Звездный десант

           Todosowastoriskattackbywolfpacksofchildren,armedwithchains,knives,homemadeguns,bludgeons...tobehurtatleast,robbedmostcertainly,injuredforlifeprobably—orevenkilled.Thiswentonforyears,rightuptothewarbetweentheRusso-Anglo-AmericanAllianceandtheChineseHegemony.Murder,drugaddiction,larceny,assault,andvandalismwerecommonplace.Norwereparkstheonlyplaces—thesethingshappenedalsoonthestreetsindaylight,onschoolgrounds,eveninsideschoolbuildings.Butparksweresonotoriouslyunsafethathonestpeoplestayedclearofthemafterdark."

           Ihadtriedtoimaginesuchthingshappeninginourschools.Isimplycouldn’t.Norinourparks.Aparkwasaplaceforfun,notforgettinghurt.Asforgettingkilledinone—"Mr.Dubois,didn’ttheyhavepolice?Orcourts?"

           "Theyhadmanymorepolicethanwehave.Andmorecourts.Alloverworked."

           "IguessIdon’tgetit."Ifaboyinourcityhaddoneanythinghalfthatbad...well,heandhisfatherwouldhavebeenfloggedsidebyside.Butsuchthingsjustdidn’thappen.

           Mr.Duboisthendemandedofme,"Definea‘juveniledelinquent.’"

           "Uh,oneofthosekids—theoneswhousedtobeatuppeople."

           "Wrong."

           "Huh?Butthebooksaid—"

           "Myapologies.Yourtextbookdoessostate.Butcallingatailalegdoesnotmakethenamefit‘Juveniledelinquent’isacontradictioninterms,onewhichgivesacluetotheirproblemandtheirfailuretosolveit.Haveyoueverraisedapuppy?"

           "Yes,sir."

           "Didyouhousebreakhim?"

           "Err...yes,sir.Eventually."Itwasmyslownessinthisthatcausedmymothertorulethatdogsmuststayoutofthehouse.

           "Ah,yes.