Tea Tray in the Sky
By EVELYN E. SMITH
Illustrated by ASHMAN
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Galaxy Science Fiction September 1952.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Visiting a society is tougher than being born
into it. A 40 credit tour is no substitute!
The picture changed on the illuminated panel that filled the forwardend of the shelf on which Michael lay. A haggard blonde woman sprawledapathetically in a chair.
"Rundown, nervous, hypertensive?" inquired a mellifluous voice. "Inneed of mental therapy? Buy Grugis juice; it's not expensive. And theyswear by it on Meropé."
A disembodied pair of hands administered a spoonful of Grugis juice tothe woman, whereupon her hair turned bright yellow, makeup bloomed onher face, her clothes grew briefer, and she burst into a fast Callistanclog.
"I see from your hair that you have been a member of one of theBrotherhoods," the passenger lying next to Michael on the shelfremarked inquisitively. He was a middle-aged man, his dust-brown hairthinning on top, his small blue eyes glittering preternaturally fromthe lenses fitted over his eyeballs.
Michael rubbed his fingers ruefully over the blond stubble on his scalpand wished he had waited until his tonsure were fully grown beforehe had ventured out into the world. But he had been so impatient toleave the Lodge, so impatient to exchange the flowing robes of theBrotherhood for the close-fitting breeches and tunic of the outer worldthat had seemed so glamorous and now proved so itchy.
"Yes," he replied courteously, for he knew the first rule of universalbehavior, "I have been a Brother."
"Now why would a good-looking young fellow like you want to join aBrotherhood?" his shelf companion wanted to know. "Trouble over afemale?"
Michael shook his head, smiling. "No, I have been a member of theAngeleno Brotherhood since I was an infant. My father brought me whenhe entered."
The other man clucked sympathetically. "No doubt he was grieved overthe death of your mother."
Michael closed his eyes to shut out the sight of a baby protruding itsfat face at him three-dimensionally, but he could not shut out itslisping voice: "Does your child refuse its food, grow wizened like amonkey? It will grow plump with oh-so-good Mealy Mush from Nunki."
"No, sir," Michael replied. "Father said that was one of the fewblessings that brightened an otherwise benighted life."
Horror contorted his fellow traveller's plump features. "Be careful,young man!" he warned. "Lucky for you that you are talking to someoneas broad-minded as I, but others aren't. You might be reported forviolating a tabu. An Earth tabu, moreover."
"An Earth tabu?"
"Certainly. Motherhood is sacred here on Earth and so, of course, inthe entire United Universe. You should have known that."
Michael blushed. He should indeed. For a year prior to his leaving theLodge, he had carefully studied the customs and tabus of the Universeso that he should be able to enter the new life he planned for himself,with confidence and ease. Under the system of universal kinship, allthe customs and all the tabus of all the planets were the law on allthe other planets. For the Wise Ones had decided many years beforethat wars arose from not understanding one's fellows, not sympathizingwith them. If every nation, every planet, every solar system had thesame laws, customs, and