d always seemed to Allen
that kids raised by one or more parents had other advantages too,
although he had never been able to figure out just what they were. Maybe
it was only his imagination.

* * * * *

At the edge of the park they chose the nearest double scooter which
showed full battery charge.

Allen leaned against the forward rail. "Herd it, will you, Nedda? Every
time I think of the hundreds of hours I've spent plowing air with one of
these gut-weighted things I want to break one. Hell, I can run faster.
Anyway, you know where we're going."

The girl smiled, pushed the power lever into forward range and steered
into slow-moving traffic. "I saw a man lift a single, once, but that's
all he was able to do with it."

The lighted street seemed intensely bright after the dimmer reaches of
the park. "Ever think of running one into the river?"

She looked at him in amazement. "Fright, no. Why--you'd have to drive
along a pedestrian path for at least a block to reach the bank!" Nedda
spun the steering wheel to avoid a long string of solemn teeners playing
follow the leader on singles. "You have funny thoughts, Al."

"I'm laughing." He flexed his muscles, impatient, as usual, with another
citizen's sluggish mentation. "I suppose the damn music never gets on
your nerves, either?"

"Music? Oh--the music." She listened as though for the first time to the
muted strains which played continuously throughout the city--calming,
soothing, lulling. "Of course not. Why should it?"

"They've got it synchronized," said Allen. "Government's got it
synchronized so you hear it just the same volume no matter where you are
outside. You _have_ to listen to it."

"Darling, your boredom's showing."

He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Don't let me spin you, lovely. I've
got the answer."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I applied for a DP this morning."

"Al--_no_!"

"Why not?" He put it like the needle thrust of a fighting knife, daring
her to find a reason, half hoping she could.

"I--" She glanced at him once, quickly, then away. Then she drew a deep
breath and let it sigh out. "How about Mars, Al? There aren't many
service machines, and they even let women do lots of little detailed
things. I almost went, once."

He was watching her shrewdly. "Why didn't you?" He had fought this one
out with himself before.

"Oh--I don't know. Just never did."

"I'll tell you why you really didn't. It'd be too differe