I Will Fear No Evil

"Eh? Never carried one in my life."

"A pity. Well, have one on you next time you're here to see me. Tomorrow, I hope. Jake, Hedrick is a good doctor, conceded—but he won't tell me anything. Just this week I asked him whose body this had been—and he wasn't even polite enough to lie; he just told me that it was none of my business."

"It isn't."

"Huh?"

"Remember the contract I worked out? It said—"

"Never read it. Your pidgin."

"I told you; you didn't listen. Donor's privacy to be respected unless donor specifically grants permission to breach it... and even then his estate must confirm after death. In this case neither proviso was met. So you can never be told."

"Oh, rats. I can find out, once I'm up and around. I would never publicize it; I just want to know."

"No doubt you will find out. But 1 won't be a party to breaching a contract with the dead."

"Hmm. Jake, you're a stiff-necked old bastard; it wouldn't do any harm. All right, all right. But get me that mirror. Look, you can get me one now. Go into my bathroom, usual excuse, and look around. Search. Four or five small mirrors in there, drawers and such—or were the last time I was on my feet. Almost certainly still are. Just don't let a nurse see it. In your pocket. Or under your jacket."

"Why don't you simply ask for one?"

"Because they won't let me have one, Jake. You may think I'm paranoid but I am being persecuted by this high-and-mighty doctor. Won't let me see my new face in a mirror. Okay, it's probably scarred; I don't care. Won't let me look at myself at all. When they work on me they put up a chin screen; I haven't even seen my hands. Would you believe it, I don't even know what color I am. Am I a soul? Or a honk? Or something else? It's maddening."

"Joha

"What? Oh, be your age, Jake; you know me better than that. If I'm the ugliest thing since wart hogs and covered with purple stripes, I can take it." Joha

Salomon sighed. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Joha

"What?"

"Steady down. I've discussed it with Dr. Hedrick and with the psychiatrist working with him. They are of the opinion that you could suffer a severe emotional shock—one that might give you a grave setback, even (as you, say) ‘drive you off the rails'—if you see your new self before you are fully well and strong."

Joha

"The psychiatrist mentioned the possibility of a split personality."

"Move around and look me in the eyes. Jake Salo­mon, do you believe that?"

"My opinion is neither relevant nor competent. I am not going to buck your physicians. Nor help you to outwit them."

"So that's how the wind sets, Jake...I am sorry to be forced to say this—but you are not the only lawyer in this city."

"So I know. I am sorry—truly sorry!—to be forced to say this, Joha

"What do you mean?"

"Joha

Joha

"Joha

"Do you mean to keep me locked up forever? If not, what's the price to turn me loose? Is the Judge in on it? And Hedrick?"

Salomon controlled himself. "Please, Joha

"I'm listening. How can I help listening?—I'm a prisoner."

"Joha

"So? And who asked to have me committed?"

"Joha

"I see," Joha

Salomon snorted. "For what? How can you do or say anything calling for an apology when you are legally non compos mentis?"

"Whew! Hand me the traditional piece of snuff; that was razor sharp. Dear little Joha

"Joha

"What other thing?"

"Their stupidity. If they had shot for guardianship right off, they might have made it. Instead their first move was to try to have you declared legally dead."

"Well! Jake, do you suppose—later—that I can cut them out of my will entirely?"

"You can do better than that; you can outlive them. Now."

"Mmm, yes, I suppose I can. I will! It'll be a pleasure."

"That move wasn't serious, just stupid. Stupid lawyer. Took four days for the expert witnesses to unwind, took the Court four minutes to rule in accordance with ‘Estate of Parsons v. Rhode Island.' Hoped I had seen the last of them then; that diploma-mill shyster seemed pretty cowed. Then Parkinson got into it... and his lawyer is not stupid."

"Parkinson'? Our boy Parky, our idiot ex-director?"

"The same."

"Hmm. Von Ritter was right; it doesn't pay to humiliate a man. But how could Parky show an interest?"

"He didn't. That Parkinson put them up to it is simply a conclusion but a firm one—Parkinson's mother-in-law's lawyer and Parkinson himself present every day in court, a happy spectator. Joha