Practical Philosophy, Monday

[endsthegame]

The weather had improved, at least in terms of temperature, and the clouds overhead didn't look like they were going to burst. So Ender had directed his class to the lawn again, where he sat in the grass with the bag of sandwiches by his side.

"So," he said, "How do you feel about the future now?"

That was all.

Comments

Re: Talk.

[justbeingbay]

"Totally," Bay said, without hesitating. "It's not the life I'd buy if there was a Life-Mart where you could go and just special-order whatever you wanted, but everything about it made sense. Did you have the same kind of experience?"

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"I think the life I got was the best I could have expected," Ender said, though he was wary of getting into it too much. "What would you've changed, if you could?"

Re: Talk.

[justbeingbay]

"I always figured I'd get married sometime," Bay said, in a tone that suggested she thought it was a bit of a silly thing to want. "And I want to make art, not sell it in a gallery. But, y'know. Thirty-seven isn't exactly a spinster, and I already knew a whole lot more people want to be artists than make their living that way. I like that answer about 'the best I could have expected.'"

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"That's the trouble with growing older," Ender said. "Life becomes less and less about shooting for that one great best in the sky, and more about taking it where you can. All in all-- it sounds like the island was kind. Or you'll be kind to yourself."

Re: Talk.

[justbeingbay]

"Maybe both," Bay said. "But did anybody show up who was, like, a crackhead with leprosy? It seems like everybody who got older had it pretty good."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"I didn't notice anyone this year," Ender said. "But this has happened before, and there were quite some tragedies back then."

Re: Talk.

[justbeingbay]

"Oh," Bay said, and went quiet for a moment. "See, now I feel bad about the 'crackhead with leprosy' thing."

Re: Talk.

[endsthegame]

"Just be glad sometimes we're reminded the future can be good, too," Ender said with a faint smile. "I know some people on the island who definitely are."