6 The Mutant

Some things are better than others, but that we should never say that anything is no value. That's not true. There are things that are... Yes, some things are just plain wrong, no rightness about them.

Atomic war is one of those things. If we get started on a real atomic war, if the ordinary war destroys men, atomic war can destroy humanness. by producing mutations that aren't human. But there's another thing that's wrong too.

And that's the wrongness of fooling yourself, not merely others, but fooling yourself. And that's tonight's story. And you say the annual budget of this institution is 8 million, Dr. Holier? That's right, Senator Brian. $8 million a year for the care and seating of a freak, Doctor.

We try never to think of them as freak, Senator. and never to speak of them that way. Some of them have unusually sensitive hearing. But they are with a mutant senator, genetic sports created by radioactive fallout.

You might say they're martyrs to the criminal stupidity of the 20th century. A music compulsive for a mutant to live in an institution like this, I confess. I'm not completely familiar with the legal act.

Complaceory no, Senator, it's not compulsory. But it's often simpler for a mutant to live within these walls and out there in the world at large. I can understand that 80% of them have come here voluntarily and areished committed by relatives who couldn't stand the sight of them.

But let me show you some of the patients, Senator. That's Anna over there. You'll notice I didn't bother knocking. Anna doesn't hear sound. When she wants privacy, she just bolts her door. But what is she doing?