help ,eep the "perator# a3ay, I thou'ht, < 3a$e ca#caded 'ently on the beach: I u#t reeber, not flu,eyClu,ey, but #chizophrenia1 not "perator#, but y uncon#ciou# ind1 e$erythin' the "perator# had #aid to e, y uncon#ciou# had #aid to y con#ciou# ind. I 3atched the bird# and #oethin' that 3a#n>t a 3a$e #tirred on the dry beach. .o3 $ery odd, I u#ed, that y uncon#ciou# ind #hould call it#elf an "perator and call y con#ciou# ind a Thin'.Before the Operators Came&hene$er I thin, of the .oo, "perator# no3, I #ee a picture of a an 3ith a hoo, #tuc, in hi# bac,. The hoo, i# attached to a rope and the rope han'# fro a ceilin'. # head.The .oo, "perator i# a a,er of tool# and if he i# an e)pert toolCa,er, the hoo, alone 3ill #er$e hi# purpo#e. The $icti, in hi# thra#hin' to be free of the hoo,, 3ill o#t li,ely cut into hi# bac, the cripplin' 'or'e the .oo, "perator #ee,#. The .oo, "perator 3ait# and 3atche#. &hat a an 3ill do, once he i# cau'ht on the hoo,, i# al3ay# a 'able. There i# the chance, of cour#e, that the an ay #=uir off the hoo,, in 3hich ca#e the .oo, "perator 3ill o$e in 3ith hi# other 3eapon#.There i#, too, the chance that the $icti ay accopli#h ore than the .oo, "perator #tri$e# for and crac, hi# bac,bone or, 'i$in' an une)pected t3i#t to hi# thra#hin', tear hi#elf copletely in t3o. Should brea, or #chi# occur, the .oo, "perator a# uch a# anyone ay pau#e in di#tre##, #ur$eyin' a 3rec,a'e he did not #ee, and for 3hich he feel# no 'uilt. &hen he hoo,#, cut#, or clea$e#, hi# obEect i# not to de#troy but to ipede and reo$e. Not per#onal anio#ity but copetition ha# ipelled hi to u#e hi# 3eapon#. The an on the hoo, 3a# not an eney but an ob#tacle. ($en had the .oo, "perator cut hi# copetitor># throat he 3ould ha$e cut it #ufficiently but no ore1 had he clea$ed hi# #,ull, he 3ould ha$e clea$ed it Eu#t enou'h. "f hi# 3eapon#, the hoo, i# con#idered the lea#t barbaric, the one 3hich re=uire# the o#t #,ill and the one for 3hich he 3ill recei$e the lea#t cen#ure.The hoo,># purpo#e i# to catch and up#et, and it 3a# de#i'ned for no other purpo#e. If the an on the hoo, recei$e# ore inEury than 3a# intended, he ob$iou#ly recei$ed it by tryin' too ob#tinately to re'ain hi# balance on 'round he #hould ha$e for#a,en, or by lo#in' inner balance in fallin' into a frenzy he #hould ha$e had the #tren'th to a$oid. Nor 3ill the #pectator# 3atchin' on the out#,irt# of the circle be inclined to conden the .oo, "perator if tra'edy, in#tead of up#et, occur#. The hoo, i# the coonly accepted in#truent of the circle 3here the .oo, "perator 3or,#, a #tate of affair# 3hich #hould ha$e been clear to the $icti a# #oon a# he 3al,ed into the circle.!on#iderin' the aount of hoo, operatin' that 'oe# on in bu#ine## or'anization#, it i# #urpri#in' ho3 little under#tandin' of it e)i#t# aon' youn' people before they enter bu#ine##. My o3n education for bu#ine## 3a# thorou'h enou'h, but I ne$er had a cour#e on 0.o3 to Reco'nize .oo, "peratin' &hen 5ou See It.2 ($en a #hort lecture 3ould ha$e been helpful: it 3ould ha$e brou'ht into focu# a picture for y eory to #tore a3ay. # doin'. Maybe that># 3hy he turn# out #o uch 3or,.2I reeber that I loo,ed at the dar, head that 3a# al3ay# buried in a de#, blotter and thou'ht, 0That># ho3 it># done. It># #iple and #3eet. 5ou #it at your de#, and ,eep turnin' it out. If you>re Eu#t a little better and if you turn it out for ei'ht hour# a day in#tead of the #i) hour# a day that o#t people are 3illin' to 'i$e, you>re ade.2The picture of hard 3or,in' /en 'ettin' a bi' prootion after only a #hort tie 3ith /no) had the ,ind of clear illu#trati$e =uality you #ee in the 'raph# in Eunior hi'h #chool boo,#, dra3n in clear broad line#, and painted in bri'ht lollipop color#. The picture 3a# ea#y to under#tand and, I decided, not at all difficult to follo3 throu'h on. I could #ee y#elf, 3ithin a fe3 year#, 3ith a bi' fat #alary, $acationin' in (urope and 3ritin' po#tcard# fro Pari#.I found y#elf loo,in' up fre=uently at /en># dar, head and feelin' 'rateful to hi for 'ettin' e #tarted #o early on the ri'ht trac,. Perhap# it 3a# becau#e I loo,ed at /en #o often that I becae a3are that #oeone el#e 3a# doin' the #ae thin', a little pa#tyCfaced fello3 3ho #at on the other #ide of the roo. .i# nae 3a# -ordon and he #o,ed a 'reat deal, not ner$ou#ly, but deliberately and #lo3ly, a# if he 3ere te#tin' and e$aluatin' each ci'arette.Soe thirty day# later, 3hen the ne3 de#i'n departent 3a# opened and -ordon 3a# in#talled a# departent ana'er, I 3a# one of any 3ho 3al,ed around 3ith blan, face# and rai#ed eyebro3#. "ne of the 'irl#, in a hurried 3hi#per, 'a$e e a# clear an an#3er a# I 3a# able to 'et for #oe tie.0/en #aid #oethin' terrible about /no) Senior, It u#t ha$e been really a3ful becau#e nobody can find out 3hat he #aid. /no) called /en in and had it out 3ith hi and /en 'ot ad and #aid /no) 3a# crazy for belie$in' #uch tra#h. "ne 3ord led to another and /en really let loo#e. .e># all 3a#hed up no3.2I 3ondered, becau#e of a #ubcon#ciou# irritation rather than any obEecti$e rea#on, ho3 uch -ordon ,ne3 about the #tory that had reached /no) Senior and #tarted the e)plo#ion, No one 3a# 'oin' to learn uch fro /en. .e ,ept hi# head buried in hi# blotter and ,ept hi# bu#ine## to hi#elf. No one 3a# 'oin' to learn uch fro -ordon, either. .e #at at the ana'er># de#, in the ne3 de#i'n departent, #o,in' hi# #lo3 ci'arette#, and if he cau'ht you loo,in' at hi hi# eye# 3ould fi) on your face in a cold, #pideri#h #tare.I>$e ade #oe #harp re$i#ion# in y idea# of ho3 people 'et ahead fa#t in bu#ine## #ince the day I loo,ed at /en and #a3 ho3 clear it all 3a#. The thin' you need i# a #pecial ,ind of #,ill that /en didn>t ha$e and could ne$er ha$e de$eloped. It># the techni=ue of the .oo, "perator.Many people are horrified 3hen they coe upon hoo, operatin', and their fir#t reaction i#, 0That># #oethin' I could ne$er #toop to doin'.2 %ut, actually, the rea#on that a 'reat any people don>t becoe .oo, "perator# i# becau#e it># not at all ea#y to be one. They>re cle$er, the .oo, "perator#, and in'eniou# and re#ourceful, and they 'i$e e$ery bit: of their talent and ener'y to the bu#ine## of hoo, operatin'. To under#tand a .oo, "perator, it i# be#t to #tudy hi fro the fir#t clay that he #et# hi# nible, clo$en foot in#ide the door of an or'anization.< .oo, "perator ha# a no#e for po3er, and a# #oon a# he enter# an or'anization, he follo3# hi# no#e until he coe# upon the indi$idual 3ho i# 'i$in' off the #tron'e#t odor. .a$in' #potted hi, the .oo, "perator feel# out the Po3eran for hi# #oft #pot until he ,no3# the e)act location of the #pot and it# de'ree of #oftne##.There i# $alue in ta,in' a #harp loo, at thi# #oft #pot, for it# nature i# the one eleent that a,e# the career of the .oo, "perator po##ible. If the Po3eran doe#n>t ha$e thi# ,ind of #oft #pot, the .oo, "perator 3ill 'et no3here, but 'enerally the .oo, "perator ha# little to 3orry about on thi# #core. &here there i# po3er there i# u#ually the ,ind of #oft #pot the .oo, "perator i# #ee,in'. The #oft #pot i# a #iple thin', a hidden #en#e of in#ecurity. It# o3ner i# #o #harply a3are of thi# #oft #pot that he ,eep# it hidden in a little bo) 3here he doe#n>t ha$e to loo, at it and be a3are of it. # eye#. Thi# i# 3hat 3ould puncture the e'o of the Po3eran, #ay#, in e##ence, the .oo, "perator. It ay ta,e day# of not e)actly #ayin' thi# to #ay it e)actly enou'h for the 'uyConCtheC3ayCup to 'et the point. %ut e$entually the $icti realize# that the Po3eran, that unappreciati$e indi$idual 3ho thin,# #o little of hi, can be reduced to a#he# by a fe3 3ord#. &hen he ha# becoe #ufficiently a''rie$ed and an'ry and ha# been con$inced by the .oo, "perator that he i# 3ell Eu#tified in feelin' a''rie$ed and an'ry, the $icti thro3# hi# 3eapon at the tar'et. # #oft #pot and con$ince# the Po3eran of thi#.The .oo, "perator, in thi# ca#e, #pend# hi# tie 3or,in' on the Po3eran rather than on the 'uyConCtheC3ayCup. To con$ince the Po3eran that the $icti ha# actually thro3n the 3eapon at the Po3eran># #oft #pot, the .oo, "perator ay ha$e to do a con#iderable aount of 3or,.+ir#t, he ention# a #all needle of coent and clai# that he heard the $icti thro3 it at the Po3eran and he follo3# thi# 3ith another #all needle. .e 3ord# the#e little needle #tateent# carefully #o that they #ound a# if they Eu#t i'ht ha$e been #aid by the $icti. The .oo, "perator 3atche# their effect carefully, re$i#in' the #hape and len'th of the needle# a# nece##ary, until he notice# little thin'# 3hich tell hi that the needle# are doin' their 3or,: the Po3eran># ti'htenin' of the outh 3hen he hear# the, hi# 'ro3in' irritability 3ith the $icti, hi# #udden careful =uiet #tudyin' of the $icti.&hen enou'h needle# ha$e been thro3n and the proper effect ha# been achie$ed, the .oo, "perator thro3# the bi' 3eapon. Thi# ay be a #all ,nife, or a lar'e ,nife, or a broadCa). "nce it ha# been thro3n and it #tic,# and the Po3eran># #oft #pot bleed#, the $icti i# done for. The 'uyConCtheC3ayCup ay be an e)cellent and in$aluable eployee but #o far a# the Po3eran i# concerned, he i# no3 only a an 3ho thre3 a 3eapon at the #oft #pot the Po3eran doe#n>t dare to loo, at hi#elf, but 3hich he can feel bleedin'.If the $icti ha# been hoo,ed by thi# #econd techni=ue, he 'rope# and blunder# about, tryin' to di#co$er 3hy the 3ind ha# #uddenly chan'ed. "cca#ionally a Po3eran, #tun' into fury, la#he# out at the #uppo#ed 3eaponCthro3er and repeat# 3hat the .oo, "perator ha# told hi. %ut, u#ually, 3hen the touchy #oft #pot i# punctured, the Po3eran cannot brin' hi#elf to do thi#. .e cannot tal, at all about the #oft #pot but, in#tead, #3allo3# a cup of acid e$ery tie he loo,# at the $icti. Ine$itably, if the Po3eran i# hoo,ed, he 'et# rid of the $icti or he u#e# hi a# a 3hippin' boy to con#ole hi#elf for hi# punctured e'o.It 3a# thi# #econd techni=ue 3hich -ordon had u#ed to brea, /en. &hen /no), outra'ed by the #torie# he heard, accu#ed /en of di#loyalty, /en 3a# aazed, then annoyed, then an'ered. /en 3a# not a #ooth tal,er and he 3a# a an 3ho ,ept hidden, under hi# #urface ipa##i$ene##, a hundred #all irritation#. &ithin inute# t3o an'ry en 3ere yellin' at each other and nobody, any3here, could ha$e undone the daa'e. /en, I #uppo#e, 3a# ea#y to brea,, and -ordon probably had little difficulty in plannin' e)actly the ri'ht o$e# 3hile he #o,ed hi# #lo3 ci'arette#.The 'reat difficulty 3ith bein' a .oo, "perator, if you ha$e tendencie# that 3ay, i# that bein' one i# not ea#y. The techni=ue# re=uire #,ill, con#iderable actin' talent, percepti$ity, careful plannin', a de$iou# type of entality, and a coplete ability to rationalize your action# to your#elf. The really cle$er .oo, "perator# are =uite e)pert. They ha$e to be. It i# their li$elihood. Soe3here early in the 'ae, they becae a3are that they 3ould ne$er 'et any3here 3ith #uch bu#ine## abilitie# a# they po##e##ed and they had totaled their re#ource# and di#co$ered that they had talent# 3hich i'ht be #ub#tituted for the one# their Eob# re=uired, and then perfected tho#e talent# by lon' practice."f cour#e, e$en the cle$ere#t .oo, "perator# cannot 'et far if the Po3eren don>t ha$e touchy e'o #oft #pot#. I #uppo#e that the /no) or'anization pre#ented a #etup that 3a# il, puddin' for a .oo, "perator. The /no) !opany 3a# a faily or'anization, run by /no) Senior, an e)traordinarily able and #hre3d, if uneducated an, and by hi# #i) #on# 3ho 3ere, all of the, thorou'hly educated, rear,ably dull, and =uite a3are that they 3ouldn>t ha$e ri#en hi'her than ail cler, in any other or'anization. Their a3arene## of their lac, of ability 3a# the ain #oft #pot in each of the /no) boy#, and the ,no3led'e of the accuulati$e dullne## of hi# #i) pro'eny 3a# the old an># #oft #pot.I reeber that I 3a# =uite obEecti$e about the .oo, "perator# 3hen I fir#t learned about the, and that I loo,ed at the coldly and clearly and thou'ht, 0They>re horrible, but they>re cle$er. It i#n>t ea#y to do 3hat they do. It ta,e# #,ill and talent and it># a pity #uch #,ill and talent can>t be u#ed con#tructi$ely.2 It 3a#n>t until McDerott arri$ed on the #cene that I becae afraid of the .oo, "perator#, and 3hen I becae afraid of the, I #topped #eein' the clearly. 5ou can do any of any thin'# 3ith fear and any of any thin'# ay happen to you a# a re#ult, 5ou ay run, or #crea, or 'et ulcer#. %ut the 3or#t thin' you can do 3ith fear i# to bury it in#ide of you in a bo) and pretend that 3hat you>re afraid of doe#n>t e)i#t. &hen I becae afraid of McDerott, that># 3hat I did 3ith y fear.In the ne)t year, -ordon o$ed up fro the de#i'n departent. < chap naed %o#3ell o$ed into -ordon># Eob and a ne3 an, McDerott, 3a# hired to ta,e o$er %o#3ell># Eob. The fir#t thin' I noticed about McDerott 3a# that he #pent a 'reat deal of tie at the 3aterCcooler and out in the coffee roo. I thin, the 'irl# had hi #ized up at fir#t a# a harle## $ariety of 3olf, but it becae apparent #oon enou'h that McDerott># intere#t 3a# in 'atherin' inforation about their bo##e#. .e #ounded e out in#tantly about Ji /no), in 3ho#e departent I 3or,ed, and I reeber #ayin' in#tantly that I didn>t ,no3 the an#3er to hi# =ue#tion. The =ue#tion 3a# harle## but I #u#pected it 3ould be follo3ed by other# and I 3anted to cut the con$er#ation before it 'ot off the 'round. I tried to #ound friendly and ca#ual but I reeber that McDerott># face becae ab#olutely e)pre##ionle## and that he #tood loo,in' at e for a lon' oent 3ithout e$en hi# eyelid# blin,in' and then he #iled a #lo3, ea#y #ile and 3ent a3ay and ne$er a#,ed e anythin' a'ain. t under#tand for a lon' tie. .a$in' Ji># confidence eant that Ji could re$eal to e ho3 little he ,ne3 about hi# Eob and be ab#olutely certain that I 3ould ne$er re$eal hi# i'norance to anyone. It al#o eant, and thi# 3a# e$en ore iportant, that I could #it do3n and tal, to Ji and ne$er once re$eal to hi that I realized he 3a# a bonehead 3ho didn>t ha$e a fraction of the bac,'round he needed for hi# Eob. t a #trai'ht line in hi.2 &hen you #ay thi# about: a an li,e McDerott you are applyin' to hi a #tandard of your o3n 3hich you con#ider the only acceptable #tandard. It 3a# y #tandard becau#e it 3a# the one by 3hich I had been reared and conditioned and 3hich I accepted a# the only ba#i# for huan relation#.%ut #tandard# are anufactured thin'#. 5ou don>t create the, you accept the. t #een hi# brotherCinCla3 in t3enty year# 3ere fact# 3hich 3ere ,no3n to Leonard, but Leonard had a 0thin'2 about copetitor# #tealin' fro /no), and the #abota'e idea too, root in hi# ind. It 3a# difficult for -ordon to pro$e that #abota'e had not been in hi# plan# and by the tie he finally pro$ed it, the #tupidity that had to be #tupidity becau#e it 3a#n>t anythin' el#e #tood out cry#tal clear a# it probably could ne$er ha$e #tood out other3i#e. -ordon 3a# #ent bac, to the 'eneral office and in a #urpri#e o$e that #tunned e$eryone, e#pecially %o#3ell, /no) Senior o$ed McDerott into the de#i'n departent a# e)ecuti$e #uper$i#or o$er %o#3ell.That the 'uilele## innocence u#ed by %o#3ell in hi# approach to Leonard left hi open to the critici# that he i'ht be too 'uilele## for an iportant po#ition apparently hadn>t occurred to %o#3ell. %ut it had occurred to McDerott. T3o year# later, Leonard re$ealed that McDerott had con$inced hi that %o#3ell had deon#trated that he 3a# too innocent for hi# Eob and needed a ore #ophi#ticated an 0li,e your#elf, Leonard2 to 3atch hi. Leonard, ha$in' other thin'# on hi# ind, had decided to pa## the Eob to McDerott. The fact 3hich #truc, e a# odde#t 3a# that both Leonard and Ji /no) could di#cu## thi# incident and di#play a coplete coand of the fact# 3ithout any under#tandin' of the aneu$erin' of McDerott and %o#3ell.Maybe it ta,e# a certain type entality e$en to reco'nize the .oo, "perator#. I ,no3 that none of the /no)e# #ho3ed any under#tandin' of the, but that !arody, the #ale# ana'er, under#tood the $ery 3ell, and that youn' Sa Jac,#on, the office boy, #a3 the #harply in focu# and had then pe''ed neatly and accurately in their indi$idual hole#. Maybe you ha$e to he reared in a certain type en$ironent or be conditioned o$er a period or aybe you need a certain type ind to #ee the .oo, "perator# clearly, I reeber thin,in', the day that McDerott 3a# prooted a'ain, thi# tie to the top adini#trati$e le$el a# Leonard /no)># per#onal ad$i#or, that there 3a#n>t any 3ay to cope 3ith en li,e McDerott and feelin' afraid, and al#o relie$ed that I 3a#n>t in McDerott># 3ay. I 3a# =uite afraid of McDerott by that tie. The day that McDerott hoo,ed !arody 3a# the day that y feelin' of relief $ani#hed and I 3a# left 3ith fear.!arody had been 3ith /no) for t3enty year#. .e 3a# e)treely capable in hi# Eob a# #ale# ana'er and he had helped 'reatly to build the /no) or'anization to the po#ition it had. &e had been hearin' that McDerott 3a# needlin' !arody con#tantly in the bra## eetin'#. !arody had a teper and a #harp deci#i$e 3ay of tal,in', and an ironChand, noCinterferenceCfroCyouC/no)e# policy in hi# departent that di#played clearly the contept he had for the /no) faily, .e had retained the confidence of the /no)e# for t3enty year#, de#pite hi# tactle## handlin' of the, for a rea#on that 3a# #o iportant: it out3ei'hed all other con#ideration#. .e ade ton# of oney for the /no) faily.I #uppo#e /no) Senior had al3ay# re#ented the feelin' that !arody 'a$e hi of bein' a bu#ybodyin' dope, and re#ented e$en ore the fact that, he had to #ile 3hile he too, it on the Ea3. I #till don>t thin, old an /no) 3ould ha$e turned on !arody unle## he had been per#uaded fir#t that !arody 3a# no lon'er indi#pen#able. &hen Ji /no) #aid #oethin' one afternoon to the effect that: McDerott: 3a# de$elopin' a 'reat re#pect for the talent# of Sorey Sander#on, !arody># top a##i#tant, I #en#ed that McDerott 3a# after !arody># #calp. Sorey 3a# no particular friend of McDerott># but: neither 3a# he an eney, a# !arody ob$iou#ly 3a#. # ind, there 3a# not an inch of #pace for an indi$idual 3ho he #a3 a# an eney.McDerott #uddenly #tarted to proote a #ale# capai'n that he 3a# certain !arody 3ouldn>t tolerate ina#uch a# it $iolated !arody># pet idea# about #ale# pro'ra#. The ar'uent bet3een !arody and McDerott 3ent on until !arody fle3 into a teper one day, #tated flatly that he 3ould re#i'n before he 3ould put McDerott># idea# into effect, and #aid a fe3 dozen thin'# about the a#ininity of old an /no) for e$en conteplatin' #uch a pro'ra. < onth later Sorey too, o$er the #ale# departent and !arody left the or'anization.%y thi# tie I had been 3ith /no) for #e$en year#, 3a# a,in' an e)cellent #alary and had a clear opportunity to recei$e an e$en ore e)cellent #alary 3ithin a #hort tie. The#e are the thin'# 3ith 3hich you hoo, your#elf. I 3a# hoo,ed #ufficiently to tell y#elf that if I 3al,ed out of /no) I 3ould only 3al, into another fir 3here a #iilar #ituation e)i#ted. I thin, I 3a# fairly ri'ht in a##uin' thi# but it 3a# #till #tupid of e to #tay. %y that tie I had built up a fear to3ard an en$ironent 3hich I #a3 clearly and under#tood $ery 3ell. I had e)plored e$ery 'roo$e to find an e#cape fro the fear I 3a# buildin' and couldn>t find it. .ad I 'one, to another fir I 3ould ha$e had a chan'e of #cene and an opportunity to e#cape fro the terror that 3rapped it#elf around e e$ery ornin' that I 3al,ed into /no). %ut I had a 'reat deal at /no) and I 3anted to hold onto it.I 3orried o$er McDerott #o uch that finally I had to era#e hi fro y ind and pretend that he 3a#n>t 3hat he 3a# and that the thin'# that 3ere happenin' 3eren>t happenin'. &hen you reach that #ta'e 3ith fear, you #tart 'ro3in' #tran'e plant# of di#tortion in your ind, The be#t copari#on I can thin, of to illu#trate thi# ental proce## occur# in -eor'e "r3ell># #$%&. # confidence and that thi# factor 3ould ha$e ,ept e #tabilized for a lon' tie. I ne$er did lo#e Ji># confidence e)cept that all the thin'# that Ji #tood for in the 3ay of #ecurity to e di#appeared o$erni'ht. Not McDerott, but another an, Litter, did a Eob on Ji, Litter u#ed the youn'e#t of the /no) boy# to hoo, Ji and I ,no3 that I 3a# #ha,en out of y dull a$oidance of 3hat 3a# 'oin' on by the realization that e$en the /no)e# 3ere 3illin' to hatchet each other.The youn'e#t /no) 3a# the dulle#t of the lot and had the lea#t chance of 'ettin' into a plu#h Eob e$en in hi# father># or'anization. Maybe that helped hi to #ee thin'# Litter># 3ay. &hen the earth=ua,e 3a# o$er, Ji 3a# 3or,in' in a field Eob and the youn'e#t /no) 3a# #uper$i#in' Ji># departent 3ith Litter a# hi# a##i#tant. t lea$e it in a 3ay I could po##ibly e$er ha$e anticipated. I ne$er blaed anybody for the onth# that 3ere, to follo3 e)cept y#elf. Litter i'ht ha$e done a Eob on e in tie but he didn>t 'et the chance. I 3al,ed out of /no) 3ith a hoo, in y bac, that 3a# entirely of y o3n a,in'. &hen I finally pulled it out and had a 'ood loo, at it, I decided that nobody could ha$e #tuc, it in y bac, e)cept y#elf, and the only #ati#faction I 'ot 3a# that I 3a# able to pull it out y#elf, and #ee clearly the #hape of it.#art TwoThe Operators&hen I a3o,e they 3ere #tandin' at the foot of y bed loo,in' li,e #oft fuzzy 'ho#t#. I tried feelin' the bedclothe#. The #en#ation of feelin' 3a# #harp. I 3a# a3a,e and thi# 3a# real.The boy 3a# about t3el$e year# old, hand#oe, and 3ith a plea#ant, rela)ed #ile. The elderly an 3a# ipre##i$e: #olid, con#er$ati$e, a reliable an 3ith builtCin rule#. The third 3a# a real 3eirdo 3ith hair three inche# too lon', blac,, #trai'ht, and lip, and 3ith a body that 3a# al#o lon' and lip. The face didn>t belon' 3ith the body or the hair1 the feature# 3ere fine and #en#iti$e, the e)pre##ion, arro'ant and unbendin'.The elderly an #uddenly cleared hi# throat. 0It i# nece##ary for the 'ood of all concerned that you 'et to ,no3 .inton better.2 .e turned and loo,ed at the 3eirdo.I 3a# po#iti$e that I had ne$er #een that face before. The elderly an apparently #en#ed y thou'ht#. 05ou ,no3 hi 3ell,2 he #aid1 0you u#ed to ,no3 hi better.2I #aid hurriedly, 0If you #ay #o, 3e u#t ha$e et. I> #orry I can>t recall Mr. .inton.2 To the arro'ant face I #aid, 0.o3 are youF2 .inton bo3ed hi# head a =uarter of an inch and #tared #tiffly out the 3indo3.0I a %urt,2 #aid the elderly an. .e #eeed concerned but in a dead, re#i'ned #ort of 3ay, a an 3ho had li$ed lon' 3ith order and #y#te and 3ho 3a# ha$in' difficulty adEu#tin' to the role of a#ter of cereonie# at a holocau#t.0t #po,en. I con#idered thi# for a oent. +ir#t thin'# fir#t, 0&hat i# the nature of thi# e)perientF2.inton #iled 3ryly. 0Didn>t I tell you,2 he #aid to %urt, 0that it 3ould #ay that fir#tF2ItF%urt continued. < 'reat "perator 3ho#e nae 3a# .adley had 3anted to a,e an e)perient of thi# type for #oe tie, The e)perient con#i#ted of #electin' a per#on li,e y#elf, re$ealin' the fact# of the "perator#> 3orld to the indi$idual, and ob#er$in' the re#ult#.< 'uinea pi' in a ca'e, I thou'ht. So uch for that. Second thin'# #econd. !ould they or couldn>t they. 5e#, there 3a#n>t uch doubt about it. They 3ere readin' y ind. I could #ee it in the 3ay their eye# focu#ed on y face, the e)pre##ion# on their face#, a# they 3atched e thin,.%urt e)plained: ($ery thou'ht in the ind of a per#on li,e y#elf 3a# al3ay# clear to any "perator 3ho i'ht be tuned in.I con#idered thi# #ituation. &ould I, perhap#, be able to thin, on #oe #ubCcellar le$el and #o reduce thi# treendou# ad$anta'e they hadFNic,y 'rinned broadly and %urt #iled 'ently. %urt a'ain: No thou'ht of y ind on any le$el could e#cape the. "perator# could penetrate the ind# of Thin'# at any le$el.Thin'#J.inton #i'hed. 0Thin'#. 5e#, of cour#e. Thin, of the 3ord 3ith a capital initial, if you li,e. It ay help your e'o a bit, # Sharp,2 #aid Nic,y. 0.adley># repre#entati$e,2 he told .inton. .inton 'runted.Sharp loo,ed li,e an aiable little ferret. To be 3atched carefully, I thou'ht, Sharp loo,ed at e #harply. 0Intere#tin',2 he #aid, and o$ed clo#er.%ehind the far 3all a di#cordant hu, li,e #tatic, ro#e and filled the apartent.0Interference,2 %urt #aid. 0I e)pected it.2Sharp loo,ed 'ri. 0I didn>t thin, thi# 3ould be ea#y. Do you realize that 3e ay 'et life Eeopardy if 3e>re cau'htF That># an out#ide "perator. %loc, hi off.2.inton appeared to be concentratin' on the rhyth of the #ound#. 0# e)perient, flooded the apartent. I hoped that #oe of the prote#t# i'ht #ho3 concern for y 3elfare, but the prote#t 3a# narro3 in #cope and clearly defined. Inforation 3hich no Thin' #hould e$er ha$e 3a# bein' di$ul'ed to a Thin'1 the Thin' i'ht 'i$e the inforation to other Thin'#, thereby creatin' a hazardou# #ituation.0I a##ure you,2 Sharp #aid loudly, 0that thi# Thin' i# $ery clo#e outhed.2 To .inton he 3hi#pered, 0I thou'ht you bou'ht the#e 'uy# off.2.inton #hoo, hi# head. 0I 3a# 3or,in' on a deal to 'et out of the city fa#t.20Jeopardy,2 #aid one of the council $oice#. 0Life lon' Eeopardy.2 < dozen $oice# be'an to tal, at once. In the bedla, Nic,y cae clo#er and #at on the ed'e of the bed. 0&hat you u#t under#tand,2 he #aid to e, 0i# that Eeopardy i# a Eail #entence for an "perator. &hen an "perator i# in Eeopardy, he can>t operate at all.2 .e #ounded a# if he e)pected e to under#tand and, in #oe 3ay, help.0&hat i# a city councilF2 I a#,ed hi.0The hi'he#t le'al authority for "perator# in any city. They>ll try to #top thi# e)perient. # tuned in on an "perator or a Thin'.2I #crutinized their #oft, 'rey, fuzzy, #hape#. 0Sure, 3e ha$e bodie#,2 Nic,y #aid. 0&hat you>re loo,in' at no3 are picture# of our#el$e# that 3e>re proEectin'.2re far too conceited e$er to belie$e it.2I 3a# on y #econd cup of coffee 3hen the council "perator# returned. Their $oice# #ha,in' 3ith indi'nation, they handed do3n an ultiatu. Sharp and copany had t3o hour# to clear out. re 'oin' to 'o. &ait until you ha$e t3enty "perator# fro the council in here, 3or,in' on your ind, tellin' you to Eup. %elie$e e, you>ll Eup. So far a# the council i# concerned, you>re a on#tro#ity and a #ource of dan'er, #oethin' that ha# to be put out of the 3ay.2I e$aluated the #hoc,, horror, and an'er in the $oice# of the council "perator#, pac,ed an o$erni'ht ba', 3ent do3n to the bu# depot, and bou'ht a tic,et for the neare#t lar'e city.0&e>ll be in touch 3ith you,2 Sharp told e. 0&e>ll be in a car, follo3in'.2I 3ondered: &ould another city ha$e a council of "perator# 3ho 3ould interfere and 3ould the interference be to y ad$anta'eF0There are city council# e$ery3here,2 Nic,y #aid #uddenly. 0There are "perator# e$ery3here. There i#n>t a #ection of the country 3here Thin'# aren>t controlled by "perator#. 5ou can>t e#cape the if that># 3hat you>re hopin' for. %e#ide#, .adley ha# your charter.2&hat 3a# a charterF 0The ri'ht to operate a Thin'. .adley purcha#ed it fro your copany. # #houlder#. I i'nored the and ,ept y eye# on the doctor># face..e had a #heaf of for# on hi# de#, and hi# Eob, apparently, 3a# to fill the out.Sharp and .inton 3ere ar'uin'. !uriou#ly, both 3ere in fa$or of era#in' all inforation about "perator# fro y ind. .inton belie$ed that the blottin' out proce## could be#t be achie$ed by blac,Cout o$ie#. Sharp a'reed 3ith thi#. .e 3a# in fa$or of y #tayin' in the ho#pital to ha$e the o$ie# adini#tered. .inton obEected. So did Nic,y.The doctor a#,ed e a =ue#tion and Sharp thre3 the an#3er at e. I repeated and the doctor 3rote it do3n.0It# faily 3ould hear about it# bein' here and they>d 3orry,2 Nic,y #aid.0()actly,2 .inton #aid. 0The picture i# coplicated enou'h 3ithout a bunch of relati$e# on our nec,#. The blac,Cout o$ie# can be arran'ed any3here. The iportant thin' i# to 'et out of here fa#t.2The doctor a#,ed e another =ue#tion. Sharp 'a$e e the an#3er. I repeated it.Sharp thou'ht that the blac,Cout o$ie apparatu# in the ho#pital 3a# e)cellent. .inton di#a'reed. The doctor re$ie3ed y edical hi#tory at lon' len'th. Sharp 'a$e e the an#3er#. The doctor fini#hed fillin' out the for# and e)ained e. .e tapped y ,nee#, #craped the #ole# of y feet, te#ted y balance, too, y blood pre##ure, e)ained y heart. Sharp 3a# obEectin' le## about lea$in'.The doctor 3anted to ,no3 about y faily. &ith Sharp># a##i#tance, I anufactured an a##ortent of people and in$ented addre##e# for the. &e di#cu##ed y faintin' #pell in the depot. Sharp 'a$e in and a'reed to lea$in'. The doctor 3rote #oethin' on a card and told e to 'i$e it to the nur#e in y 3ard. I did, collected y clothe#, dre##ed, and 3al,ed out. .inton, #till 3orryin' about the council, ad$i#ed e to 'et to another bu# depot iediately.It hadn>t been #o difficult e#capin', I thou'ht. %ut it 3a# ob$iou# that 3ithout Sharp y e#cape could ne$er ha$e been achie$ed.I learned that the -reyhound %u# !opany 3a# a fa$orite $ehicle of tran#port for "perator#.0-reyhound i# controlled by "perator#,2 Nic,y told e, 0and they police their bu#e#. None of the airline# or railroad# do and their carrier# are in an outla3 #tate. 5ou ne$er ,no3 3hen #oe "perator i# 'oin' to ole#t the Thin' in your cu#tody. The dri$er of a -reyhound bu# i# al3ay# an "perator, licen#ed a# an "perator cop, a Shield. If you ha$e a Thin' 3ith you, you po#t the Thin'># charter 3ith the dri$er and he #ee# to it that no other "perator di#turb# it.2Sharp coplained #uddenly that the bu# 3a# filled 3ith flie#. 0 not referrin' to flie#,2 Sharp told e. 0I> referrin' to +lie#.20+ly i# #lan' for an "perator 3ho doe#n>t belon' to an or'anization a# 3e do,2 Nic,y e)plained. 0+lie# can be a nui#ance and #oetie# they can be dan'erou# if they try to ole#t your Thin'. %ut I don>t thin, 3e ha$e to 3orry on a -reyhound bu#.20Li#ten,2 #aid a #tran'e $oice.0It># the dri$er,2 #aid Sharp.0I don>t li,e thi# bu#ine##,2 #aid the dri$er. 0That># ri#,y, ha$in' a Thin' #it there ta,in' in e$erythin' you>re #ayin'. I don>t thin, y copany 3ould care to 'o alon' 3ith that ,ind of bu#ine##.2Sharp e)plained about the e)perient.05ou>re 3al,in' on e''#hell#,2 the dri$er told hi. 0&hat you ou'ht to do i# 'et a bill of re#u#citation.2I could feel Sharp># ear# pic,in' up. 0< bill of re#u#citation,2 Sharp #aid, lic,in' each 3ord. 0That># an idea.20In'eniou#,2 #aid Nic,y.0I thin, #o. Nic,y, you #tay in. .inton and I are 'oin' to ha$e a pri$ate 3ord 3ith the dri$er.20%ill# of re#u#citation are i##ued 3hen Thin'# need to be re$i$ed,2 Nic,y told e. 0< Thin' ha# to be pretty far 'one before an "perator can 'et a bill i##ued, but Sharp ay be able to ana'e it. &ith a bill li,e that in hi# poc,et, Sharp 3ould be #afe 3ith o#t city council#. .e>d be able to Eu#tify the e)perient a# nece##ary to re$i$e a dead Thin'.2Sharp cae bac,. 0The dri$er i# 'oin' to 3ire hi# office at the ne)t #top. .e thin,# 3e>ll 'et the bill. It># a 3onderful brea, for u#. "peratin' under the bill># authority, 3e>ll be able to 'et to !alifornia 3ithout interference.2# or'anization 3a# in !alifornia and the boy# 3ere 'ettin' e there a# fa#t a# they could. "b$iou#ly, !alifornia 3a# the o#t dan'erou# place I could 'o. &hen Sharp announced late that ni'ht that the bill of re#u#citation had been i##ued, I ade y deci#ion. &hen 3e arri$ed in !hica'o, de#pite all Sharp># prote#t#, I headed #outh for Ne3 "rlean#I on a train.The +lie# on the train tuned in, cut off Sharp, .inton and Nic,y and iediately be'an to play The -ae. The fir#t #tep in The -ae 3a# the #election of the #ubEect around 3hich The -ae 3ould re$ol$e. < lar'e board appeared in front of y eye# 3ith a li#t of ite# printed on it. The fir#t ite, I noticed, 3a# Sudden Death.0S,ip that,2 #aid one of the +lie#. 0Let># #tic, to the #ubEect thi# Thin' i# concerned 3ith. 5ou ay 'et hi'hly artificial re#pon#e#, other3i#e. Thi# i# a Thin' that i# forced to li#ten to "perator#. Let># ta,e "perator# a# the #ubEect.2"ne of the +lie# 3a# appointed adEudicator and The -ae be'an. The fir#t +ly tal,ed to e. Did I realize that for the re#t of y life I 3ould be li$in' thi# ,ind of e)i#tenceI that I 3ould ne$er a'ain li$e the noral life of a Thin'F +or the re#t of y day#, I 3ould be forced to #it and li#ten to the "perator# tal,. I 3ould ha$e, not life, but "perator#> con$er#ation#.The idea #truc, e li,e a blo3. I could feel y heart Eup.0 throu'h, any3ay,2 #aid the +ly. 0I 'ot y reaction.2The #econd +ly cae in. Did I ha$e any idea 3hat 3ould happen to e 3hen I reached .adleyF .ad I #een or heard of anial# in e)periental laboratorie#, cut and tortured 3hile con#ciou#, #o that #oe doctor could ob#er$e and learnF Thi# 3ould be the #ae thin' e)cept that I 3ould be the anial.0It># the #ae thin' ri'ht no3,2 I #hot bac, at hi. 0That># 3hat you>re doin'.205ou didn>t 'et $ery far,2 #aid the adEudicator. 05ou>re out.2The third +ly cae in. Did I ,no3 that .adley had a ca'eful of frea,# in hi# laboratory, an entire bloc,ful of Thin'# upon 3hich he e)perientedF .adley 3a# faou# fro coa#t to coa#t for hi# e)perient#. There 3a# a 3oan 3ho had been con$inced that #he 3a# an apo#tle of the #un and 3ho thou'ht #he dined e$ery ni'ht 3ith the #un 'od. She had u#ed her delu#ion# to #tart a ne3 reli'ion aon' Thin'# and had ade =uite a bit of oney out of it. I i'ht a,e oney out of 3hat lay ahead of e, too, but I i'ht ha$e to loo, at 'orilla# cra3lin' around y roo day and ni'ht.My #,in 3a# tin'lin'. The Mad Scienti#t, I thou'ht #uddenly, and lau'hed. The +ly 'runted and departed.The -ae cae to it# clo#e finally. The adEudicator announced the 3inner and the 3innin' +ly #cooped up the pot of 0point#2 to 3hich each +ly had contributed. The -ae 3a# clear enou'h. (ach +ly had dripped hi# drop of poi#on, obtained an eotional reaction fro e. The one 3ho had arou#ed in e the 'reate#t fear, I noticed, 3a# the one 3ho had 3on.0It># not u#ually done thi# 3ay,2 one of the +lie# told e 3hile the point# 3ere bein' put up for a ne3 pot. 0"rdinarily, the Thin' can>t hear u#, althou'h he 'et# the idea# 3e inEect, any3ay. %ut your ind i# 3ide open, 3hich i# 3hy you can hear u# tal,.2The -ae continued. I tried to build up an eotional ri'or a'ain#t the ipact of 3hat I heard but it 3a# hour# before I ana'ed to achie$e e$en a #urface ipa##i$ene##. The -ae 3ent on and on throu'h the ni'ht. %y the tie the train reached Ne3 "rlean#, I 3a# ready to thro3 y#elf into a ri$er. .inton, Sharp, and Nic,y cau'ht up 3ith e in the ba''a'e roo.0+or your #a,e and for our#,2 .inton ad$i#ed e, 0#tic, to bu#e#.20It># heart i# 'oin' li,e fury,2 #aid Nic,y. 0Let># 'et to a hotel, fa#t.2$e heard, thou'ht and #een. Tho#e +lie# 3ere a pac, of do'#.2< thou'ht occurred to e. 0"$er 3hat di#tance can an "perator influence the ind of a Thin'F20# battleent.2If I could 'et a t3oCbloc, di#tance fro all "perator#, I thou'ht, y ind 3ould ha$e peace and i'ht heal and clo#e. "b$iou#ly, the "perator# had opened y ind 3ide #o that any "perator could tune in. &hat I needed to carry out y plan 3a# oney. If I 3ent hoe, I could dra3 out 3hat oney I had in the ban, and buy a #all hou#e 3ith a lot of land around it. re o$erloo,in' i# that a Thin' can be influenced chiefly becau#e of it# de#ire for oney and po3er. # point# Eu#t a# a Thin'># re$ol$e# about oney. &ith #ufficient point#, an "perator can do anythin' in an "perator># 3orld. .e can be a 'reat po3er. .e can o3n an or'anization and buy the charter# of hundred# of Thin'#. .e can be #afe fro other "perator#. .o3 doe# that a,e hi ore de#picable than a Thin'F The hell of it i#, "perator# and Thin'# are oti$ated by #iilar de#ire#. &e>re both in the #oup, "perator# and Thin'# ali,e.2If I could rent a little hou#e #oe3here, 3ith a 'reat deal of land about it, I #peculated, I i'ht be able to 'et beyond reach of the "perator#. I returned to y hoe to3n, dre3 out the oney I had in the ban, and, de#pite the boy#> 'lu prophecie#, too, a bu# north. In a #par#ely inhabited #ection of a #par#ely inhabited #tate, I 3ent loo,in' for a cabin. < real e#tate a'ent iediately brou'ht e to a ountain cabin, told e ho3 3onderful ountain air 3a#, and left e there.0Indian#,2 .inton #aid, after I had ta,en a 3al, around. 0My -od, actual Indian#.2 The boy#, I di#co$ered to y di#appointent, 3ere #till 3ith e. I 3ondered 3here they 3ere and decided that they had ana'ed to find refu'e in one of the little #hac,# that #urrounded y cotta'e and 3hich 3ere inhabited by Spani#hC#pea,in' Me)icanCIndian failie#. My cabin, I had di#co$ered, 3a# not nearly #o i#olated a# it had appeared to be. %e#ide# the little #hac,# 3hich 3ere copletely hidden aon' tree#, there 3ere a dozen or #o lar'e #ize cabin# clo#e by, one of the a #tone># thro3 fro y o3n.I too, lon' daily 3al,#, hopin' to 'et beyond the ran'e of the boy#> $oice# but the $oice# trailed after e 3here$er I 3ent.0Sharp i# u#in' #trobo#cope,2 Nic,y told e, finally. 0&e can e)tend for a ile 3ith it.2I 3al,ed daily to the cobination po#t office, 'rocery and $ariety #tore that lay about a ile north of y cabin to buy 'rocerie# and to chat 3ith the po#ta#ter># faily.0&onderful fre#h air up here,2 Nic,y #aid. 0I i'ht 'ain #oe 3ei'ht. < really healthful place to li$e.2%ut .inton and Sharp battled at e con#tantly to o$e on. 0Indian#,2 .inton ,ept #ayin', 0actual Indian#.2I had been in the cabin about a onth 3hen I decided, propted by the po#ta#ter, to 3al, the three ile# to the hi'h3ay and to ta,e the bu# to to3n. 0I a,e the trip once a onth, y#elf,2 the po#ta#ter @3ho, I after3ard reebered, u#ually tra$eled 3ith a 'unA told e. 0I realize ho3 luc,y I a to be up in the ountain# e$ery tie I 'et bac,.2I arri$ed in to3n early one afternoon, 3al,ed around, arri$ed bac, at the bu# #tation to di#co$er that the bu# I had planned to ta,e had been 0di#continued for a couple of day#,2 and that I 3ould ha$e to 3ait three hour# for the ne)t one. I 3ent for a 3al, and .inton ur'ed e to 'o into a dru' #tore and buy a fla#hli'ht, a re=ue#t that #eeed ab#urd, but I finally ade the purcha#e.%y the tie the ne)t bu# had depo#ited e at y #top in the ountain#, I under#tood .inton># de#ire for the fla#hli'ht. Ni'ht had fallen and the threeCile hi,e before e 3a# o$er a road alo#t hidden in the tree#. I #napped on the fla#h and #tarted 3al,in', li#tenin' to the boy# chat, and li#tenin' al#o to the little #ound# that cae out of the fore#t: chirp#, 'runt#, yip#, #li'ht #curryin'#, the crac, of t3i'# brea,in'.I 3a# alo#t hoe and could #ee y cabin do3n at the botto of the road Eu#t beyond another cabin 3hich hou#ed a Spani#hC#pea,in' an and hi# 3ife and 3hich 3a# fronted by a #paciou# yard in 3hich li$ed #e$en yappy do'#. The boy# 3ere di#cu##in' Indian# and the po##ible e)ploitation of the by "perator# at #oe tie in the future, 3hen Nic,y #uddenly aterialized be#ide e, hi# plea#ant face #ilin'. It had been a 'ood 3hile #ince I had #een any of the "perator# and I 3a# #oe3hat #urpri#ed.0Muic,,2 Nic,y #aid. 0Shine your fla#h do3n on the do'#.2If it had been Sharp or .inton, I i'ht ha$e ar'ued. %ecau#e it 3a# plea#ant, ,ind Nic,y, I rai#ed y fla#h and 3a$ed it about until the li'ht fell on the do'#. They e)ploded in #hrill, yappy bar,#.0No3, =uic,ly,2 #aid Nic,y, 0turn around and #hine it bac, on the road.2 I did and #oethin' a# bi' a# a 'reat dane 3a# on the road, not too far behind e, it# eye# #hinin' 3ith a peculiar etallic li'ht.0Shine it ri'ht in hi# face and o$e it up and do3n.2 I Ei''led the fla#h and the li'ht 3ent up and do3n o$er the #hinin' eye#. The eye# 3ere turned off #uddenly and #oethin' that loo,ed a# bi' a# the bac, of a bull 3ent into the fore#t.0"n the do'# a'ain,2 #aid Nic,y, 0and run.2I 3ent do3n the road, runnin' li,e a Eac, rabbit, y fla#h on the do'#. The do'#, yelpin' fiercely, 3ere tryin' to tear do3n the fence. %efore I reached the, the Spani#hC#pea,in' an had coe out into the yard and 3a# #pea,in' Spani#h li,e an e)pre## train.I #topped runnin', 'ot y breath, and #aid, 0I> terribly #orry.2 The Spani#hC#pea,in' an 3a$ed hi# head fro #ide to #ide and the do'# yelped and yelped. I 3ent bac, to y cabin, thin,in' of the yello3 eye#. Nic,y #uddenly reinded e that I 3anted to pic, #oe of the little 3hite flo3er# that 're3 out#ide the cabin. I pic,ed #oe and brou'ht the indoor# and put the in 3ater and li#tened to Nic,y tal, about flo3er# and after a 3hile I for'ot the yello3 eye# and 3ent to bed.The ne)t ornin' Sharp announced that it 3a# ab#olutely iperati$e that 3e o$e on and thi# tie Nic,y a'reed 3ith hi, pointin' out to e that the 3ater #upply 3a# inade=uate and I could ta,e only one bath a 3ee, and 3ould probably ha$e 'er# all o$er e #hortly. .inton pointed out 3ryly that if y purpo#e in #tartin' in the ountain# 3a# to e#cape the, it 3a# ob$iou# that I 3a#n>t 'oin' to #ucceed.I a'reed that there didn>t #ee to be uch point in y #tayin', and the ne)t ornin' I had a nei'hbor dri$e e into to3n.ll 'et fro it i# that it 3ill chan'e you bac, to a bronco.2I 3a# u#in' o$er thi# 3hen the boy# 'ot into a di#cu##ion about +lie#. 05ou>re 'oin' to ha$e trouble 3ith the con#tantly,2 Sharp #aid. 0($en on bu#e#. The thin' to do i# to 'et to !alifornia =uic,.20&e i'ht 'o by 3ay of !anada,2 Nic,y #u''e#ted. 0I don>t thin, they perit +lie# too uch liberty up there.20< $ery intelli'ent #u''e#tion,2 .inton #aid 3ryly, 0e#pecially a# 3e don>t ha$e licen#e# to operate in !anada.2It 3a# enou'h for e. I ade for a telephone booth, called the airport, and deterined 3hen the ne)t plane left for !anada.0"h, -od,2 #aid .inton.0&ell,2 Sharp #aid, 0you 3ere the one 3ho claied thi# Thin' had 'otten info a rut. It># ta,in' three of u# Eu#t to ,eep up 3ith it.2 < fe3 hour# later, unaccopanied by the boy#, I 3a# on a plane bound for !anada. .ad it really happened. .ad I #ha,en the offF0It# head i# 3ide open,2 #aid a $oice. 0There i#n>t an inch of protection of any ,ind on it# head. No #hac,, no board, no co$er. # on the loo#e. I> pic,in' it up. "ne of the di#ad$anta'e# in bein' a Dra3fly i# that you al3ay# need dra3bait.20Pic, it up 3hen it 'et# off the plane,2 #aid "perator "ne. 0# $oice, 03ho o3n# itF20&e>re operatin' it for the tie bein'. t 3or,.2 < dozen or #o $oice# cae in, one by one, paid their point#, a#,ed e =ue#tion#, all of 3hich I i'nored.0No3,2 #aid "perator T3o, 03ho 3ant# to play The -aeF T3enty point# for the play.2The "perator# 3ere linin' up for The -ae 3hen the #te3arde## announced #uddenly that the plane 3ould land #hortly. The Dra3fly #i'hed. 0 'oin' to #tic, to it# heel#.2%ut at the airport I 'ot into a cab, 3ent to a bu# depot, and e#caped. I headed for a northern city in !anada, 3a# ta,en o$er iediately by a !anadian Dra3fly 3ho, #hortly after3ard, #old e to another Dra3fly. &hen I had a chance to chan'e bu#e# a'ain, I headed bac, to the *nited State# and iediately fell into the net of the $iciou# Dorraine.0.e># a 'ood 'uy in #oe 3ay#,2 the 3oan told e, 0but he hate# Thin'#. I>ll do 3hat I can for you but that 3on>t be uch. If you 'et a chance, a,e a brea, for it.2.i# nae 3a# Dorraine and the 3oan 3a# hi# 3ife. ll fini#h 3ith an ibecile.2Not if I could help it. re loo#e,2 #aid one of the "perator# 3ho identified hi#elf a# a an recuperatin' fro an appendectoy. 0There are certain rule# 3hich can be enforced 3ith loo#e Thin'# in thi# #tate. &hoe$er 3in# a loo#e Thin' in The -ae obtain# the Thin' for a period of t3entyCfour hour#. &e>re 'oin' to try to 3in you and if 3e do, 3e>ll 'i$e you a re#t.2$e 'ot too dan uch po3er. &e>$e been tryin' to put a crip in the for a lon' tie and 3e ne$er had a better chance than 3ith thi# bill they i##ued for you. &e>re 'oin' to ta,e up your ca#e and fi'ht it for you.2No "perator had e$er #aid anythin' ore plea#ant #ince "perator# had #tarted tal,in' to e. I e)pre##ed y appreciation and a#,ed 3hat I could do to help.05ou can do your bit 3hen the tie coe#,2 the LuberEac, 3ent on. 0&e too, a drain on you and 'ot o#t of your #tory. No3 li#tenI 0The LuberEac,#, an or'anization of o$er a hundred "perator#, intended pre#entin' a petition to a #tate council, re=ue#tin' an adEudicationI an "perator#> le'al trialI 3here they planned to prote#t the i##uance of the bill 3hich they con#idered dan'erou#.!ouldn>t they al#o contend, I a#,ed, that I did not need re#u#citationF0That># ri#,y,2 the LuberEac, told e. 0%ill# of re#u#citation are i##ued only 3hen a Thin' i# alo#t dead. &hether or not you reached that #ta'e i# #oethin' 3e can>t pro$e. If 3e clai you didn>t need re#u#citation, -reyhound ay clai you did, and the adEudicator i'ht hold up the deci#ion for onth# 3hile he loo,ed into your pa#t.2It occurred to e that po3er and pre#ti'e 3ere iportant 3eapon# in the 3orld of "perator# and that -reyhound i'ht be an or'anization difficult to defeat.05ou>re #ayin' a outhful,2 #aid the LuberEac,. 0t e)pect to 3in ea#ily. &e>re a#,in' for the adEudication for ne)t Sunday but 3e don>t ,no3 3hich #tate to re=ue#t it in. *tah #ee# be#t. In Salt La,e they>re #trict about operatin' and 3e thin, they 3ill put an end to that bill in a hurry.2I 3a# deli'hted.0"f cour#e,2 the LuberEac, 3ent on, 0the Moron# i'ht put an end to you, too. %ut that># a chance you>ll ha$e to ta,e.2I could #ee that the Moron "perator#, e$en thou'h they i'ht di#appro$e of .adley># e)perient, 3ould probably al#o di#appro$e of a Thin' 3ith a head full of ,no3led'e concernin' "perator#. I 3ei'hed the #ituation, decided that I had a dubiou# chance of reainin' in the land of li$in' in any ca#e, and decided to 'i$e the LuberEac,# a chance.The -reyhound depot 3a# cro3ded 3hen 3e arri$ed in Salt La,e. 0&e certainly dre3 an audience,2 the LuberEac,#> leader told e. 0The trial i# #et for noon. !hec, into a hotel and coe bac,.2I 3a# bac, in the depot at t3el$e. The adEudication opened 3ith a #peech fro the LuberEac,#> la3yer, one 3hich #,etched in the bac,'round of the ca#e and 3hich de$eloped the follo3in' ar'uent: If thi# e)perient 3ere peritted, no other #iilar e)perient could be refu#ed1 #hould a #ufficient nuber of Thin'# be peritted to obtain #iilar inforation, the 3orld i'ht #oon be filled 3ith Thin'# 3ho#e ,no3led'e 3ould endan'er the $ery ba#i# of the 3orld of "perator# and Thin'#.I 3a# unea#y. *ndoubtedly, the LuberEac, attorney># attac, 3a# #ureCfire, but it ruined y chance# of #ur$i$al a# #urely a# if he had 3ritten a death 3arrant for e.-reyhound># attorney ade a poor #ho3in'. &hen the re=ue#t for a bill of re#u#citation had been ade, he #aid, the fact# of the e)perient had not been ade clear. -reyhound had 'ranted it# bill belie$in' that a uch ore innocent e)perient had been intended. I dreaded the adEudicator># =ue#tion, 0.o3 uch ha# thi# Thin' already learned about "perator#F2 the an#3er to 3hich i'ht 3ell #eal y fate. %ut the =ue#tion ne$er aterialized.0They>re drainin' you all the tie,2 one of the LuberEac,# hi##ed into y ear. 0Sit bac, and rela). ($erythin' i# 3onderful.2The LuberEac,># la3yer follo3ed -reyhound># #tateent 3ith a 3itherin' coent on the bu# copany># inefficient and #lip#hod ethod of 'rantin' bill#, and re=ue#ted that the copany be depri$ed of it# pri$ile'e of 'rantin' any type of docuent until an official in$e#ti'ation had been ade into their practice#. %efore he had fini#hed hi# #peech I 3a# 3onderin' if I 3ouldn>t be in ore dan'er fro -reyhound, before the adEudication 3a# o$er, than I 3ould be fro the adEudicator.cloc,, the adEudication 3a# rece##ed until the follo3in' ornin' and I returned to the hotel. The LuberEac,# ordered a ca#e of Scotch to celebrate and becae uproariou#ly drun,. leader and an a##i#tant naed %o#t accopanied e. I fle3 to San +ranci#co and too, a bu# @not -reyhoundA to the city 3hich had been identified a# the location of .adley># or'anization, and chec,ed into a hotel 3hile the LuberEac,# contacted .adley># or'anization.# $oice Eoined tho#e of the LuberEac,#. .e 3a# #tartled at the cour#e 3hich e$ent# had ta,en and hu#tled a3ay to report to .adley. %o#t al#o hurried off to file a petition for a ne3 adEudication.Nic,y returned =uic,ly. 0So lon' a# you>re 'oin' to #tay here for a 3hile,2 he #aid, 0you i'ht a# 3ell rent a furni#hed apartent.2 Thi# #eeed #en#ible and I 3al,ed do3n the bloc, he indicated and turned into a buildin' 3hich ad$erti#ed furni#hed apartent#. No #ooner had I o$ed in than I di#co$ered I 3a# only a fe3 #tep# fro the buildin' in 3hich .adley># or'anization 3a# located, and that the #treet I 3a# on hou#ed .adley># frea, collection. "nly the a##urance# of the LuberEac,# pre$ented e fro o$in' out a fe3 inute# after I o$ed in.The "perator# fro .adley># or'anization tuned in, and eetin' the too, o#t of the afternoon. +indin' the #urpri#in'ly 'ood natured, I rela)ed con#iderably, and before the day 3a# o$er I 3a# tal,in' to the freely. Sharp and .inton, I learned, 3ere out of to3n on or'anization bu#ine## and the 'reat .adley 3a# hidin' fro the !alifornia #tate council 3hich 3a# threatenin' hi 3ith Eeopardy becau#e of hi# frea, collection.The #ituation, on the 3hole, 3a# proi#in'. The ne)t day I recei$ed additional 'ood ne3#. .adley, #entenced to Eeopardy for a year, had fled and the or'anization 3a# teporarily under the leader#hip of The Duc,, an ea#y 'oin' "perator 3ith a #en#e of huor and a 'enerally beni'n attitude to3ard Thin'#.The "perator# in .adley># or'anization, I learned, 3ere ,no3n locally a# The &e#tern %oy# and 3ere held in con#iderable fear by other local "perator#. De#pite their reputation, I found The &e#tern %oy# li,able. They buzzed in and out, =ue#tioned e at 'reat len'th concernin' y reaction# to the 3orld of "perator# and appeared to be au#ed at y re#pon#e#."ne of the, an "perator naed &in,le, naed e Thi# "ne. 0!oe in and li#ten to Thi# "ne,2 he>d #ay, 3hene$er he 'ot e into a di#cu##ion. 0It># #oundin' off a'ain.2 It 3a# &in,le 3ho decided that y attitude 3a# the re#ult of y bein' a natural bronco. 0< hor#e 3ould 3orry it#elf #ic,,2 he #aid. 0%ronco# ne$er do. -i$e a bronco #oethin' it #hould 3orry about and in#tead it ,ic,# you in the teeth.20Not entirely,2 Nic,y told hi. 0Thi# "ne 3a# a natural bronco and it># 'radually 'ettin' bac, to it# ori'inal per#onality. %ut, al#o, there># been an anchor in Thi# "ne e$er #ince the e)perient #tarted.2 To e, he e)plained, 0ll try to ,eep an eye on you. I>ll drop in 3hene$er I can and #ee ho3 you>re doin'.2 .er $oice faded a3ay. I fell a#leep, coparati$ely #erene.%efore the 3ee, 3a# o$er, an "perator naed !rae purcha#ed The &e#tern %oy# fro .adley. 0.e># a ba#tard,2 one of the "perator# told e, 0but 3e>ll protect you a# uch a# 3e can.2!rae tuned in early one ornin' 3hen I 3a# eatin' brea,fa#t. .e al#o proEected a picture of hi#elf, a #oe3hat rec,le## action, I thou'ht, ina#uch a# he 3a# li$in' a fe3 door# a3ay. ProEectin' the picture, I decided, 3a# a #care tactic. .e 3a# a ountain of a an 3ith a #=uare, cruel face. I eyed hi 3ith the #ae fi#hyCeyed detachent 3ith 3hich he eyed e.0It># a daned incon$enience,2 he roared, and it 3a# a oent before I realized that the 0it2 he 3a# referrin' to 3a# y#elf. .i# openin' 'abit confu#ed e oentarily but I 'athered y 3it# to'ether and reinded hi that the #ae fate 3hich had o$ercoe the 'reat .adley i'ht al#o a3ait hi.0It># too daned ipertinent,2 he bello3ed. 0Duetize it.2 .i# picture and $oice abruptly di#appeared.0I enEoyed li#tenin' to you tellin' hi off,2 an "perator naed &ip told e. 0I>d li,e to do it y#elf. %ut you>d ha$e done better if you had ,ept your outh #hut. Duetizin' 3on>t do you any 'ood.2Nic,y #eeed heartbro,en. 0I #uppo#e 3e ha$e to do it, but I don>t 3ant to. .ea$en ,no3# ho3 you>ll turn out 3hen you>re duetized.2I 3a# apprehen#i$e. &hat 3a# duetizin'F0It># a proce## by 3hich o#t of a Thin'># lattice3or, i# reo$ed and ne3 lattice3or, i# allo3ed to 'ro3 in,2 Nic,y told e. 0Lattice3or, i# the 'ro3th in your ind 3hich #tore# your habit pattern#. It># called lattice3or, becau#e it loo,# #oethin' li,e the 3ooden lattice# they u#e to #upport ro#e bu#he#. "nce lattice3or, i# reo$ed, ne3 lattice3or, 3ill 'ro3 in =uic,ly, but it ay be a $ery different ,ind of 'ro3th. The ,ind of habit# you>ll de$elop 3ill depend on the "perator# 3or,in' on you 3hile it># 'ro3in' in.2&ip a'reed. 0&ith the cre3 3e>$e 'ot in thi# outfit, you ay turn out to be =uite a ,id and then a'ain you ay turn out a# nutty a# a fruitca,e.20Let># ta,e out only a $ery #all #ection of lattice3or,,2 an "perator naed Rin, #u''e#ted. 0!rae ay be #ati#fied.2&ip had the be#t #u''e#tion. 0-et The Duc,.2The Duc, 3a# deli'hted 3ith the #tory of y inter$ie3 3ith !rae. 0I li,e Thi# "ne a# it i#,2 he #aid. 0Lea$e it# lattice3or, alone. I>ll tal, !rae out of the duetizin' idea.2Nic,y 3a# 'reatly relie$ed. 0!rae i'ht e$en ha$e decided to a,e a coplete duy out of you,2 he told e, 0and that 3ould ha$e been a headache for u#. To a,e a coplete duy, you ha$e to reo$e all the lattice3or, and continue to #crape a3ay ne3 'ro3th a# fa#t a# it 'ro3# in. < duy i# entirely at the ercy of it# "perator and ha# to be reinded of e$erythin'I bath#, bru#hin' it# teeth, eatin'. 5ou alo#t ha$e to breathe for it.2I 3a# horrified. &hy 3ould an "perator 3ant to a,e a duy out of a Thin'F0&ell, "perator# u#e duy# a# hatrac,#,2 Nic,y e)plained. 0Mo#t of the 'reat coic entertainer# are duy#. %ob .ope, for in#tance. &hen an entertainer li,e .ope i# perforin', he># erely 'i$in' out 3hat #oe "perator i# #tiulatin' hi to do. There># no lattice3or, to interfere 3ith the recei$in' of the #tiuli. In certain #ituation#, a duy can be =uite an a##et to a cle$er "perator. It># #oethin' li,e ha$in' a puppet on a #trin'.2I 3a# #till unea#y. If #oe "perator #tarted to duetize e, 3ould I be a3are of 3hat 3a# happenin'F0No,2 Nic,y told e. 0Scallopin' out lattice3or, i# painle##. "f cour#e, an "perator 3ho in#pected your head after3ard could #ee that you had been #calloped. 5ou>d realize that #oethin' had happened to you, too. 5ou>d be pretty fo''y. %ut don>t 3orry. The Duc, 3ill protect you.2&hen I a3o,e the ne)t day, I 3a# con#ciou# of a #harp pain in the bac, of y nec,. Po#iti$e that I 3a# bein' #calloped, I called frantically for Nic,y and The Duc,. %oth tuned in in#tantly.0Nobody># doin' anythin' to you,2 Nic,y #aid. 0I thin, you>$e 'ot a rheuatic pain of #oe ,ind. Maybe you #hould in$e#t in a heatin' pad.20"r a bottle of Scotch,2 #aid The Duc,.< inute after their $oice# drifted a3ay, -randa 3a# 3hi#perin' into y ear. 0They>re idiot#,2 #he #aid. 05ou 3ant to 'o to a doctor. There># #oethin' definitely 3ron' 3ith your nec,.2I located a doctor early in the afternoon. &ip cae 3ith e and told e that the doctor 3a# an "perator. 0&hat># ore,2 &ip #aid, 0he># =uite an iportant "perator 3ith a 'reat deal of po3er. .e ay do you a lot of 'ood.2I 3a# #urpri#ed to find the doctor plea#ant and cheerful. .e dia'no#ed y ailent a# an infected a#toid. 0It># a 'ood thin' you cau'ht it in tie,2 he told e. 0# protecti$e and #ypathetic bu#ybodyin'.The &e#tern %oy# left e alone fre=uently and #oe of the "perator# in the buildin' ade it a practice to drop in on #uch occa#ion#. +ro the I learned a 'reat deal about Rita, the 'odde## of the #un teple, and .adley># o#t faou# frea,. "ne afternoon, I e$en #at in on a 3or,out arran'ed for Rita.0Rita 3a# al3ay# a nice Thin',2 %ro3ney, one of the hou#e3i$e# in the buildin' 3a# tellin' e one afternoon, 0but, unfortunately, inclined to drin, hea$ily. Rita># hu#band i# an "perator. .e turned o$er Rita># charter to .adley, hopin' that .adley could #trai'hten Rita out. .adley #aid that the rea#on he flooded Rita># roo 3ith picture# of the #un 'od 3a# to fri'hten Rita into #obriety. "f cour#e, 3hen you tried to pin .adley do3n, he al3ay# could thin, of #oe 3ellCintentioned oti$e for creatin' any frea,.2# 3here the latch i#. 5ou>ll be tuned in on !rae># roo and 3e can tune in on you and hear 3hat># 'oin' on.2I 3anted to ,no3 about the latch. 0It># a li#tenin' bea,2 Hera told e. 0It can be done entally, and o#t "perator# ,eep a latch in on a Thin' 3hen the Thin' i# a#leep, but !rae># boy# do it 3ith e=uipent. That># 3hy the boy# u#ually tell you to #it on the #ofa. In that 3ay, they can tal, to you 3ithout ha$in' to e)tend.2cloc,, I 3a# #ittin' on the #ofa. Picture# of three unfailiar face# fla#hed before y face. "ne of the 3a# #3arthy and ale$olent. 0That># the Spider,2 %ro3ney #aid. There 3a#, I noticed, beneath hi# dar, e$il face, a bri'ht bo3 tie.0&hat I 3ant to ,no3,2 #aid Hera, 0i# 3hy the 3or,outF20Rita># ha$in' doubt# a'ain,2 Sally told her. 0It># a darn #hae. If they left Rita alone, Rita 3ould #nap out of that #un 'od bu#ine## ri'ht a3ay. %ut Eu#t a# #oon a# Rita 'et# doubt#, they 3or, it up a'ain.2The 3oen could hear and #ee a 'reat deal ore than I could. %ro3ney had to ,eep e infored on the acti$ity. I continued to #ee the en># face#, ho3e$er, and I noticed that they #eeed to be #tandin' near a 3indo3.0Rita li$e# in the hou#e acro## the #treet fro !rae and they>re 3or,in' on Rita throu'h the 3indo3,2 %ro3ney told e. 0%y the rule#, a# #oon a# a Thin' #tart# ha$in' doubt# about #oe delu#ion 3hich an "perator ha# #ucce##fully inEected, it ha# to be 'i$en a fair chance to thro3 the delu#ion off. < 3or,out i# arran'ed and the Thin' i# 'i$en an opportunity to be per#uaded either 3ay. In thi# 3or,out, the Spider i# 'oin' to try to con$ince Rita that there really i# a #un 'od and !aeron i# 'oin' to try to con$ince Rita that the 3hole bu#ine## i# Eu#t a delu#ion. I don>t ,no3 3hat Joc,o i# doin'.20.e># ,eepin' #core,2 Sally #aid. 0Maybe Rita># hu#band coplained to the city council and the council ordered that an official #core be #ent to the.20!an you #ee Rita># hu#band any3hereF2 Hera a#,ed.0No,2 Sally #aid, 0but you can bet he># on another latch #oe3here. Let># ,eep =uiet. I 3ant to 'et an idea of their techni=ue#. I under#tand that the Spider i# $ery cle$er.2I heard coent# fro %ro3ney and her friend# but I could hear nothin' of the 3or,out. %ro3ney #aid, finally, 0&ell, that># that. !aeron 3a# tryin' to con$ince Rita ho3 ab#urd it 3a# to thin, that a #un 'od 3ould #in'le it out for counication. Rita 3a# feelin' =uite huble and !aeron alo#t had it o$er the line. Then the Spider cae in and told Rita that the #un 'od had to ha$e #oe ortal to reCe#tabli#h hi and that Rita #hould feel 'rateful and huble to be #o honored. Rita Eu#t carried o$er the feelin' of huility into that channel. &ell, it># a chan'e, any3ay. In#tead of bein' $ain about the honor of tendin' the teple, Rita feel# huble about it.20Poor Thin',2 Sally #aid. 0&hen doe# Rita># hu#band 'et the charter bac,F20Not for #i) onth#,2 Hera #aid. 0.e>ll probably cure it of that non#en#e ri'ht a3ay and then it 3ill #tart drin,in' a'ain. I don>t ,no3 3hy he #tic,# to that Thin'.20%ecau#e of the children,2 Sally #aid. 0I ne$er appro$ed of "perator# arryin' Thin'# for that rea#on. 5ou ne$er ,no3 3hat your children are 'oin' to be, for one thin', and e$en 3hen they>re Thin'#, you>re fond of the becau#e they>re your#. re arried to a Thin' 3ho your children li,e, and he turn# out to be a lout, there you are, #tuc,.2!rae># latch, I noticed, if it ran #trai'ht fro !rae># buildin' to y #ofa, al#o ran ri'ht do3n the iddle of y bed. No 3onder they can hear e if I a3a,e in the ni'ht, I thou'ht. They u#t ha$e #oeone on that li#tenin' bea all ni'ht to a,e #ure I don>t run a3ay.I had a detached feelin' about the 'odde## of the #un teple. %ut concernin' another of .adley># e)perient#, I 3a# furiou#.The !o#tello 'irl 3a# fifteen and hi'hly intro$erted. .adley had 3on her charter one ni'ht in The -ae and he had turned her into a on#tro#ity 3orthy of hi# collection. .e had u#ed the (n'li#h lan'ua'e to accopli#h the feat, a bitter touch, a# the 'irl apparently #pent o#t of her tie readin'.0.adley con$inced the 'irl that thi# planet i# really pur'atory,2 %ro3ney told e, 0and that it 3a# populated 3ith #oul# 3or,in' their 3ay to .ea$en. and Lfi#heren> 3ere #uppo#ed to refer to de$il#. &ord# 3ith a hard LI> #ound, li,e Lfire> and Leye,> referred to the torent# inflicted by the de$il#.20I> be'innin' to thin, .adley ha# a reli'iou# cople) hi#elf,2 I #aid.0&ell,2 %ro3ney told e, 0it># one of the be#t #ubEect# to u#e in plantin' delu#ion#. $e ne$er 'one around di#cu##in' 3hat you do ,no3 3ith other Thin'# and that 3ill ipre## the council.2That e$enin' the LuberEac, "perator, %o#t, cae in to tell e that y adEudication had been po#tponed. The adEudicator had a#,ed for a full bill of particular# concernin' e, and the LuberEac,# felt that it 3ould ta,e the council a onth to 'ather the nece##ary inforation about e.0&here 3ill they 'et thi# inforationF20+ro "perator# you ,ne3 and fro the copany you 3or,ed for,2 %o#t #aid. 0"ur attorney ad$i#e# that you #end in your re#i'nation to your copany ri'ht a3ay. They>re 'oin' to be on the hoo, and they>re li,ely to 'i$e a 'ood report of you if you>re not on their boo,#, a #tatu# 3hich 3ill ebarra## the, con#iderin' the nature of thi# e)perient.2That e$enin' I #ent an official re#i'nation to y copany. I felt #ad about it becau#e I had planned to return. I cae hoe to find .inton># $oice 3aitin' for e.0Than, -od,2 he #aid. 05ou finally 'ot that place out of your future.2I reebered %urt and for a oent I 3i#hed that I i'ht be able to #ee .inton># head. I 3ould ha$e thro3n #oethin' at it.0Sophi#ticated i# coin' bac,,2 Nic,y told e. 0.e># e)pected toni'ht. 5ou>ll li,e hi. .e u#ed to be a eber of our or'anization but he couldn>t 'et alon' 3ith .adley. The Spider adire# hi treendou#ly and a#,ed hi to return a# #oon a# .adley left.2I 3a# doubtful about anyone the Spider 3ould adire and I decided to 3ar up to Sophi#ticated by #lo3 and careful #ta'e#. %ut I found hi to be #uch an attracti$e per#onality that I capitulated iediately."n the ni'ht of hi# arri$al, Sophi#ticated cae in to tal, to e and o#t of the boy# cae 3ith hi. In an#3er to hi# =ue#tion#, I told hi ho3 I felt about bein' a 'uinea pi' in a ca'e and 3ent into detail# concernin' the leanne## of y poc,etboo, and the inEu#tice of y ha$in' to finance the e)perient y#elf.0 not only li$in' in a ca'e, I> li$in' in a croo,ed ca'e. Thi# e)perient i# ore difficult for e than the "perator# realize. It force# e to li$e in a double 3orld. It># li,e ha$in' a a'ic irror throu'h 3hich I> ob#er$in' 3hat># happenin' on the oon 3hile I> 'oin' about the bu#ine## of li$in' on the earth.2Sophi#ticated re#ponded by dra3in' a #erie# of cartoon# about a 'uinea pi' in a ca'e. < picture of a 'uinea pi' #tandin' on it# hind le'#, ar'uin' 3ith 3hiteCEac,eted doctor#. < picture of a 'uinea pi' huddled in a corner of it# ca'e, countin' it# pennie# and coplainin', 0Iand I ha$e to feed y#elf.2 The cartoon# 3ere cle$erly dra3n and the 'uinea pi' 3a# #,etched a# an appealin' anial. &ell, I thou'ht, I #ee to au#e Sophi#ticated a# uch a# I do the other "perator# and, con#iderin' the circu#tance#, that># a# 'ood an ipre##ion a# I can hope to a,e.t tell e that .adley 3a# priarily intere#ted in ,no3in' ho3 # one thin' to tell a #tory li,e that in#ide a #anitariu and =uite another thin' to tell it to a p#ychiatri#t 3ho#e office you>re $i#itin' and to 3ho you>re payin' oney. 5ou u#t realize by thi# tie that your #ilence i# !rae># 'reate#t a##et. If you tal,ed, thi# e)perient i'ht #top ri'ht a3ay. Loo, in a phone boo,, pic, out a doctor, a,e an appointent, and 'o to #ee hi.2I located the li#tin' for p#ycholo'i#t# and #elected a nae at rando.0Muic,,2 -randa #aid, 03rite thi# do3n #oe3here. LShould I e$er lo#e y eory, it i# iportant for e to reeber that I a ne$er, under any circu#tance#, to return to the copany that eployed e.>00&hat a,e# you thin, I>ll lo#e y eory,2 I a#,ed her.0That># one of the fe3 3ay# they can 'et you off ali$e. My 'ue## i# that e$en if the LuberEac,# 3in the adEudication for you, the adEudicator 3ill enforce a #entence of ane#ia on you.2$e a#,ed hi to pay #pecial attention to your per#onal need#,2 Nic,y #aid. 05ou>re becoin' for'etful. 5ou for'ot to bru#h your teeth thi# ornin' and you didn>t put up your hair la#t ni'ht. 5ou can>t becoe carele##. 5ou>ll loo, li,e a frup.2I 3a# di#turbed becau#e I realized that Nic,y># #tateent# 3ere true. I 3a# becoin' increa#in'ly for'etful, e$en of the echanical routine# of 'rooin'. < horrible thou'ht #truc, e.Nic,y #i'hed. 05e#,2 he #aid, 0that># ri'ht. 5ou>$e been partially duetized. !rae in#i#ted upon it and the Spider did it one ni'ht 3hile you 3ere a#leep. Muite a fe3 of your habit pattern# ha$e di#appeared. Don>t 3orry about it. Ne3 habit pattern# 3ill de$elop a# #oon a# the ne3 lattice3or, 'ro3# in. d pay a $i#it to the doctor and tell hi about it.&ip Seple 3a# youn', about nineteen, not a $ery bri'ht boy, but 'entle and =uiet. The fir#t day on the Eob, he per#uaded e to 'o out for a 3al, and #teered e in the direction of a o$ie theater. 0Let># 'o rela),2 he #aid.< #hort di#tance fro the theater, &ip a#,ed e to #top. 0I> 3al,in' t3o bloc,# in bac, of you,2 he #aid. 0&hen you 'et to the dru' #tore on the corner, 'o in and ha$e a #oda. I>$e 'ot to #ee #oebody 3ho li$e# near here.2I 3ent into the dru' #tore and ordered a alted.0&hat are you doin',2 #aid a #tran'e $oice in y head.0I> ha$in' a alted,2 I thou'ht.0&ho #aid that,2 a#,ed the $oice.0Thi# Thin' did,2 #aid a #econd $oice. 0If you>re a#,in' 3hat I> doin', I> ta,in' a loo, at thi# Thin'># 3ood3or,. It># the danede#t 3ood3or, I e$er #a3. 5ou ,no3 3ho I thin, thi# i#F !rae># LThi# "ne.>00I 3ant a loo,,2 #aid Nuber "ne.0No board, no #hac,, no co$er,2 #aid Nuber T3o. 0They>$e 'ot it open on a hin'e.20I under#tand that they ,eep it 3ide open o#t of the tie,2 #aid Nuber "ne.2 It tal,# to you if you a#, it =ue#tion#.20Li#ten2 #aid &ip># $oice #uddenly, 0'et the hell off the prei#e#.20It># &ip Seple,2 #aid Nuber "ne. 0Let># bloc, hi off and ha$e a 'ood loo, at thi# Thin'.20!hri#t,2 #aid &ip and hi# $oice di#appeared.I he#itated bet3een runnin' for hoe and #tayin' 3here I 3a#. I decided to #tay, thin,in' that I i'ht pic, up a fe3 fact# about !rae 3hich I hadn>t been able to 'et fro The &e#tern %oy#.Nuber "ne 'roaned #uddenly, 0Stoned. I> 'ettin' out. I can>t #tone bac,. I> not loaded.20&ell, I a,2 #aid Nuber T3o, 0I 'ot a load of #tuff a fe3 inute# a'o and I>ll u#e it on 3hoe$er trie# to 'et e.2 In a fe3 inute#, hi# #crea# ran' in y ear#.0&ell, they>re 'one,2 #aid &ip. 0-olly, #o any people in thi# to3n ha$e heard about Thi# "ne, you can>t e$en 3al, do3n the #treet 3ith it, 3ithout #oe dan bu#ybody tryin' to coe in.20# one of the be#t #toner# in to3n. .e># 'ot #uch a hard head he can>t be #toned e$en if a ob of "perator# 'an' up on hi.20Tho#e t3o Eer,# are fro !onroy># or'anization,2 +ri#co #aid, 0and they i'ht be bac, 3ith #oe ore of their ob. &here 3ere you ta,in' thi# Thin'F20&e>$e 'ot to call it Thi# "ne,2 &ip told hi. 0The Duc, thin,# it #ound# nicer and he doe#n>t 3ant to hurt it# feelin'#. .e 'a$e e order# to ta,e it to a o$ie and that># 3here I> 'oin'. %ut I> afraid tho#e hu#hhead# i'ht coe bac, and 'o for e.20I>ll coe to the o$ie 3ith you,2 +ri#co #aid. 0I> not doin' anythin' in particular.2 &e proceeded to the theater 3here I 3a# plea#antly #urpri#ed to find that the feature 3a# &alt Di#ney># Vanishing Prairie.0ll ,eep y eye# open for trouble.2< cartoon 3a# fla#hin' on the #creen 3hen I 3al,ed into the theater. %efore it had fini#hed, !onroy># "perator# 3ere bac, loo,in' for $en'eance. The fir#t e$idence that they 3ere 'ettin' it 3a# &ip># an'ui#hed #crea. 0They 'ot e,2 he #aid. 0I 'otta 'et out. Li#ten, Thi# "neI2 .i# $oice #topped abruptly.0Stay 3here you are, Thi# "ne,2 +ri#co #aid. 0I>ll fini#h off the#e character#.2 < bedla of $oice# #uddenly ru#hed in on y ear#. Petrified, I #at in y #eat and 3aited. I could hear +ri#co># hi'hCpitched $oice ri#in' abo$e the bedla and I decided that I 3a# rea#onably #afe #o lon' a# I continued to hear hi. The $oice# becae fe3er and fe3er until only +ri#co># yellin' reained. ll be a lot of headache# in !onroy># or'anization toni'ht. 5ou #it 3here you are and I>ll 'i$e &ip a phone call. .e># 'one bac, to !rae>#.2The Vanishing Prairie 3a# o$er before it occurred to e that I had heard nothin' fro +ri#co in o$er an hour. Deli'hted 3ith the #ilence, I #at throu'h the o$ie a #econd tie. !on#iderably rela)ed, I cae hoe. # $oice #aid, 0&ell, I deli$ered you #afe and #ound. I had a 'ood #leep y#elf. %e #eein' you around.2&ip># $oice, hoar#e but reco'nizable, #aid, 0Than,#, +ri#co. !oe in, Thi# "ne. Rin, i# 'oin' to ta,e you o$er for the ni'ht. I> not able to operate.2Rin, li#tened to y account of +ri#co># battle 3ith !onroy># ob.0&hat did +ri#co ean 3hen he #aid he 3a# loaded to the hiltF2 I a#,ed.0.e had probably Eu#t bou'ht a load,2 Rin, told e. 0It># the #tuff "perator# #tone 3ith. 5ou 'et it at any dru' #tore. It coe# in little tablet# and 3hen an "perator #3allo3# a fe3, he># char'ed 3ith the ,ind of ener'y he need# to #tone 3ith.2I reebered the con$er#ation of !onroy># en. 0They #aid y head 3a# open on a hin'e.20It 3a#, then,2 Rin, #aid. The picture of the outline of a head fla#hed before y eye#. 0I> proEectin' a picture #o you>ll under#tand thi#. &hen a Thin'># ind i# open on a hin'e, the cell# around the out#ide of the ind are clo#ed ti'htly e)cept for a little #ection at the top.2 t re#i#t it.20!onroy># en #aid there 3a# no board or #hac, on y ind.20"f cour#e not,2 Rin, told e. 0%oardin' and #hac,in' are proce##e# 3hich #eal the cell# about the ind and #o pre$ent any "perator fro 'ettin' in. "f cour#e, "perator# don>t re#ort to either boardin' or #hac,in' unle## the Thin'># ind can>t be #hut. < ind that i# #hut ha# been clo#ed and then loc,ed 3ith a #pecial ental code that no one ,no3# e)cept the "perator 3ho i# operatin' the Thin'. Mo#t Thin'# are protected fro other "perator# by a #hut head.20.a# y head been daa'ed #o it can>t be #hutF20+ran,ly, I thin, it ha# been. .o3e$er, it># nothin' to 3orry about. .ead# can al3ay# be ended by one proce## or another.20Rin,, 3ould you #ho3 e a picture of lattice3or,F2"bli'in'ly, he dre3 an inner circle in#ide the outline of the head, about an inch fro the ri. 0$e done in your head ha# been to #crape #oe of the lattice3or, a3ay on the #ide#. "f cour#e, o#t Thin'# depend on their habit pattern# to 'et the throu'h their daily acti$itie# 3hen an "perator i#n>t around to #tiulate the. 5ou>d be #urpri#ed at ho3 little thin,in' i# done by Thin'#. Mo#t of the Eu#t follo3 pattern# #oe "perator ha# carefully culti$ated in their head#. &hen lattice3or, i# #craped a3ay, a Thin' find# that he can>t thin, too 3ell. %ut actually it># not hi# thin,in' ability that ha# been affected. It># Eu#t that he ha# depended upon habit pattern# in#tead of upon thin,in'.20.o3 uch lattice3or, do they ta,e off 3hen they a,e a full duyF2# a duy 3ith a top ,not,2 #aid Rin,. 0$e been able to buy a part of your operatin' tie. &e hired a local "perator, a 3oan naed .azel. She>ll coe in to operate you for u#.2.azel cae in before he left. She 3a# a rou'h and ready indi$idual 3ith a $oice li,e a booin' bell. I li,ed her ien#ely. She 3a# ob$iou#ly an indi$idual 3ho 3a#n>t 'oin' to be ea#ily fri'htened by !rae and Eu#t a# ob$iou#ly a per#on 3ho preferred action to tal,. I enEoyed her and 3a# deli'hted 3hen #he cae bac, e$ery afternoon. &ip dete#ted her and 3ould u#ually clear out a# #oon a# #he appeared, and coe bac, in a #ul, after #he had 'one..azel ne$er i##ed an opportunity to criticize !rae># boy# and #he told e any #torie# to illu#trate their #hortcoin'#. # outfit #ound li,e a bunch of do'#. &hat #he doe#n>t e)plain i# that 3hat they do i# Eu#t plain hoo, operatin'. There># nothin' 3ron' 3ith it.2I 3anted to ,no3 ore.0&am