Farewell Summer ~ Ray Bradbury - Marimarister

Charlie‘s face fell.
―And anyway,‖ Douglas went on, ―I‘m puttin‘ ideas together for a real bang-up
revelation.‖
They all looked at him, waiting.
―Okay, Doug, go on,‖ said Charlie.
Douglas shut his eyes. ―And the revelation is: Since old people don‘t look like they were
ever kids, they never were ! So they‘re not humans at all!‖
―What are they, Doug?‖
―Another race ! ‖
Everybody sat, stunned by the vast sunburst caused by this explosion, this incredible
revelation. It rained upon them in fire and flames.
―Yes, another race,‖ said Douglas. ―Aliens. Evil. And we, we‘re the slaves they keep for
nefarious odd jobs and punishments!‖
Everybody melted with the after-effects of this announcement.
Charlie stood up solemnly and announced: ―Doug, old pal, see this beanie on my head?
I‘m taking my beanie off to you!‖ Charlie raised his beanie to applause and laughter.
They all smiled at Doug, their general, their leader, who took out his pocketknife and
casually started a philosophical game of one-finger mumblety-peg.
―Yeah, but . . .‖ said Tom, and went on. ―The last thing you said didn‘t work out. It‘s
okay to say the old people are from another planet, but what about Grandpa and Grandma?
We‘ve known them all our lives. Are you saying that they‘re aliens, too?‖
Doug‘s face turned red. He hadn‘t quite worked this part out, and here was his
brother—his second in-command, his junior officer—questioning his theory.
―And,‖ Tom went on, ―what do we have new in the way of action, Doug? We can‘t just
sit here. What do we do next?‖
Doug swallowed hard. Before he had a chance to speak, Tom, now that everybody was
looking at him, said slowly, ―The only thing that comes to mind right now is maybe we stop the
courthouse clock. You can hear that darned thing ticking all over town. Bong! Midnight! Whang!
Get outta bed! Boom! Jump into bed! Up down, up down, over and over.‖