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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
143
"Haven't
you
any
idea
what
goes
on
in
the
closed
classes?"
"Sorry,
I
don't.
At
a
guess--and
it's
only
a
guess,
mind
you--I'd
say
it's
probably
something
religious.
But
you'd
have
to
ask
a
teacher
for
that."
"Thank
you,
sir.
And
how
do
you
classify
yourself
statuswise?"
"Middle
middle
class.
Not
much
doubt
about
that."
(Citizen
Maryjane
Morgan,
age
51,
occupation
school-teacher.
A
tall,
bony
woman.)
"Yes,
sir,
I
think
that
just
about
sums
up
our
curriculum
at
the
Little
Beige
Schoolhouse."
"Except
for
the
closed
classes."
"I
beg
your
pardon,
sir?"
"The
closed
classes.
You
haven't
discussed
those."
"I'm
afraid
I
can't."
"Why
not,
Citizen
Morgan?"
"Is
this
a
trick
question?
Everyone
knows
that
teachers
aren't
allowed
in
the
closed
classes."
"Who
is
allowed
in?"
"The
children,
of
course."
"But
who
teaches
them?"
"The
government
is
in
charge
of
that."
"Of
course.
But
who,
specifically,
does
the
teaching
in
the
closed
classes?"
"I
have
no
idea,
sir.
It's
none
of
my
business.
The
closed
classes
are
an
ancient
and
respected
institution.
What
goes
on
in
them
is
quite
possibly
of
a
religious
nature.
But
that's
only
a
guess.
Whatever
it
is,
it's
none
of
my
business.
Nor
is
it
yours,
young
man,
Opinioner
or
not."
"Thank
you,
Citizen
Morgan."
(Citizen
Edgar
Nief,
age
107,
occupation
retired
officer.
A
tall,
stooped
man
with
cane,
icy
blue
eyes
undimmed
by
age.)
"A
little
louder,
please.
What
was
that
question
again?"
"About
the
armed
forces.
Specifically
I
asked--"
"I
remember
now.
Yes,
young
man,
I
was
a
colonel
in
the
Twenty-first
North
American
Spaceborne
Commando,
which
was
a
regular
unit
of
the
Earth
Defense
Corps."
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