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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
135
"I
just
graduated,"
Barrent
said.
"Haven't
had
a
chance
to
get
the
clothes."
"Oh.
Well,
you
should
get
the
proper
wear,"
the
man
said
sententiously.
"How
can
a
citizen
tell
your
status?"
"Just
a
test
sampling,"
Barrent
said.
"Thank
you
for
your
cooperation,
sir.
Perhaps
I'll
have
a
chance
to
interview
you
again
in
the
near
future."
"Any
time,"
the
man
said.
He
nodded
politely
and
walked
off.
Barrent
thought
about
it,
and
decided
that
the
occupation
of
Opinioner
was
perfect
for
him.
It
would
give
him
the
all-important
right
to
ask
questions,
to
meet
people,
to
find
out
how
Earth
lived.
He
would
have
to
be
careful,
of
course,
not
to
reveal
his
ignorance.
But
working
with
circumspection,
he
should
have
a
general
knowledge
of
this
civilization
in
a
few
days.
First,
he
would
have
to
buy
Opinioners'
clothing.
That
seemed
to
be
important.
The
trouble
was,
he
had
no
money
with
which
to
pay
for
it.
The
Group
had
been
unable
to
duplicate
Earth
money;
they
couldn't
even
remember
what
it
looked
like.
But
they
had
provided
him
with
a
means
of
overcoming
even
that
obstacle.
Barrent
turned
and
went
into
the
nearest
costumer's.
The
proprietor
was
a
short
man
with
china-blue
eyes
and
a
salesman's
ready
smile.
He
welcomed
Barrent
and
asked
how
he
could
be
of
service.
"I
need
Opinioners'
clothing,"
Barrent
told
him.
"I've
just
graduated."
"Of
course,
sir,"
the
owner
said.
"And
you've
come
to
the
right
place
for
it.
Most
of
the
smaller
stores
don't
carry
the
clothing
for
anything
but
the
more
...
ah
...
common
professions.
But
here
at
Jules
Wonderson's,
we
have
ready-wears
for
all
of
the
five
hundred
and
twenty
major
professions
listed
in
the
Civil
Status
Almanac.
I
am
Jules
Wonderson."
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