What to read: dystopia "Voice" of the world, where women are allowed to say no more than 100 words per day

***

If someone told me that I for some week'll be able to overthrow our president, to put an end True motion, as well as to destroy such mediocrity and insignificance as Morgan LeBron, I would never have I believed. But to argue would not. I would not have said anything.

Because for some time now to me, a woman is allowed to say a few words.

That evening at dinner, before I can use the latest released me from day words Patrick expressive gesture knocks on that damn silvery device that flaunts on my left wrist. With this gesture, he seems to be saying that he fully shares my trouble, or maybe just wants to remind me to He was careful and silent, until the stroke of midnight the counter does not reset the parameters and start a new countdown words. Usually I sleep when it is performed a magic act, so this time I will begin Tuesday with pristine clean sheet. The same will happen with the meter and my daughter Sonia.

But my sons counters words are not.

And at dinner, they usually talk incessantly discussing any business school.

Sonia also goes to school, but never spend precious words to talk about the events of the past day. Over dinner, cooked by absorbing my memory some primitive stew, Patrick asks Sonia questions about what it success in the classroom home economics, physical education, and a new school subject called "Basics of personal finance." Does she listen to the teacher? Will in her quarter of the high scores? Patrick knows exactly what kind of questions to ask a girl: very clear and demanding a clear answer - or a nod or a negative swing head.

I watch them, listen to, and so unwittingly dug fingernails into his hand, there are the Red Crescent. Sonia nods or shakes his head, depending on the issue and displeasure nose wrinkles when her brothers, our young twins, not realizing how important it is to ask questions that require only a "yes / no" or as brief a response from one or two words, stick to it with questions about whether her good teachers, interesting lessons and whether a school subject she prefers Total. Ie bring down an avalanche of questions on it with an open end. I do not want to think that the twins little sister purposely tempt or tease her, or try to catch on the hook, causing the utter unnecessary words. But, on the other hand, they've already eleven years old, and they would have had to understand everything, because they saw that happen with us, if we go beyond the limit given to us the words.

Sonia lips begin to tremble, then she looks at one twin to the other, and her pink tongue involuntarily leaning, He starts nervously licking plump lower lip - for language as it has its own intelligence, not wishing to obey law. And then Steven, my eldest son, holding out his hand across the table, gently touch the forefinger little sister lips.

I could formulate the twins what they do not understand that all men are now a united front in regard to schooling. Unidirectional system. Teachers say. Pupils listen. It would cost me eighteen words.

And I have only five left.

- As her situation with the words margin? - Patrick asked, jerking his chin in my direction. And then rebuilds your question: - It it expands?

I just shrug my shoulders. For his six years Sonya would have to have in its submission a whole army of ten thousand tokens, and this little individual army would instantly build and get up in the rack "quietly", obeying the orders it is still very flexible and susceptible brain. Would have if the school notorious "three R In the American school slang for «three R's» (reading, 'riting,' rithmetic) means "reading, writing, counting," that is the foundation of school knowledge. "Now it was reduced to one: the most primitive arithmetic. In the end, as expected, my grown up daughter in the future is destined to just go to the shops and run the household, that is to play the role of a devoted, dutiful wife. To do this, of course, we need some most primitive mathematics, but not the ability to read and write. No knowledge of literature. Not his own voice.

- You're on the cognitive linguistics expert - tells me Patrick, collecting dirty plates and causing Stephen to help him.

- I Was.

- And there is.

It seems that for a whole year, I would have to get used to, but sometimes all the same words as if by themselves digging out, before I can stop them:

— Not! Longer there.

Tensely listening to the ticking of my counter counts four more words of their last five, Patrick frowns. This ticking echoing like a sinister military drum sounds is given in my ears, and on the wrist counter begins to pulsate unpleasantly.

- Enough, Gene, stop - warns me Patrick.

The boys look at each other in alarm; their concern is understandable: they are well aware of what happens when we women go beyond the permitted number of words, referred to three digits. One, zero, zero. 100.

And this will inevitably happen again when I uttered his last words for this Monday - and I will certainly tell them his little daughter at least whisper. But even these miserable two words - "good night" - did not manage to break out of my mouth, because I meet a pleading stare Patrick. plead…

I silently grab Sonya in his arms and carry into the bedroom. It is now fairly tyazholenkaya and perhaps too big to wear it on your hands, but I am still tightly clutching her to him with both hands.

Sonia smiles at me when I stack it in the bed, covered with a blanket and tucks it on all sides. But, as always now any stories before bedtime, no Dora-researcher, no bear Pooh, Piglet, no, no Peter Rabbit and his unsuccessful adventure in the garden with lettukom Mr. McGregor. I get scared at the thought that Sonia has learned to perceive all this as the norm.

I have no words to sing her a lullaby melody, which actually says about the birds, mockingbirds and goats, although I remember very well the words of this song, and I now stand before the eyes of pretty pictures from the book, which we have with Sonia in the old days did not just read.

Patrick stood in the doorway, looking at us. His shoulders, once so wide and strong, tired omitted and resemble an inverted letter «V»; and forehead are the same lowered down deep wrinkles. A feeling as if everything in it sagged, it rushed down.

***

Once in the bedroom, I, like all the previous night, immediately wrapped in an invisible blanket of words, imagine, like reading a book, allowing your eyes as much as necessary to slide in the dance on emerging before my eyes the familiar pages Shakespeare. But sometimes, obeying the whims came to my head, I I choose Dante, And in the original, enjoying its static Italian. Dante's language has changed little over the past century, but today I was astonished to discover that sometimes only with difficulty to break through the familiar but almost forgotten text - it seems that I and several native language forgotten. And it is interesting, I think, what the Italians have, if our new orders ever become international?

Perhaps the Italian will become even more actively resort to gestures.

However, the chances that the disease will spread and our overseas territories, are not so great. While our television had not yet become a state monopoly, and our women have not yet had time to to get on the damn wrist counter, I always tried to watch a variety of news programs. Al-Jazeera, BBC, BBC and even the three channels of the Italian public broadcaster RAI; and on the other channels from time to time there have been a variety of interesting talk show. Patrick, Stephen and I watched these programs, when younger was asleep.

- Do we have to watch this? - Steven moaned, lounging in his favorite chair and hold with one hand a bowl of popcorn and the other - the phone.

I only adds sound.

- Not. You are not required. But as long as we can still. - No one knew how long the transfer will be more accessible. Patrick already talking about the benefits of cable television, although the television is literally hanging by a thread. - By the way, Stephen, it is possible, already by no means all. - I did not add: Here and be happy that you have it as long as there.

Although nothing was particularly enjoy.

Almost all these talk shows are alike as two drops of water. And day by day the participants laughed at us. Al-Jazeera, for example, called the ruling order in our country "the new extremism." I it would probably bring a smile, but I myself understand how much truth in this title. A British political pundits only shook his head and thought, obviously not wanting to say it out loud: "Oh, those crazy Yanks! And now they are doing that?"Italian experts, answering questions sexy intervyuersh - all of these girls looked half-naked and overly razmalovannymi - immediately began to shout, twist a finger at his temple and laugh. Yes, they laughed at us. They said that we need to relax, and then we finally arrive at the fact that our women are forced to wear headscarves and long shapeless skirt. Is life in the United States, they really seemed to just such?

I do not know. In Italy, the last time I went before the birth of Sony, and now I am and not at all no way go there.

Our passport were canceled even before, we are not allowed to say.

Here, perhaps, it should be clarified: passport revoked not at all.

I found it in connection with the most that neither is pressing circumstances. In December, I found that Stephen and the twins has expired passports, and went to the internet to download applications for three new passports. Sonia, which generally has not been any documents other than a birth certificate and a booklet with notes of immunized, required a different form.

Update passport boys was easy; Everything was exactly the same as always with papers to Patrick and me. When I called to request a new passport for yourself and a passport for Sony, then I was sent to a certain page, which I never seen before, and it was asked only one question: "Is it a man or applying for woman? "

In America, the near future, all the women are forced to wear a special bracelet on his arm. It controls the amount of spoken words: they are allowed to say no more than a hundred a day. If you exceed the limit - you will receive discharge current.

It was not always. Everything changed when the new government came to power. Women are forbidden to speak and work, deprived of the right to vote, and the girls are no longer taught to read and write. However, Jean McClellan is not going to agree with such a future for himself, his daughter and all the surrounding women. She will fight for her to hear again.

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