Overload

"That is precisely why and how our extremist critics and opponents find themselves with allies. For it is the militant, so-called populist points of view, the anti-power-company stances, which nowadays make news and gain attention. The quiet, balanced, thoughtfully-arrived-at decisions do not, and the commissioners and board members whom I speak of know that lesson very well indeed.

"Expressed another way: What ought to be positions of impartial public trust are being abused and turned against the public interest.

"I have no easy remedy to suggest for these two formidable problems nor, I suspect, have any of you. The best we can do is to let the public know, whenever possible, that their reasonable interests are being undermined-by a minority -and insidious alliance -of fanatics and self-serving politicians."

Nim decided to leave it there.

While he was wondering what, after all, would be the reaction to his remarks by Eric Humphrey and other GSP & L colleagues, Nim found to his amazement he was receiving an enthusiastic standing ovation.

* * *

"Congratulations! .. . . . .. took guts to say it, but all so true"..."hope what you said gets widest circulation" . . . "would like a transcript to pass around" . . . "the industry needs straight shooters like you" . . . "if you get tired of working for Golden State Power, be sure to let us know."

As delegates crowded around him, unexpectedly, incredibly, Nim found he was a hero. The president of a giant Midwest utility assured him, "I hope your company appreciates you. I intend to tell Eric Humphrey how good you were."

Amid more handshaking and congratulations, and with a sudden weariness, Nim eased himself away.

Only one thing marred the aftermath: the sight of Ray Paulsen's scowling, hostile face. But the executive vice president said nothing and simply left the convention hall alone.

Nim had reached a doorway to the outer mezzanine when a quiet voice behind him said, "I came especially to hear you. It was worth it."

Nim turned. To his amazement he saw the speaker was Wally Talbot Jr. Part of Wally's head was bandaged and he was walking with the aid of canes, but managed a cheerful grin.

"Wally!" Nim said. "How great to see you! I didn't know you were out of the hospital."

"Got out a couple of weeks ago, though not for good. I still have a lot of repair work ahead. Can we talk?"

"Sure. Let's find someplace quiet." He had intended to look for Ruth and the children but could meet them later in the suite.

They went down by elevator to the main floor. In a comer near a stairway two chairs were unoccupied and Nim and Wally went toward them, Wally using his canes a trifle awkwardly, but obviously preferring to manage by himself.

"Watch it, please!” A figure in smart blue-gray coveralls moved past, maneuvering a two-wheel trolley on which were balanced three red fire extinguishers. "Won't be a moment, gentlemen. Just have to put one of these in place." the man, who was young, lifted aside one of the chairs they were beaded for, set down a fire extinguisher behind it, then returned the chair to its original position. He smiled at Nim. "That's all, sir. Sorry to have held you up."

"You didn't." Nim remembered having seen the man earlier this morning, driving one of the trucks which police escorted in during the p & lfp demonstration.

It occurred to Nim that putting a fire extinguisher out of sight behind a chair was a strange arrangement. But it was none of his business and presumably the man knew what he was doing. His coveralls were lettered "Fire Protection Service, Inc."

Nim and Wally sat down.

"Did you see that guy's hands?" Wally asked.

"Yes." Nim had noticed that the young man's bands were badly stained, probably from careless use of chemicals.

"He could fix that with a skin graft." Wally grinned again, this time ruefully. "I'm getting to be an expert on that subject."

"Never mind anybody else," Nim said. "Tell me about you."

"Well, just as I said, the skin grafts I'm having will take a long time. A little at a time is how it works."

Nim nodded sympathetically. "Yes, I know."

"But I got some good news. I thought you'd like to share it. I'm getting a new dong."

"You're what?"

"You heard me right. You remember my old one was burned off?"

"Of course I remember." Nim would never forget the doctor's words the day after Wally's electrocution. ". . . The electricity passed over the upper surface of his body and exited . . . by the route of his penis . . . It was destroyed. By burning. Totally . . ."

"But I still have sexual feeling there," Wally said, "and it can be used as a base. That's why I was sent to Houston last week-to Texas Medical Center. They're doing wonderful things there, especially for people like me. There's a doctor named Brantley Scott who's been the mastermind; he's going to build me a new penis, and he promises it will work.,,

"Wally," Nim said, "I'm happy for you, but how the hell can anyone do that?"

"It's done partly by special skin grafts, partly by something called a penile prosthesis. That's a little pump, some tubes and a tiny reservoir, all connected, and implanted in the body surgically. The whole thing is made of silicone rubber, the same stuff that's used for heart pacemakers.

Actually, it's a substitute for what nature gave us in the first place."

Nim asked curiously, "Does it really work?"

"Damn right it works!” Wally's enthusiasm bubbled on. "I've seen it. I also found out there are hundreds of people who've been fitted, who've had the surgery, successfully. And, Nim, I'll tell you something else."

"What?"

"That penile prosthesis isn't only for people like me, people who got injured. It's for others-older men usually, who are normal except they've run out of steam and can't make it with a woman anymore. What it does is give them a whole new lease on life. How about you, Nim? Do you need help?"

"Not that kind. Not yet, thank God!"

"But you might someday. Just think of it No sexual hangup-ever. You could go to your grave with an erection."

Nim grinned. "And what would I do with it there?"

"Hey, there's Mary!" Wally exclaimed. "She came to pick me up. Can't drive a car myself yet."

Across the lobby Nim could see Mary Talbot, Wally's wife. She had spotted them and was coming over. Beside her, Nim saw with some concern, was Ardythe Talbot. He had neither seen nor heard from Ardythe since their encounter at the hospital when she hysterically blamed her own and Nim's "sin" for Wally's troubles. Nim wondered if she had modified her religious fervor.

The signs of strain were on both women. It was, after all, only seven months since Walter Talbot's tragic death during the bombing at La Mission plant, and Wally Jr.'s accident had happened just a few weeks later. Mary, who had been slim for as long as Nim remembered her, had noticeably put on weight; worry and unhappiness could account for that, of course. And her gamine look had modified, making her seem older. Nim found himself hoping that what Wally had just told him worked. It if did, it should help them both.

Ardythe appeared to be a little better than when he had last seen her, but not much. In contrast to the way she had been immediately before Walter's death-handsome, stylish, athletic-she was now just another elderly woman. But she smiled at Nim, and greeted him with friendliness, which relieved him. They chatted. Nim expressed pleasure once more at seeing Wally mobile. Mary said someone had told her, on her way in, about Nim's speech and she congratulated him. Ardythe reported that she had found some more of Walter's old files and wanted GSP & L to have them. Nim offered to collect them if she wished.

“There's no need for that," Ardythe said bastily. "I can send them to you. There aren't as many as last time and ..."

She stopped. "Nim, what's wrong?"

He was staring at her, startled, his mouth agape.

"Last time. . ." Walter Talbot's files!

"Nim," Ardythe repeated, "is anything the matter?" Mary and Wally were looking at him curiously too.

"No," be managed to say, "No, it's just that I remembered something."

Now he knew. Knew what that missing piece of information was which had nagged at his mind, yet eluded him, since that day in Eric Humphrey's office with the chairman, Harry London, and Mr. Justice Yale. It was in Walter Talbot's old files, the files Ardythe had given Nim, in several cardboard cartons, shortly after Walter's death. At the time Nim had gone through them briefly; now they were stored at GSP & L.