Reject

by John Johnson

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REJECT

BY JOHN JOHNSON

The officials had been napping the
day Donnie passed inspection.... How
else could you explain such an error
in his emotional conditioning?

[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, August 1956.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]

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Donnie clenched his small fists and tried not to cry, but two elliptical tears ran slowly down his cheeks. The sight of them made Mr. Ames even madder.

"Look at him," he stormed, turning to Martha. "Just look at him. Every damn time I try to reason with him, he starts to snivel like an animal, instead of acting like a normal human being." Mr. Ames flicked his cigar ashes toward a vacuum cup on the wall and looked down at the boy. "Now stop that stupid crying and tell me what this is all about."

Donnie sniffled a couple of times and wiped his nose on the back of one of his blue uniform sleeves.

"Well," Mr. Ames said, coldly.