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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
26
"The
Registration
Office
is
over
this
way,"
one
of
the
Hadjis
told
him.
"We'll
act
as
your
witnesses."
Barrent
still
had
only
a
limited
understanding
of
the
situation.
But
since
things
were
suddenly
going
his
way,
he
decided
to
accept
whatever
happened
without
question.
There
would
be
plenty
of
time
later
to
find
out
where
he
stood.
Accompanied
by
the
Hadjis,
he
went
to
the
Registration
Office
on
Gunpoint
Square.
There
a
bored
clerk
heard
the
entire
story,
produced
Draken's
business
papers,
and
pasted
Barrent's
name
over
Draken's.
Barrent
noticed
that
several
other
names
had
been
pasted
over.
There
seemed
to
be
a
fast
turnover
of
businesses
in
Tetrahyde.
He
found
that
he
was
now
the
owner
of
an
antidote
shop
at
3
Blazer
Boulevard.
The
business
papers
also
officially
recognized
Barrent's
new
rank
as
a
Free
Citizen.
The
clerk
gave
him
a
ring
of
status,
made
of
gunmetal,
and
advised
him
to
change
into
Citizen's
clothing
as
soon
as
possible
if
he
wished
to
avoid
unpleasant
incidents.
Outside,
the
Hadjis
wished
him
luck.
Barrent
decided
to
see
what
his
new
business
was
like.
Blazer
Boulevard
was
a
short
alley
running
between
two
streets.
Near
the
middle
of
it
was
a
store
front
with
a
sign
which
read:
ANTIDOTE
SHOP.
Beneath
that
it
read:
Specifics
for
every
poison,
whether
animal,
vegetable,
or
mineral.
Carry
our
handy
Do
It
Yourself
Survival
Kit.
Twenty-three
antidotes
in
one
pocket-sized
container!
Barrent
opened
the
door
and
went
in.
Behind
a
low
counter
he
saw
ceiling-high
shelves
stocked
with
labeled
bottles,
cans
and
cartons,
and
square
glass
jars
containing
odd
bits
of
leaves,
twigs,
and
fungus.
In
back
of
the
counter
was
a
small
shelf
of
books
with
titles
like
Quick
Diagnosis
in
Acute
Poisoning
Cases;
The
Arsenic
Family;
and
The
Permutations
of
Henbane.
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