"Jack C. Haldeman II - We, the People" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haldeman Jack C)

WE, THE PEOPLE
Jack C. Haldeman II

[23 may 2002тАФproofed for #bookz]

The eggs were just the way he liked them. Mark ate slowly, enjoying the luxury of a leisurely
breakfast. Outside his window the city was beginning to stir. Rain had been programmed for last night,
and the streets were still damp. Across the room his cat was curled up in a patch of sunlight on the sofa,
his tail swishing back and forth. The apartment was quiet, and he dragged breakfast out as long as he
could. Finally he got up, set his plate on the floor for the cat to lick, and walked across the room to his
desk.
"Good morning," he said automatically.
"GOOD MORNING, MARK. DID YOU SLEEP WELL?"
Mark looked at the words as they danced across the screen. "Kind of a bad night," he said. "My
arthritis is acting up again."
"THAT'S TOO BAD, MARK. WAS IT YOUR KNEES?"
"No, just my hands this time." He looked at his swollen knuckles and ran them through his thinning
gray hair. There were worse things.
"THAT'S THE THIRD TIME THIS MONTH. DO YOU WANT ME TO FLASH DR.
CROMWELL?"
"No, that's okay. I'll be seeing him next week."
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY IS, MARK?"
"Saturday." It couldn't be his birthday. He'd told the desk to stop reminding him of those several
years ago.
TODAY IS APRIL 15TH."
"So what?"
"THIS IS TAX DAY. WE HAVE TO FILE BY MIDNIGHT."
"I forgot," he said.
"YOU HAVE BEEN PUTTING THIS OFF FOR MONTHS. SHALL WE START?"
Mark looked around the room. The cat was busily licking the plate. He felt old. You could block
out birthdays, but not the IRS. "I guess we might as well get it over with," he said.
"THIS IS A PATRIOTIC OBLIGATION, MARK. YOU SHOULD FEEL PRIVILEGED TO
DO YOUR PART."
"Can the pep talk. Let's go."
"DO YOU WANT THE SHORT FORM OR THE LONG FORM?"
"Don't be stupid."
"I AM REQUIRED BY LAW TO ASK YOU THAT."
"Does anybody use the short forms?"
"CERTAIN CONVICTED FELONS MUST USE THE SHORT FORM, HAVING
SACRIFICED FREEDOM OF CHOICE."
"I'm not a convicted felon and I'm not an idiot. Let's have the long form."
"VERY WELL, MARK. BASED ON LAST YEAR'S INCOME OF $52,753.68, YOU HAVE
AN ADJUSTED TAX OF $4,963.47. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE CALCULATIONS?"
"Yes."
 Mark scanned the figures as they rolled by. His income was higher than he'd thought, but not much
more than comfortable, what with prices these days. Semi-retired, he did occasional projects for a
variety of ecological organizations. He worked at home. He didn't get out much anymore.
"They look okay," he said.
"DO YOU WISH TO ITEMIZE THE ALLOCATION OF YOUR TAX MONEY?"
"Now you're being stupid again. Why else would I use the long form? Doesn't everybody?"