“That damned new CD-IX model. Now what?”

“T

hat

“She’s very upset about Bennie. I’m not sure I blame her. This afternoon he simply refused his indoctrination. All the time he should have been playing store with Playmate he insisted on drawing things—himself, mind you, not Playmate. On the walls, with an old pencil of yours he found someplace in your things. Nana couldn’t do a thing with him. She says you’ve got to give him a spanking.”

“Why me? Why not you?”

“Now Ben, we’ve been over that and over it. Discipline is the father’s job.”

“Well, I won’t do it. Bennie’s just a baby. Let him do a few things himself. Won’t hurt him.”

“Ben!”

“That Nana is an officious busybody, trying to run our lives.”

“Oh, Ben! You know Nana loves little Bennie. She only wants to help him.”

“But to what?”

“She’d never dream of lifting a finger against Bennie no matter what he did. And she lives in terror that he’ll cut her switch in some temper tantrum.”

“Hmph! Well, I’m going up right now and tell her if I hear another word from her about spanking Bennie, I’ll cut her switch myself. Then she can go back to Central for reprogramming and see how she likes it.”

“Ben! You wouldn’t.”

“Why not? Maybe she needs a new personality?”

[p 30]“You won’t say a thing to her. You’re too soft-hearted.”

[p 

30

]

“This time I won’t be.”

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