32
TALES FROMTHE FUTURE
child to who knows what kind of experiment.”
The audience began to buzz, and cries of “opportunists,” “inhuman,” and
“monsters” began to be heard. People began getting up from their seats, and
one by one, they began leaving the auditorium. Heitzman’s assistants tried
to offer some explanations, to answer some of people’s questions, but in
vain. Heitzman watched hopelessly as people flowed out of the auditorium.
He understood, that if they left, that would be the end of his hope. Or even
the end of more than that…He so wanted to do something nice for Sally, for
his son and his grandchildren. He didn’t want there to be any smokestacks
next to Sally’s cozy country house. He wanted there to be gardens blooming
and kind neighbors living around her. He’d bought up the land, and on his
orders they’d torn the smokestacks down. And they’d sown grass. But the
only way the land could improve was if good people came to live on it. But
they were leaving. They hadn’t understood. And how could they under-
stand? How could they believe? Stop! Suddenly it dawned on Heitzman:
they didn’t believe, because they didn’t know anything! What if he were to
tell them the truth… John Heitzman stood up and, quietly, hesitantly at first,
began speaking:
“People. I understand. I have to explain what’s motivating my company
to take these actions. But it’s impossible to explain. Totally impossible.
That’s because, I… You see, my motivation…or rather, all of these contracts
are very important to me personally. Or, how should I put it…”
Heitzman got confused and wasn’t sure how to continue. But the people
had stopped. They were standing in the aisles, and in the doorways of the
exits. And they were looking intently at Heitzman. They weren’t saying a
word, and he wasn’t sure what to say next. Even so, he pulled himself to-
gether, and he went on:
“When I was a child…when I was a young man… I came to love a certain
girl. But back then I didn’t realize I loved her. I married other women. Had a
business. This girl and I didn’t see each other for fifty years. I didn’t remem-
ber about her. But not long ago I remembered about her. I understood that
she was the only person who had ever sincerely loved me. And still loves me.
But I didn’t know that then. I didn’t even remember her. And I also under-
