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I QUESTION AND ANSWER
I WITH MS. CHO FOLLOWS
HULT CENTER
SILVA CONCERT HALL
CAREER
GRADUATE SCHOOL FAIR
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 6
EMU BALLROOM
10AM-3PM
Flying to Hong Kong
on a whim, Michael
learns of population
Chapter 6.
Monty and the plane to
Hong Kong.
In Chapter 5, Lloyd, a homeless
man, lectured Michael on
economics.
The Emerald is printing “And the
Dew is Our National Treasure” in
serial form, with an installment
every' Tuesday in the Pulse Relax
section. Earlier installments can be
found at www.dailyemerald.com.
“No, I can’t explain it, Sarah,” 1
say into the phone. “I was pissed
this afternoon with all your ‘trust
the universe’ crap, but I thought I’d
give it one more chance. I walked
into a travel agency because it had
a green sign. ‘Give me a ticket to
anywhere,” 1 said. The girl asked
‘How’s Ilong Kong?’ Immediately I
knew there’s a god.”
“What do you mean?”
“That it was a sign. Remember, I
told you about the green cards, the
Kings and the car honking?” Sarah
sighs, so I explain: “Honk; king.
Ilong Kong.”
Sarah laughs slowly at first, but
gradually the laugh engulfs her
and she cries. “Michael, you real
ly are naive.”
“Screw you! I’m going anyway!”
I awake about four hours into the
flight. The hoy next to me studies
his computer screen. His knees
bounce rapidly and his thumb taps
on the edge of his tray. Suddenly, he
turns toward me. “Do you know
what that is?” he asks.
“No.”
“Each tap represents another
human added to the earth.” Tap,
tap, tap.
“Three humans each second (tap,
tap, tap). One-hundred and eighty
more each minute (tap, tap, tap).
Almost a quarter million more each
day. Eighty million more each year.
Within four years, we must pack
onto this small planet another 320
million people! More than the pop
ulation of the U.S. (tap, tap, tap). In
a dozen years, the Earth must feed
and clothe an additional China. And
then another China 12 years later.”
His legs stop bouncing and his
thumb stops tapping the instant he
stops talking. His bedraggled eye
brows rise and his tiny eyes widen
as if to ask “whaddava think?” After
Where's
Kerensa?
five long seconds, his body lurches
back into animation. “Wars don’t
help — population actually goes up
in times of war. Bloodbaths don’t
help: 500,000 people murdered in
Rwanda are replaced in just two
days. We would need 180 Rwandas
every year just to stay even.”
lie freezes again, holding on his
face an expression much like a dog
who has dropped a ball at his master’s
feet. Then, he laughs, rat-a-tat, like a
machine gun. I’m inclined to dismiss
the boy as perhaps a little mad.
On the other side of him sits a
young woman; I crane for a better
look. She’s fabulous: slightly tanned,
with light brown hair, modest lips
and a slender neck. And she wears
a green sweater! Universe, help me
to my destiny.
The bouncing puppy leans into
me and speaks as though confiding
a scandal: “Ilong Kong has the
greatest density on earth: 14,713
people per square mile. More than
twice the density of any other city.
Yet, crime rates, disease rates, men
tal illness rates, alcohol, drugs, pros
titution are half of those in New
York or L.A. I’m going to study them
so I’ll know how to survive.” Burst
of laughter; stillness; weird expres
sion. I have to change seats.
I unbuckle my seatbelt: “Excuse
me.”
“Oh, sure. Ya, sure. Ya.” He fum
bles with his laptop and tray.
“Why don’t you move by the win
dow? That way, I won’t have to
climb over your work again.” 1 look
into his eyes; they aren’t glazed like
one who’s obsessed, but sensitive
and vulnerable.
“Yes, yes, of course.” He clutch
es his laptop to his chest. “Name’s
Monty. ”
“Michael.” I step over him, then
over her pretty legs. She wears
no ring.
Peter Wright is a printer living
in Portland. He received his bachelor's
degrees from UC Berkeley, served
in the U.S. Navy, worked as a stock
broker and taught at Stanford University.
© Peter Wright, 2002. All rights reserved.
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