AlecSimpson

Ms.AlesiaWilliams
APEnglishLang.andComp.R3
20May2015
InsertCointoContinue
Clink.
HecouldjustmakeoutthemetallicclankofhisAllowancestrikingthebottomofhisgut
asheflitteredintoconsciousness.
Alexanderhadbecomequitegoodatdetectingthesubtletiesofwakingup.Ifhelistened
hardenough,hecouldhearthesoftdroneofmechanicalwhirringinhishead.And,ifhefocused
withallofhismight,hecouldevenfeelthememoriesofhisbeingstreamintothesilentvoidsof
hismind.Itallhappenedsoterriblyfast,butAlexanderhadbecomequitegoodatthis.
Goodmorning,sweetie.ThesaccharinevoiceofhismotherteasedAlexandersfocus
backtothemundanerealitysurroundinghim.Heglancedtowardshismotherandtookherin
thegleamingwarmnessinhereyes,thegracefulcurveofhersmile,thedelicatemovementofher
lefthand,clutchinghercoinbag,towardsthepocketofherfadedjeans.Youllneedtoget
readyquicklyIvebeencalledintoworkearly,andyoullneedtocatchthebus.
Alexanderheavedaheartygroanofprotest.Butmomthisisthefifthdayinarow!
Whycanthey
Hush,Alex,hismotherchidedhimsoftly.YouknowtheworkIdogetsusthe
Allowanceweneed.IfIcomplainatwork,Imasgoodasfired.NojobmeansnoAllowance.
Andyouknowwhatthatmeans.
Alexanderdid.Hewassilent.

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Inschoolthatday,Alexanderlearnedabouthiscountry.
TheUnitedStatesistheonlyfreecountryleftintheworld,histeacherboasted.Arent
weallsoblessedtolivehere?Alexandernoddedineerieunisonwiththerestofhisclass.He
knewbetternotto.
Later,Alexanderwaseatinglunchandchattingexcitedlywithhisfriendabouttheweeks
events.HewasvaguelyawareoftheCoinManmakinghisdailyroundsthroughoutthe
lunchroom,scribblingonhisclipboardanddispensingthechildrensAllowances.Soon,theCoin
ManhadreachedAlexandersfriend.
Tsk,tsk,theCoinManadmonishedwithaslightfrownandaprofuseshakeofhis
head.LookslikesomeonesparentsdidntpayhisAllowance.Comewithme.
TheCoinMansnatchedupAlexandersfriend,whoseentirebodyhadbeenrendered
frozenbythecoldrushoffearthatenvelopedhim.TheCoinManwhiskedhimoutoftheroom
beforeAlexandercouldevencomprehendwhathadhappened.TheCoinManreenteredonly
secondslater,hisexpressiondevoidofemotion,hisclipboardfirmlyinhand.Hestrodeto
Alexandersseat,madeamarkonhisclipboard,andfishedagoldencoinfromhispocket.
Alexanderremainedsilent.Heknewbetternotto.
Clink.
Alexandersawhimselftobedthatnight,ashehadbecomeaccustomedtodolatelyhis
motherworkedsucharduoushoursthatsheoftenwasnothomeuntillongafterdusk.Yet,in
spiteofhowinfrequentlytheytalked,theyremainedeachotherssupport.Hisfatherhad
disappearedshortlyafterAlexanderwasborn,andhismotherhadfallenoutoftouchwiththe
restofthefamilyyearsagoessentially,alltheyhadleftwasthecompanyofeachother.

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Nevertheless,Alexanderknewhismotherwouldbeupsetifhestayeduplateforher.Hecrawled
intobedandclosedhiseyes.
Alexanderhadbecomequitegoodatdetectingthesubtletiesofshuttingdown.Itwasa
slightlyslowerprocessthanwakingup,sohehadevenmoretimetoperceivethesensations.He
couldhearthesoftdroneofmechanicalwhirringinhisheaddissipatetotheincoherentmurmur
ofsilence.Hecouldfeel,evensee,thevibrantmemoriesswimminginhismindbegintofade,to
trickleoutofhisconsciousness.Usually,thesememorieswouldalldisappearfromhismind,and
Alexanderwouldsleep.Thisnightwasdifferent.
Onememoryseemedtolodgeitselfinadarkrecessofhismind,anareathatAlexander
didntevenknowexistedwithinhim.Thesensationwasinitiallyfrighteningtohimneverbefore
hadhebeenabletorecallamemoryafterhehadshutdown.Yet,hereonewas,loomingoverhis
consciousnessandseepingintohissenses.Thememoryitselfconsistedofaparticulartopic
Alexanderhadcoveredinclasswhathisteacherhaddescribedastheclaimingofthemoon.
Indeed,thetopichadintriguedAlexandergreatlyhisteacherspokeofagroupofpeoplewhom
sheidentifiedasastronautsthat,soshesaid,travelledfromthefamiliarboundsofourgreat
countryoutintothelawlesswildernessofspaceinthehopesofproliferatingfreedom.
Alexanderwasntsokeenonthewholefreedomproliferationaspect,butthedetailsoftheir
landingonthemoonfascinatedhim.Hewasamazedatthepossibilitythatsomeonecouldtravel
tothatgiantrockintheskythathungoverhimconstantly.Quitefrankly,hewantedtodothat
himself.
Alexanderwentonfortheremainderofthenighttossingtheescapedmemoryabouthis
mind,evenbeginningtoassimilatehisownselfintotheranksoftheastronauts.However,after
whatseemedlikeonlyminutes,heheardadistantclink.Hefelthiselationfallasherealized

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hewasnowwakinguphedidntevenbothertoacknowledgetheprocess.However,hisspirits
shotbackupasagainashebecameawareofhismotherspresencebesidehim.
Mom,mom!henearlyshoutedwithexcitement.Hismotherseemedquitesurprisedat
hissuddenoutburst,butsheneverthelesssmiledherdelicatesmileandrestedawarmgazeupon
him.
Yes,dear?
Youllneverbelievewhatjusthappened!IwassleepingbutIwasremembering
somethingatthesametimeanditwasreallyweirdbutIwasonthemoonandIwasanastro
Hush!ThiswasntthesoftchidethatAlexanderwasaccustomedtohearingfromhis
motherhertonehadbecomeharsh,herfaceflushed,hersmileabsent.Alexander,ifyouspeak
thetruth,youcannottellthistoanyone.Nooneatall.
Alexandergrewfrightened,forhehadneverseenhismothersoflustered.Butmom,
why
Becauseyoujustcant,Alex!Hervoicecrackedabitundertheexasperationinher
tone.Ifanyone,andImeananyone,findsoutyouhadadream...Idontevenknowwhatll
happen.Shemadeavisibleefforttocalmherself,seeingthatAlexanderwasbecomingeven
morefrightenedbyherindignation.
Alexanderscuriosity,however,overcamehisfear.Adream?Isthatwhatits
called?
Hismother,clearlystrugglingtosteadyheremotions,wasquietforabit.Afterafew
moments,shelookeddirectlyatAlexanderandspokewiththeutmostpurposeshecouldmuster.
Dontworryaboutwhatitscalled,Alex.Idontknowhowithappened,butregardless,you
cannottellanyoneaboutit.Doyouunderstand?

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Alexandernoddedhishead.Heknewbetternotto.
Itwasshowandtelldayatschool,andAlexander,inallhisworry,hadcompletely
forgotten.Hekepttoilingoverthecautionarywordsofhismother,overwhyshewassoangry.
Howcouldsomethingsoeuphoricasthatsocalleddreambekepttohimself?Whatwassobad
aboutitanyway?Alexanderdidntknow,buthedesperatelyneededsomethingtopresentfor
showandtell.So,astheotherkidsbegangivingtheirreports,Alexanderdrewapictureofhis
dreamandthoughtofsomethingstosayaboutit.Itwassoonhisturntopresent,andAlexander
strolledtothefrontoftheclassroom,readytoimpresshisentireclass.
Hereisapictureofsomethingthathappenedlastnight,hebegan.Theclassbeganto
chuckleattheasininityofAlexandertravellingtothemoonthenightbefore,butheproceeded
onboldly.Mymomsaiditwassomethingcalledadream,likeamemorythatdoesntleave
yourmindwhenyoushutdownatnight.
Atthis,theclasswassilent,perplexedastohowsomethinglikethatcouldhappen.
Alexandersteacher,however,wasfarfromperplexed.Shestoodalmostperfectlystill,mouth
slightlyagape,pointedlycastingashockedstareatAlexander.Ittookseveralsecondsbeforehis
teachermanagedtospeak.Alexander,pleasegostandoutinthehallway.
Alexanderwasterriblyconfused,buthedidwhathisteacherinstructedhimtodo.He
stoodinthehallwayforaminute,waitingforsomethingtohappen,apprehensivethathedid
somethingwrong.Suddenly,asiftheyappearedfromthinair,twomengrabbedhimbyeacharm
andhurriedlydraggedhimoutoftheschoolandintoavan.Alexanderpassedoutsoonafterhe
wasputin,hislastthoughtsfocusedontryingtoascertainwhatwasgoingon.
Alexanderwokeupinaspaciousoffice,dominatedbyalargedesknearawall.Sittingin
asuitablylargechairnexttothedeskwasasuitablylargeman,whoserotundfeaturesandsleek

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businesssuitdidlittletomaskhissinisteraura.Themanextinguishedacigarhehadbeen
smokingandstoodup.
Ah,good.Yourefinallyawake.Themanspokeinadeeptone,soothingonthesurface
yetabrasiveatitscore.HeambledtowardsAlexander,hishandsthrustwristdeepintothe
pocketsofhispants,mufflingthejinglingofcoinswithin.IwasbeginningtothinkIwouldnt
havethepleasuretomeetyouinperson.
Alexanderfeltasifheshouldrespond,buthefoundhimselfstrugglingtoutterany
words,orevenmove.
SoIhearthatyouhadadream,yes?Thatsquiteanunusualcasethesedays.
ThemanpassedbyAlexander,whocouldsmellthestenchofcigarsmokethathad
permeatedthemanssuit.Hecontinuedontoacorneroftheroomwhich,upuntilthispoint,
Alexanderhadassumedwasvacant.However,herealizedthatawomanwasstandingthere,
trembling,herfacecoveredbyabag.Themanstoodnexttoherandonceagainaddressed
Alexander,whohadbeguntotremblehimself.
Tobequitehonest,itsbeensolongsinceIvedealtwithadreamerthatIveforgotten
theprotocolfortheirhandling.So,Itookituponmyselftojustwriteupanewone.
Themanremovedthebagfromthewomansheadandcastitaside.
Alexandersmotherimmediatelysethereyesonherson,disregardingthemanentirely.
Hertearfilledgazesaidwhatathousandwordscouldnot.Alexanderthrewallofhiswillpower
intoreturningthegesture,intosayingwhathismouthseemedunabletoemit.Idontknow
whatsgoingtohappen,butjustknowthatIwillalwaysloveyou.

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Oneofthemanshandsdelvedfurtherdownintohisdeeppocketsanddrewouta
peculiarcoin.UnlikeanyAlexanderhadseen,itwasslightlysmallerthanthestandardcoinand
hadadullredtint.Themanseemedtoponderthecoinforamomentbeforespeaking.
Ineverhavelikeddreamers.Youlotarequitedifficulttocontrol.Butiftheresone
thingIlearnedincollege,itsthateveryonehasaweakness.
Helodgedtheredcoinbetweentwoofhisbeefyfingers,raisedhishandtothebackof
Alexandersmothersneck,andthrustthecoinintohercoinslot.
Clink.
Alexanderwatched,helplesslyimmobilized,whilethecolordrainedfromhismothers
faceandshefelltotheground.ThemanturnedfromherandwalkedtowardsAlexander,
wearingthemostpretentioussneerhecouldfitonhisface.Alexandersverysoulwasbeing
scorchedbytheragingfireofangerandsorrowthatenvelopedhim.Thetearsstreamingfromhis
eyesdidmuchtocovertheghastlycountenanceoftheman,whohadkneltdowntobefacelevel
withAlexander,buttheydidlittletomaskthereekofcigarbreathandtheroaringwhisperofa
voicethathadlostallpropertiesofbeingsoothing.
Now,son,dontgettoodown.Yousee,hereinAmerica,youcanhaveanythingyou
want.Itsthelandofthefree,afterall.Butfreedomaintfree.Thatswhyweallpayupour
Allowances.Soifyouwanttosulkhere,snivelingrightupuntilthemomentyourAllowance
runsupandyoukeelover,bemyguest.Butifyouwantfreedomifyouwanttodreamwell,
youllhavetoinsertacointocontinue.