The Coming of the Triffids

           Thisisapersonalrecord.Itinvolvesagreatdealthathasvanishedforever,butIcan’ttellitinanyotherwaythanbyusingthewordsweusedtouseforthosevanishedthings,sotheyhavetostand.ButeventomakethesettingintelligibleIfindthatIshallhavetogobackfartherthanthepointatwhichIstarted.

           WhenI,WilliamMasen,wasachildwelived,myfather,mymother,andmyself,inasouthernsuburbofLondon.Wehadasmallhousewhichmyfathersupportedbyconscientiousdaily"attendanceathisdeskintheInlandRevenueDepartment,andasmallgardenatwhichheworkedratherharderduringthesummer.TherewasnotalottodistinguishusfromthetenortwelvemillionotherpeoplewhousedtoliveinandaroundLondoninthosedays.

           Myfatherwasoneofthosepersonswhocouldaddacolumnoffigures—evenoftheridiculouscoinagetheninuselocally—withaflickoftheeye,sothatitwasnaturalforhimtohaveinmindthatIshouldbecomeanaccountant.Asaresult,myinabilitytomakeanycolumnoffiguresreachthesametotaltwicecausedmetobesomethingofamysteryaswellasadisappointmenttohim.Still,thereitwas:justoneofthosethings.AndeachofasuccessionofteacherswhotriedtoshowmethatmathematicalanswerswerederivedlogicallyandnotthroughsomeformofesotericinspirationwasforcedtogiveupwiththeassurancethatIhadnoheadforfigures.Myfather‘wouldreadmyschoolreportswithagloomwhichinotherrespectstheyscarcelywarranted.