"Connie Willis - Even The Queen" - читать интересную книгу автора (Willis Connie)

bullied Perdita into surrendering to the enslaving male patriarchy."
"I have?" I said.
"You've obviously employed mind control, and I want you to know we intend to file charges." She hung
up. The phone rang again immediately, another universal.
"What is the good of signatures when no one of ever uses them?" I said and picked up the phone.
"Hi, Mom," Perdita said. "I thought you'd want to know I've changed my mind about joining the
Cyclists."
"Really?" I said, trying not to sound jubilant.
"I found out they wear this red scarf thing on their arm. It covers up Sitting Bull's horse."
"That is a problem," I said.
"Well, that's not all. My docent told me about your lunch. Did Grandma Karen really tell you you were
right?"
"Yes."
"Gosh! I didn't believe that part. Well, anyway, my docent said you wouldn't listen to her about how
great menstruating is, that you all kept talking about the negative aspects of it, like bloating and cramps
and crabbiness, and I said, 'What are cramps?' and she said, 'Menstrual bleeding frequently causes
headaches and depression,' and I said, 'Bleeding!? Nobody ever said anything about bleeding!' Why

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didn't you tell me there was blood involved, Mother?"
I had, but I felt it wiser to keep silent.
"And you didn't say a word about its being painful. And all the hormone fluctuations! Anybody'd have
to be crazy to want to go through that when they didn't have to! How did you stand it before the
Liberation?"
"They were days of dark oppression," I said.
"I guess! Well, anyway, I quit and now my docent is really mad. But I told her it was a case of personal
sovereignty, and she has to respect my decision. I'm still going to become a floratarian, though, and I
don't want you to try to talk me out of it."
"I wouldn't dream of it," I said.
"You know, this whole thing is really your fault, Mom! If you'd told me about the pain part in the first
place, none of this would have happened. Viola's right! You never tell us anything!"
The End




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