and was startled.
"Why, Mr. Symmes, it's been so long since you've talked." She paused,but realized that she had not answered his question.
"It's '73, of course. Last year was '72, so tonight's the start of '73."
'73? Had it been fifty years since he came here? Had it been just thatlong?
"What--" She leaned closer to him as he struggled for the word."What--century?"
Her astonishment was gone. He was teasing her, like the woman on thenext level. These old ones were great for that!
"Now, Mr. Symmes, everybody knows what century it is." She smiled at himglowingly, thinking she had caught him at a prank. It was nice, shethought, to have gotten through to him tonight, on the eve of the newyear. That meant that she was living up to her motto the way she oughtto be.
She'd have to tell the supervisor about it.
Oliver Symmes turned to face the ceiling, his mind full of dustywhispers. What century was it? She hadn't answered. It might have been ahundred and fifty years ago he came here, instead of just fifty. Orpossibly two hundred and fifty, or ...
"Now, you be good, and sleep tight, and I'll see you in the morning."Her hand passed over a glowing stud and the room light dimmed to a quietglow. Lying there in the bed, he did look like a teddy bear, a dearlittle teddy bear. She was so happy.
"Good night, Mr. Symmes."
She closed the door.
* * * * *
Outside, bells were ringing.
"Happy New Year."
The ceiling stared back at him.
The mad sound of people crazed for the moment, shouting, echoed thebells.
"Happy New Year!"
He turned his head to one side.
"Happy New Year!"
And again ... and again ... and again.
--JAMES McCONNELL
Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from _Galaxy Science Fiction_ January 1953. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and typographical errors have been corrected without note.
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