The Greening of America - 2021

"Oh my God, there's a meter reader here," William muttered under his breath as he watched the man in a gray uniform and cap quickly walk across the green pavement that served as lawn in front of the home unit William shared with his wife. Both William and his wife, Jenna, knew that the meter mounted at the side of their home was ticking and registering every use of energy in all forms they consumed. Their allotment was good compared to many of their neighbors due to their diligent conservation over time, but there was a problem.

"We should have been more careful and waited, Will. It was wrong what we did," Jenna said, her eyes cast down toward the new plastic flooring they had installed just a week before.

"Maybe it hasn't registered yet," William thought aloud.

"Yes. That would be good. We can economize and make up for it next month," Jenna said hopefully.

Just then the meter reader came from around the side of their home unit, slowed and grimaced at the door, then moved on to the next home unit.

"That didn't look good. He's never done that before," said William.

"What do you think will happen, Will?"

"I don't know. We can't be that much over our budget. We did save a lot going without lights most of the last few months and even left the car in the car park to save on gasoline."

"Yes. Yes. That's true. I'll bet the reader is just having a bad day. We saved more this month than usual. Surely we are under our allotment. Or maybe just a little bit over." A note of hopefulness and almost a smile crossed Jenna's face.

"We've done nothing wrong," William said sternly. "We notified the Green Housing Authority we needed a new floor in the kitchen. We may have jumped the gun a bit, but surely they would have approved anyway."

William and Jenna stood at the window of their unit staring out at the street. Both knew they had done what had been done. Nothing could be done about it now.

The next morning when they arose they found a notice posted on the door of their housing unit:

You are over your monthly allotment. You will appear at the Green Housing Authority Office for Disposition Today at 10:00 O'Clock AM."

"But we saved so much," Jenna said morosely.

William mumbled something under his breath as he gathered papers from his desk and stuffed them into his entirely recyclable, cardboard briefcase. "We need to get ready. We can show them how we saved and applied for the floor. I know they will think we've done well." William did not really believe his own words, but he could hope.

"Yes. They will see how well we have done," replied Jenna.

At exactly 10:00 o'clock William and Jenna were sitting on a bench outside the Budget & Allotment Office in the tall, gray building of the Green Housing Authority. Neither said a word. Jenna's eyes were wide taking in the gray marble around her. William sat, elbows on knees, staring at the gray marble floor. From time to time, some functionary passed them and entered the office without acknowledging them.

Finally, at 10:23 o'clock the door to the office opened and a woman dressed in a gray skirt and jacket that oddly matched the marble around them came out and motioned William and Jenna to follow her. She lead them through the office to a door marked "Allotment Infraction Room One." She stopped and knocked on the door. After a moment it opened and William and Jenna were led inside and shown to seats in front of a long, oak conference table. Across the table sat five men. They appeared to be in their thirties. Each had a stern look on their face.

"Do you know what you have done?" asked the man in the middle.

"We spent too much energy," William said glumly.

"Yes. You spent four units of oil. Can you tell us what that was for?"

"It wasn't our fault," blurted Jenna. "It took so long for you to respond to our..." Jenna stopped in mid-sentence as the man in the middle raised his hand.

"Yes. We know about your request for a new floor. It has been under scrutiny for some time."

"It's been months," William said offering the paperwork for their request. "Surely you were about to approve it."

"The floor would have been approved in due time. But that is not the case here today. You have broken the Green Law. Your punishment is what we are here to decide today."

"Punishment? Will you cut our allotment again?" asked William.

The man in the middle only grunted. "I'm afraid this is more serious than that, William. Would you like to know what you have done to the system?"

William looked down at the gray marble floor.

"William and Jenna, I'm afraid you have over taxed the system quite a bit. We have to supply energy in all forms to five-hundred-million people. Your allotment was 0.4 energy units. That should have been adequate. You used 2.5 units. In effect, you stole the energy from another family. That means we had to import more oil. We had to over work our refineries. We had to expend energy of our own in the amount of an addition 2.3 units to provide for that family."

But, we didn't know and we waited for so long..." Jenna said almost pleading.

The man second from the left raised his hand. The man in the middle turned toward him. There was a short, whispered conversation.

The man in the middle straightened in his chair. "Number two believes there may be extenuating circumstances here. I believe we will need to conceder this further. There may be a way to pay back what you have taken. We will be in contact with you." He made a dismissive movement of his hand and turned back to the second man on the right.

William and Jenna stood and walked to the door without looking back. In the gray marble hallway William stopped. "This may be bad, Jenna."

"What do you think they could do?"

"They may move us to the eastern side of the city. You know it's awful there. Or they may..." William was not sure what all the Authority could do. Together the couple trudged home to their unit without speaking.

The rest of the day, the two waited for...what? And they waited the next day and the next.

On the third night both William and Jenna began to relax. After all, why would it take so long if the Authority were going to impose some drastic punishment? They were resigned to a period of slashed allotments, maybe even a credit penalty. But they would survive that. And how long could it last?

That night for the first time in a week William and Jenna made love then slept well, contented that they had "dodged the bullet" so to speak. William woke up early with bright sunlight streaming into the room, a smile on his face. Jenna stretched and turned over, exposing her bare ass. Again William smiled at the remembrance of the previous night of love-making.

There was a knock on the door. William stiffened. Throwing on a robe, he walked quickly to open the door. On the front stoop stood two Green Housing Authority officers in their black uniforms, jack boots and helmets with the dark face plates pulled down to hide their faces.

One of the officers stepped forward almost nose to nose with William. "1762A William?"

"Yes." William said, consternation and dread beginning to build deep in there belly.

"Is 1952D Jenna at home?"

"Yes. I can get her."

Rather than answer, the officer pushed past William and strode forcefully into the sleeping room. Roughly he shook Jenna. "Are you 1952D Jenna?" he demanded.

"Yes," Jenna said, wide-eyed and suddenly wide awake.

"Get up immediately."

Jenna threw back the coverlet. Then realizing she was nude clutched it around her. But it made no difference. The officer had already turned his back and begun moving back toward the main room.

The second officer was closing the clasp on a collar around William's neck. "What is happening?" asked William. Now a deep fear had set in.

"You will come with us," the first officer told him.

"Come? Where?"

"That is not important," the first officer said indifferently.

Just then Jenna stepped into the main room still buttoning her blouse. At the sight of her husband in a yellow collar she stopped dead in her tracks. The first officer grabbed her by the elbow and pushed her against the wall. The second officer produced another yellow collar and slipped it around her neck. Jenna could hear an audible snap as the clasp on the collar closed.

The two were led out of their home and into a waiting unmarked, black, three-wheeled vehicle. They were led to the real of the vehicle and placed on a seat facing backwards, their feet dangling off the rear. The two officers climbing in the front and started the engine.

Jenna, shaking with fear tried to slide off the seat. As she moved forward just an inch, the collar around her neck tightened, strangling her.

The first officer turned his head. "Please keep your seat. The collar is for your safety. Thank you."

The vehicle wound through the city. Both William and Jenna could feel the stares of the people they passed on the street, just as they had stared at others they had seen riding as they were, wearing the yellow collars and wondered what they had done or where they were going. I occurred to William what they had done but still wondered where they were taken.

After a ride that seemed much longer than it really was the vehicle slowed and pulled into a rear entrance of the tall, gray marble Green Housing Authority building and stopped in front of an unmarked elevator. The two officers got out of the vehicle and motioned William and Jenna to do the same. Tentatively, the two inched forward on the seat expecting the collars to suddenly tighten. When this did not happen they stepped off the back of the vehicle.

The elevator doors opened and the officers pushed William and Jenna in. The doors closed leaving them along in the elevator as it began to rise. After a moment the elevator stopped and the doors opened. A Green Housing Authority officer was waiting for them. They were lead to a room marked with a large, red number 7. They were pushed inside and the door closed behind them.

William turned to look at the door. It seemed to be a simple slab without a door handle. Even though the door opened outward there was no sign of hinges. Likewise the room was barren without windows or any break at all in the gray marble walls. A single florescent tube in the center or the ceiling lit the room.

Jenna moved around the four walls, then settled on the floor in a corner with her back against the wall. William joined her and sat with his arm around her shoulders. Jenna began to whimper, her head pressed against his shoulder. There was nothing to do. They just waited.

After what seemed like hours the door opened and a Green Authority officer motioned them outside. They were led down a long corridor that ended in a door marked "Director of Allocation Recovery." The door opened and the officer motioned William and Jenna inside.

This office was quite different than anything they had seen elsewhere in the building. The walls were a mosaic of different colors of marble. The floor was covered in a soft, luxurious, faux carpeting. And a secretary sat behind what appeared to be a genuine oak desk. The secretary was dressed in a cheerful, flowered jumpsuit. She rose from behind her desk with a wide smile. "Do have a seat. The Director will be with you shortly. In the meantime, would you care for coffee?"

Jenna looked at William. Both shook their heads, then moved to what appeared to be a couch near the door that appeared to be covered in genuine leather. William ran his hand over the smooth surface of the leather. He had not seen anything like this since childhood in the days before the Greening of America.

He looked into Jenna's face reassuringly. Surly whatever was to happen could not be bad. Otherwise why would they have brought them to such a beautiful office?

Presently a door opened to their right. The secretary smiled at them and said, "Oh, I see he's ready for you. You can go in."

Taking Jenna's hand, William stood and led her through the door and into the most lavish office he had ever seen. The walls were plaster and painted white. Paintings were hung around the room. The floor was covered in an even more luxurious faux carpet than the outer office. Centered in the room was a great desk easily seven feet wide made from real Honduras Mahogany. Behind the desk, sitting a large, black leather chair was a short man, balding man in a bright green jumpsuit with an orange necktie. He stood and offered his hand, saying, "Good morning. I'm 01157 Jefferson. I am so glad to see you. Please be seated."

William and Jenna sat in chairs of real wood with deep, fine upholstery facing the desk and the Director.

"Nasty business, this," the Director muttered as he shuffled through some papers on his desk. Then he hold one up. "Oh, yes. It seems you over did your allotment somewhat. About 2 units it says here."

William nodded. "That is what we understand."

The Director smiled. "Well, after all. It's only 2 units.. I see where you petitioned for a new floor. It seems you used those 2 units for that. Is that right?"

"Yes, Director. That is right. You see, we asked for the new floor months ago and were told..."

"I see it all here. Did you know the floor had been approved. The floor would have been added to your allotment two month hence." The Director looked steadily at William.

"We were told it had been approved. We thought it was imminent, but..."

"Yes. Yes. Nasty business," the Director muttered again. "You see the problem here. Theft of energy is a punishable offense. But, as the review committee wrote in their report, there are extenuating circumstances."

Jenna looked up at William with relief in her eyes.

The Director went on, "It has been decided. We could have imposed Coventry for some period of time as prescribed in the Green Law, but we felt it would be better to simply allow you to settle the account by replacing the 2 units." The Director smiled at the couple across the desk.

Jenna spoke up, "Yes, Director. We can be very careful. We can save. In just a few months we can pay back all we've taken." A great relief showed in her voice. Even William sighed a great inward sigh of relief. After all Coventry was a horrid place. No energy at all. A place of darkness and wandering tribes intent on food from whatever source. Murder, robbery and crime of all sorts flourished there.

"So, tomorrow morning you will report to the Energy Recover Office on Bleeker Street. Then this whole nasty business can be put behind us." The Director stood and leaned across the desk, his hand extended to shake, his face smiling.

William and Jenna stood, William took the Director's hand and shook it warmly with expletives of thanks.

Jenna leaned against William laughing as they walked to the tram stop a block from the Green Housing Authority. Both walked with a spring in their step. Life was good. The Authority had understood and they had, indeed, "dodged the bullet."

That evening the couple celebrated their good fortune with wine, music and finally the best sex they had had in weeks. The whole world looked bright to them. The fear was gone. Yes, they would have to further economize. Maybe not use their lights at night, going to bed early. The car, of course, was completely out of the question for a while. The weather was not really that cold yet even though it was October. Then could bundle up and leave the heat turned off. Just look how much they could save and repay the Authority and how quickly this debt would be settled. Oh yes. Life was good.

The following morning the couple rose early. They made notes to present to the Energy Recovery Office of all the ways they had thought of to repay what they had taken. On the way the October sun shown almost warm as the two approached the squat, two-story Energy Recovery building.

Inside, the couple were told to wait in the reception area. This building was, of course, entirely functional in the common gray marble, not like the Director's office.

On entering they were greeted by a woman in a gray jumpsuit. "I need to see your identity cards."

William and Jenna handed them over and the woman scanned them at a desk. "Alright, thank you. Please go through the door marked "Number 3." The woman pointed indicating a bank of doors numbered from 1 through 12 along one wall. The couple walked to the door to comply as they were instructed.

On opening door "Number 3" the room beyond was pitch black. William took Jenna's hand and stepped into the inky blackness. The door snapped shut behind them. An overhead lamp flickered once then came on steady casting a dim light in the room which was quite small measuring only eight feet wide and twelve feet long. On the wall at the far end was a large video screen. In front of the video screen were two chairs.

The video screen brightened from black to light showing a well dressed man the graying hair sitting behind a desk in a plane gray marble room. "Good morning. I am 69351 Jessup. I am here to explain your repayment. Please be seated and we will get down to business."

Both William and Jenna heaved a sigh of relief. The darkness and stern reception they had received was not what they had expected. William and Jenna took their seats.

69351 Jessup went on, "In my youth I worked hard for GreenPeace and other groups to save this planet from destruction. I was and am still very committed. I stopped logging in the Pinchot and Willamette National Forests. I alerted the Environmental Protection Agency to various infractions of dumping into the Columbia River and the noxious gases that spewed from the paper mills. But, now I am older and have other work to do. I'm more of a negotiator than an activist."

After a pause and the shuffling of papers 69351 Jessup continued. "As you know you overran your allotment by quite a handsome sum. In order to replace that energy, you will have to submit 167 kilowatt hours of energy back to the system. Do you understand?"

William nodded. Jenna began to babble, "Oh yes. We are so happy to save no matter how long..."

69351 Jessup cut her off with a raised hand. "I'm sorry. It's clear you do not understand at all. The problem is one of economics. In effect, Green Housing has loaned you about 2 units of energy. Then they had to buy more energy to replace what you took. The Green Housing Authority had to borrow the capital to purchase this energy. Now they have to pay interest on that money. Do you see?"

William nodded. "So you want us to pay interest too?"

"Yes," Jenna said happily. "We are most glad to do that. It's only fair after all."

"Excellent. Then we are understanding each other." After a slight pause 69351 Jessup continued, "There is a problem. We have computed the interest and it appears that it will require some five years and two months for you to pay the entire principal and interest." The man frowned.

William and Jenna looked at each other. Could they live on a starvation wage of energy for more than five years?

"There is, however, another way which the committee has decided it best in your case. You may pay the entire debt interest free here today."

"What? How?" William was incredulous.

"Every human on earth carries with them about 85 kilowatt hours of energy in there cells, muscles and so on. With that in mind..."

"Wait!" William tried to stand but found he could not. "We don't understand what you mean."

On the video screen 69351 Jessup pressed a button on his desk top. A green light appeared above the screen. The dim ceiling lamp began to grow brighter and brighter. Somewhere William and Jenna could hear a fan begin to turn. Then they felt their skin grow first warm then hot. Jenna began to scream. Together, their bodies began to slowly vaporize while the vaporized gases were collected for processing and redistribution to the society.