Атлант расправил плечи
The Sign of the Dollar
"Drink,ofcourse,waswhatweallturnedto,somemore,someless.
Don’taskhowwegotthemoneyforit.Whenallthedecentpleasuresareforbidden,there’salwayswaystogettherottenones.Youdon’tbreakintogrocerystoresafterdarkandyoudon’tpickyourfellow’spocketstobuyclassicalsymphoniesorfishingtackle,butifit’stogetstinkingdrunkandforget—youdo.Fishingtackle?Huntingguns?
Snapshotcameras?Hobbies?Therewasn’tany‘amusementallowance’foranybody.‘Amusement’wasthefirstthingtheydropped.Aren’tyoualwayssupposedtobeashamedtoobjectwhenanybodyasksyoutogiveupanything,ifit’ssomethingthatgaveyoupleasure?Evenour‘tobaccoallowance’wascuttowherewegottwopacksofcigarettesamonth—andthis,theytoldus,wasbecausethemoneyhadtogointothebabies’milkfund.Babieswastheonlyitemofproductionthatdidn’tfall,butroseandkeptonrising—becausepeoplehadnothingelsetodo,Iguess,andbecausetheydidn’thavetocare,thebabywasn’ttheirburden,itwas‘thefamily’s.’Infact,thebestchanceyouhadofgettingaraiseandbreathingeasierforawhilewasa‘babyallowance.’Eitherthat,oramajordisease.
"Itdidn’ttakeuslongtoseehowitallworkedout.Anymanwhotriedtoplaystraight,hadtorefusehimselfeverything.
