You will possibly shudder, but you will certainly remember for a long time,this story of what happens when Tomorrow's gently implacable teachers arefaced with a problem for which there seems to be only one solution....
There is a quiet horror tothis story from Tomorrow....
Evening had begun to fall. Inthe cities the clamor softened alongthe streets, and the women madesmall, comfortable, rattling noisesin the kitchens. Out in the countrythe cicadas started their singing,and the cool smell began to rise outof the earth. But everywhere, in thecities and in the country, the childrenwere late from school.
There were a few calls, but therobotic telephone devices at theschools gave back the standard answer:"The schools are closed forthe day. If you will leave a messageit will be recorded for tomorrow."
The telephones between housesbegan to ring. "Is Johnny homefrom school yet?"
"No. Is Jane?"
"Not yet. I wonder what can bekeeping them?"
"Something new, I guess. Oh,well, the roboteachers know best.They will be home soon."
"Yes, of course. It's foolish toworry."
The children did not come.
After a time a few cars weredriven to the schools. They weremet by the robots. The worried parentswere escorted inside. But thechildren did not come home.
And then, just as alarm was beginningto stir all over the land,the robots came walking, all of therobots from the grade schools, andthe high schools, and the colleges.All of the school system walking,with the roboteachers saying, "Letus go into the house where you cansit down." All over the streets ofthe cities and the walks in the countrythe robots were entering houses.
"What's happened to my children?"
"If you will go inside and sitdown—"
"What's happened to my children?Tell me now!"
"If you will go inside and sitdown—"
Steel and electrons and wires androbotic brains were inflexible. Howcan you force steel to speak? Allover the land the people went insideand sat nervously waiting an explanation.
There was no one out on thestreets. From inside the houses camethe sound of surprise and agony.After a time there was silence. Therobots came out of the houses andwent walking back to the schools.In the cities and in the country therewas the strange and sudden silenceof tragedy.
The children did not come home.
The morning before the robotswalked, Johnny Malone, the Mayor'sson, bounced out of bed with aburst of energy. Skinning out of hispajamas and into a pair of trousers,he hurried, barefooted, into hismother's bedroom. She was sleepingsoundly, and he touched one shoulderhesitantly.
"Mother!"
The sleeping figure stirred. Hismother's face, still faintly shinywith hormone cream, turned towardhim. She opened her eyes. Her voicewas irritated.
"What is it, Johnny?"
"Today's the day, mommy. Remember?"
"The day?" Eyebrows raised.
"The new school opens. Nowwe'll have roboteachers like everyoneelse. Will you fix my breakfast,mother?"
"Amelia will fix you something."
"Aw, mother. Amelia's just arobot. This is a special day. And Iwant my daddy to help me with myarithmetic before I go. I don't wantthe roboteacher to think I'm dumb."
His mother frowned in deepeningirritation. "Now, there's no reasonwhy Amelia can't get yourbreakfast like she always does. AndI doubt if it would be wise to wakeyour father. You know he likes tosleep in the morning. Now,