Hugo Awards: The Short Stories (Volume 2)

by Anthology

  But wasn't that what he was doing right now, pretending to be Andrew?

  "Andrew? Are you okay?"

  "Yes, Miss Ellis. I --"

  Tony was interrupted by a sharp buzz, and he looked up. At the front of the classroom appeared an older man with thick grey hair. He headed straight for Tony, a scowl on his face, and Tony looked down again, in fear.

  He heard Miss Ellis speak. "Mr. Drummond, what are you doing here?"

  The man didn't answer Miss Ellis. He went right up to Tony and said, "Give them back! They're mine!"

  Tony shivered. It had been too good to last; now he was going to be found out. This man was obviously Andrew's father, come to get the spex back.

  "Mr. Drummond!" said Miss Ellis, with an angry tone that was familiar to Tony. "I would appreciate it if you would not interrupt my class to talk with your son! Can't this wait until later?"

  "This is not me -- I mean, this is not my son!" Mr. Drummond shouted.

  There was silence for a moment. Tony felt Miss Ellis move next to him and Mr. Drummond. "What's going on?" she asked.

  "This kid stole my -- I mean, my son's spex!"

  Tony looked up at Miss Ellis, and saw her smile. Facing Mr. Drummond, she said, "That's you, isn't it, Andrew?"

  For the first time since he appeared, "Mr. Drummond" looked uncomfortable. "Ummm, yeah, Miss Ellis. I had to use Dad's spex to jack in. Whoever this is--" he pointed at Tony-- "stole my own spex."

  "Ah-ha. Andrew, go home. I'll take care of this."

  "Ummm. You won't tell my Dad, will you? I don't want him to know that I've been careless."

  "No, I won't tell him. Now go. I'll contact you later."

  The image of Andrew's father vanished, and Miss Ellis turned to Tony. He was on the verge of tears.

  "Well, young man, who are you?"

  He sniffled, and whispered, "My name's Tony."

  "Tony? Did you steal Andrew's spex?"

  "Yes." He could barely hear himself.

  Miss Ellis sighed. "Why?"

  Tony looked up into Miss Ellis's eyes, and it all started pouring out of him. "I just wanted to go to a good school, one where I wouldn't be afraid, where the teachers and kids are nice, where I don't have to worry about guns or drugs or being beaten up or --" Tony stopped. He felt as if everyone was staring at him. They probably were, but it was too late to take back anything he had said.

  "I found the spex in Manhattan, Miss Ellis. I know it was wrong, but I didn't care. I just wanted to go to school somewhere nice. I'm sorry." He started to sob.

  "Class, I'll be back in a moment. No one jack out."

  Miss Ellis tapped at the air to the side of her face, and the classroom around Tony vanished.

  Tony found himself alone with Miss Ellis in a much smaller room furnished with a desk, chair and sofa. He had been sitting at a desk; now he was standing. He was still crying, though. He wasn't worried that Miss Ellis would beat him, since she really couldn't hurt him through the spex. She might yell at him instead, but when she spoke her voice was calm.

  "Tony, I've brought us here so we could talk alone for a few minutes, away from the rest of the class. I hope you don't mind, but I didn't think you'd want to continue talking about this in front of everyone."

  Tony nodded, and wiped away the tears on his face using his sleeve. He didn't want to get the datagloves wet. "Thanks."

  Miss Ellis sat on the chair, and motioned Tony to the sofa. As he sat down, he spotted his image in a mirror he hadn't seen before. He still looked like Andrew.

  "Tony, why don't we start with you telling me about yourself, like where you live and what your full name is."

  "I'm not going to get into trouble, am I?" he asked.

  Miss Ellis smiled. "No, you're not, Tony. I want to help you."

  Tony told Miss Ellis about his life; in particular, about the horrors of his awful school. He was surprised to discover that Miss Ellis also lived in Manhattan, but downtown, below the fence. When Miss Ellis found out that Tony was black, she made some adjustments and asked Tony to check his appearance in the mirror. Tony was surprised to see a black kid facing back. It still didn't look like him, so he told Miss Ellis more about his real appearance. He watched as Miss Ellis changed the image again, until it more closely resembled his true appearance.

  When Tony was satisfied, Miss Ellis gave him a long hard look. "Tony, I'm not going to tell you how wrong you were to steal the spex, because I can see how bad you already feel." She paused. "And, frankly, I agree with what you did."

  Tony was surprised. The teacher thought it was okay that he stole something?

  "I guess it's because I remember when those spex you're wearing were first developed. They were praised as being the first step to solving the problem of violence in schools -- if the students weren't physically in one real place, they wouldn't be able to hurt each other."

  "Do you mean that I was supposed to have the spex in the first place? Is that why you approve?"

  "Well, I don't really approve of the stealing. But I understand. After all, Tony, you and kids like you were the main reason they were invented in the first place. But I guess people forgot that it's not enough to develop the proper technology. You've got to fund it too."

  Miss Ellis stood up and walked across the room, her back to Tony. She took a deep breath, and then turned around to face him.

  "Tony? Would you like to stay in telepresence school? Not have to go back to your old school ever again?"

  Tony's eyes opened wide and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "You mean I can stay?" He tried to keep the eagerness out of his voice.

  "Well, not as Andrew. This is going to be difficult to arrange. Technically, you can't come to telepresence school unless you can afford it, and obviously you can't. But we might be able to sneak you in."

  Tony couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Sneak me in? Isn't that as bad as my taking a pair of spex?"

  "Yes and no. I might be able to work it out so that you have your own set of spex, and can attend my class on a regular basis. We'd have to get you a full simulator too, if you want to participate in outdoor games. But you won't be able to attend as yourself."

  "You just said I can't be Andrew. I don't understand."

  Miss Ellis sighed. "Tony, I believe you have a right to be here, as much right as any other student. But I personally can't afford to pay for you. And I suspect that your parents can't either."

  "My Mom. We don't know where Dad is."

  "Your mother, then. The problem, Tony, is that the computer that runs telepresence school keeps track of every student through the spex, and so it knows how to charge you. Your little visit today cost Andrew's family some money."

  This made Tony feel worse. "Then maybe I shouldn't be here at all."

  "No, Tony, you can be here. I have a -- a friend who can do something to a pair of spex so you won't be charged, but the cost of attending will be spread out onto all the other students. That way, no one student will be charged too much for you, and you'll be able to attend the school."

  "Isn't that stealing?"

  Miss Ellis thought a moment. "Technically, yes, but the theft is so small and spread out that no one would notice. Besides, it's the only way I can arrange it.

  "So, Tony, would you like to attend telepresence school?"

  "Yes, Miss Ellis, very much," he whispered. After all, he told himself, it couldn't be completely wrong if the teacher was willing to do it.

  "Okay, but we can't let you enroll as Tony, because the other students know who you are."

  "Does that mean I have to be white?"

  "No, Tony, of course not. No one else has seen your real appearance but me, so you can look like yourself if you wish. That's no problem. But we'll have to call you by a different name, and probably pretend that you live somewhere other than Manhattan. Will that be okay?"

  "Fine. Ummm...Miss Ellis?"

  "Yes?"

  "Why are you doing this?"

&
nbsp; Miss Ellis frowned, and for a moment Tony worried that he had just said the wrong thing. But then she smiled. "Never mind, Tony, it isn't something you need to worry about. In the meantime, you'd better give me your phone number and go home. Tell your mother I'll call her tonight."

  * * *

  "Excellent work, Howard."

  "Thank you, Miss Ellis," Tony said. For three months now he had been enrolled at the telepresence school, in the same class that he had visited using Andrew's spex. Tony now had spex of his own, along with a full simulator, and had begun to strike up a few friendships with the other students, including, oddly enough, Andrew.

  Of course, they didn't think of him as Tony. He was "Howard," from a middle-class family living in Forest Hills on Long Island. Forest Hills had once been a part of the city, but was now a neighborhood in one of the three independent boroughs, a place where it was reasonable to assume that a family had the money to send a child to telepresence school.

  At first, Tony felt strange pretending to be from someplace where he was not. But Miss Ellis had brought him through a virtual representation of the neighborhood before bringing him into the school, and fortunately, none of the other students had tried to trip him up with questions about his hometown.

  Which was good, because Tony was happy here. He couldn't remember ever having been happier.

  "Howard? Are you with us?"

  "Oh, sorry, Miss Ellis, I was just thinking." Tony felt his cheeks flush as the rest of the students turned around to stare at him in his back row seat. Fortunately, no one could see his embarrassment in the virtual classroom.

  "As I was saying, it's time for playground recess, so everyone get ready." With that, Miss Ellis tapped at the air next to her ear, and the class was virtually transported to the playground "outside." They did this every day of school, but it never stopped to amaze Tony. He always felt a warm sun and cool breeze playing against his face, which seemed perfectly real, even though he knew it had to be an illusion.

  He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath; the stale air reminded him that he was really in the simulator back in his apartment. As he was about to breathe out, he felt someone tap him on the hand.

  "You're it!" He opened his eyes; it was Andrew who had tagged him, and who was now running as fast as he could go. Tony usually played with Andrew and Janice anyway, so he smiled and raced towards Andrew as fast as he could go, on virtual legs.

  They played tag and ran around for most of the recess period, and near the end, the three friends sat down on a bench to rest up. It would soon be time to return to the classroom. Janice took a minute to catch her breath, then jacked out to get a glass of water, leaving Tony and Andrew alone.

  "Boy, that was fun!" Andrew said.

  "Yeah, it sure was."

  "Listen, Howard, I've been thinking. You live in Forest Hills, right?"

  "Ummm...yeah, I do."

  "Well, that's practically next door to me! Why can't we get together in the real world?"

  Uh-oh. Tony was afraid that Andrew would suggest something like this. "Wouldn't it be too difficult? I mean, you don't really live next door."

  "So?"

  "So it would be a problem for me to come out to Port Jefferson."

  "Hey, is that all? My Dad can drive me to your house, then, no problem. He usually has business to do in Manhattan anyway, and sometimes lets me come along with him. I think I can get him to drop me off at your place for a day."

  That was the last thing Tony wanted to hear. "I don't know," he replied, speaking slowly. "I don't think my Mom wants me to have friends over."

  "Can't we just go hang out in Forest Park or something? We wouldn't have to spend the day at your house. My Dad could just drop me off there."

  "Well..."

  "Besides, we can invite someone else along too."

  "Who?" Who lived close enough to join them?

  "Sheryl." Andrew smiled. "I've seen the way you look at her. You like her, don't you?"

  "No," Tony lied. He felt pained.

  "I know! Let me go ask her now! We can try to get together this weekend!" Andrew jumped up and started shouting Sheryl's name.

  "No! Andrew, please don't!" Tony started to cry.

  Andrew sat back down. "Howard, what's wrong? I'm just suggesting a little friendly get-together."

  "We can't get together at my house. We can't."

  "Why not?"

  Tony thought hard. He liked Andrew, and he knew that Andrew liked him. They hung out together almost every recess, and usually worked together when Miss Ellis made everyone find partners for school projects. Surely Tony could trust him, couldn't he?

  Besides, he still felt very bad about lying. No matter how much he wanted to be here, no matter how much Miss Ellis said he had a right to be here, it still bothered him. Perhaps if someone else knew, someone like Andrew, it would make him feel better. After all, Andrew liked him. Surely Andrew would keep the secret.

  And, come to think of it, there was no way Andrew would tell anyone. If he did, his father would find out about the time Andrew was careless about his spex.

  "Howard? Why not?"

  A deep breath, then: "Because my name's not Howard. It's Tony."

  * * *

  Two days later, on Friday afternoon, Miss Ellis asked Tony to stay after school so they could have a private talk. After all the other students jacked out, she asked, "Tony? I notice that you and Andrew don't seem to be getting along as well as you used to. Is there a reason for this?"

  Tony squirmed in his seat. Miss Ellis wasn't smiling. "Uh, no, Miss Ellis."

  "Are you sure?"

  He remained silent for what seemed like a minute.

  "Tony, did you tell Andrew about our little arrangement?"

  He didn't say a word. He couldn't; his throat was choked with fear.

  "Tony? Did you tell Andrew?"

  He croaked out a whisper. "Yes, Miss Ellis. I had to."

  She sighed. "Tony, I was afraid of this. You shouldn't have told him."

  "But Miss Ellis, he wanted to come over and visit me. I couldn't let him. I had to tell him why; I wasn't about to lie to him."

  She smiled bitterly. "No, I guess not. Tony, I applaud your honesty, but this afternoon you and I are going to have to face Mr. Drummond."

  "Mr. Drummond? Do you mean Andrew actually told his father?"

  "Yes, and it gets worse. Mr. Drummond is a lawyer, and he's on the board of trustees of the telepresence school program. Do you know what that means?"

  "No, I don't."

  "It means that he's one of the people who makes policies for the school. He makes decisions on how money is spent to keep the school operating. And I don't think he wants to see us because he agrees with how we're spending the school's money."

  "I'm sorry, Miss Ellis. I didn't mean to get you into trouble."

  "It's all right, Tony. In a way, your honesty makes me proud. But--" she pushed a button and a clock appeared on the screen -- "we have only half an hour until Mr. Drummond jacks in to talk with us. I suggest you jack out for that time and talk to your mother; let her know what's going on. Then come back."

  "Can Mom come too?"

  Miss Ellis looked at Tony sadly. "I'm afraid not, Tony. You only have one set of spex at home, and Mr. Drummond wants to see you, not your mother. But don't worry. I'll be here too."

  * * *

  Tony had a hard time telling his mother about what had happened. He was worried that she would be very angry at him for ruining his chances of attending a good school. Fortunately, her attitude had been similar to his teacher's.

  "We'll figure something out, Tony, we always have," she said while hugging him tightly. "You just go back and talk to Mr. Drummond. Maybe you can make him change his mind about you. Show him what a good boy you are."

  Tony jacked in, for what he thought might be the last time, and was back in the classroom with Miss Ellis. She was talking to Mr. Drummond.

  At the sound of the buzz signaling Tony's arri
val, the two adults turned to face him.

  "So here's the young man," said Mr. Drummond gruffly. Tony took a good, long look at Mr. Drummond, and tried not to seem afraid. Mr. Drummond towered over Tony impressively. His hair was thick and grey, and he wore an elaborate suit with a vest and chain. Tony also noticed that Mr. Drummond was sporting a pair of metal frame glasses, which didn't make sense to him. In real life, after all, Mr. Drummond had to be wearing a pair of spex, so having his image wear glasses had to be a personal choice.

  Tony almost laughed at that -- _how silly of Andrew's father to have his image wear glasses!_ -- but he bit off the laugh quickly. _Mr. Drummond's glasses probably mean as much to him as my skin color means to me._

  Tony greeted him solemnly. Mr. Drummond returned the greeting with an embarrassed smile and turned back to Miss Ellis.

  "As much as you may like the boy, it's unfair to the rest of us to keep him enrolled at this school. Your little billing stunt is grounds for dismissal, you know."

  "Yes, I know. But, Mr. Drummond, if you knew what Tony had to face each day in a regular school --"

  "That is not the issue here. I understand what Tony has to deal with at his local school. But look at what his presence does to our own resources." He tapped at the air and a sheet of figures appeared on the screenboard.

  "The fact that you tried to spread the expense out to everyone is commendable, Miss Ellis, but it's still patently unfair to those families who are just barely able to send their children to telepresence school. If you look at these records, you can clearly see that some families are about to receive bills that may only be slightly higher than expected -- but still higher. Did you honestly expect that no one would take notice?"

  Miss Ellis turned to look at Tony. "I hoped," she said.

  "Well, I'm afraid it's not possible. The money simply doesn't exist. The school cannot afford to keep him here."

  "He's one of the best students in the school. Is there nothing we can do for him?"

  Mr. Drummond sighed. "What about all the other Tonys out there? We'd be unfair to all of them if we favored just one particular student. This is a private institution, not a public one. It's completely supported by the families, and quite a few of us are stretched to the limit. I'm sorry."