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167
The Status Civilization
·
Robert Sheckley
51
"Is
addiction
necessary?"
"It's
important,"
Arkdragen
told
him,
"as
well
as
being
inescapable.
All
our
drugs
are
habit-forming,
as
the
law
requires.
You
see,
to
really
appreciate
a
drug,
you
must
build
up
a
need
for
it.
It
heightens
pleasure
enormously,
to
say
nothing
of
the
increase
in
toleration.
That's
why
I
suggest
that
you
begin
with--"
"I
want
a
dream
about
Earth,"
Barrent
said.
"Very
well,"
Arkdragen
said
grudgingly.
"But
we
will
not
be
responsible
for
any
traumas
which
accrue."
He
led
Barrent
into
a
long
passageway.
It
was
lined
with
doors,
and
behind
some
of
them
Barrent
could
hear
dull
moans
and
gasps
of
pleasure.
"Experiencers,"
Arkdragen
said,
without
further
explanation.
He
took
Barrent
to
an
open
room
near
the
end
of
the
corridor.
Within
sat
a
cheerful-looking
bearded
man
in
a
white
coat
reading
a
book.
"Good
evening,
Doctor
Wayn,"
Arkdragen
said.
"This
is
Citizen
Barrent.
First
visit.
He
insists
upon
an
Earth
dream."
Arkdragen
turned
and
left.
"Well,"
the
doctor
said,
"I
guess
we
can
manage
that."
He
put
down
his
book.
"Just
lie
down
over
there,
Citizen
Barrent."
In
the
center
of
the
room
was
a
long,
adjustable
table.
Above
it
hung
a
complicated-looking
instrument.
At
the
end
of
the
room
were
glass-sided
cabinets
filled
with
square
jars;
they
reminded
Barrent
of
his
antidotes.
He
lay
down.
Doctor
Wayn
put
him
through
a
general
examination,
then
a
specific
check
for
suggestibility,
hypnotic
index,
reactions
to
the
eleven
basic
drug
groups,
and
susceptibility
to
tetanic
and
epileptic
seizures.
He
jotted
down
his
results
on
a
pad,
checked
his
figures,
went
to
a
cabinet,
and
began
mixing
drugs.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
