Imagine that instead of being born in the 20th century, into the new society, into your childhood center, you had been born 3,000 years ago, in ancient Greece. Do you know what your

life would have been like back then? Sure, the ancient Greeks would have had many wonderful things to

offer you as a child. But life before the new society was filled with dangers like infection, wars, and exclusionary factions who were constantly clamoring for more power.

If you were in the wrong faction, or even the wrong family, you could wind up in deep trouble.

This sounds familiar.

Oh, so she's putting her old stuff back in.

It's different, though.

Sorry to stop down there.

I thought maybe I'd read this before.

And you know, sometimes I get tired of the sound of my own voice.

It's nice to hear yours occasionally.

If you were born before the reckoning, where and when would you have liked to have been born, Claire?

Yes, it does sound dreadful, doesn't it?

But what about on an island?

Tahiti, Curacao, Ohio.

Well before colonialism.

Maybe life was shorter, but it sounds like it would be easier and far more beautiful. I like fishing. Oh, maybe you're right. Never mind. But if you were there too,

you'd got a fish for me, wouldn't you, Claire?'

"'Maybe,' she says. "'You're a doer, Claire. So very helpful. I've always admired that about you.'

"'Remember when I broke my leg. God, I whined all the time. First I I was mad at the driver that smashed into me in my bicycle.

Then I was mad at the pain. Then I was mad at the itching. Then I was mad at the inconvenience of crutches.

But you helped me get around. You reminded me to do my exercises. You helped me bathe.

...