25 Short Stories and Novellas Part 50

Let me have an adventure while I'm over there, she prayed. Let me

meet someone. Let something really unusual happen, okay?

She hadn't been in the city herself in six or eight months. You tended not

to, without some special reason. If only she could park the old man for a

couple of hours and go off to have some fun, see the clubs, maybe check

out the new styles, meet someone lively. But that wasn't going to

happen. She had to stick close by Uncle James. At least she was here,

a perfect day, blue sky, warm breezes blowing. The city was where

everything that was of any interest in Northern California went on, It was

the capital of the Empire of San Francisco, and the Empire was the

center of the action, Everything else was small-time, even if the small-time

places wanted to give themselves fancy names: the Republic of Monterey, the

Free State of Mendocino, the Royal Domain of San Jose. Once upon a

time, of course, it had all been a lot different.

"San Francisco," Carlotta said. "Here we are, Uncle!"

They came off the bridge at the downtown off-ramp. There were bright

banners everywhere, the imperial colors, green and gold. Crowds were in

the streets, waving little flags. Carlotta heard the sound of a bra.s.s

band somewhere far away, The driver was taking them up the Embarcadero

now, around toward the plaza at Market Street, where the Emperor was

going to preside over the ceremony in person. Because theirs was just

about the only car in the vicinity, the spectators had figured out that

someone important must be riding in it, and they were cheering and waving.

"Wave, Uncle! They're cheering you. Here, let me help you." She touched

her finger to his motor control and his right arm came stiffly up, fingers

clenched. A little fine tuning and she had the fingers open, the palm turned

outward, the arm moving back and forth in a nice sprightly wave.

"Smile at them," she told him. "Be nice. You're a hero."

"A hero, yes. Purple Heart. Distinguished Service Cross. Croix de Guerre.

You ought to see my medals sometime. I've got a box full of them." He

was leaning forward, peering out the car window, smiling as hard as he

could. His arm jerked convulsively; he was trying to move it himself.

Good for him. She let him override her control. He waved with surprising