Who’s next?

Just imagine a world where …

She looked at the back cargo hold and counted the children. “If we must,” she said, “let it be Josh.”

“Let’s try for a hitchhiker instead,” he said. “R9 has always been good for hunting hitchhikers. If I can trap three hitchhikers, Josh can be saved for another trip.”

Upon arrival, Josh’s Mom and Dad registered at R9 and permit-paid to pick up a hitchhiker, any hitchhiker, maybe even the three hitchhikers they needed. This said permit cost pennies but nonetheless almost depleted their cookie jar fund. They and the rest of the family hunted for beau coup hours for zilch. No other choices were now possible as a substitute for Josh.

So they had already lost John and Janet, and Josh was up next. The way Josh became next was when Dad said they couldn’t make the milage without another kid. “Let’s decide now.” Mom didn’t cry about that and never would. She had activated the ambient monitor to view the back cargo hold and counted her children again. “It should be Josh, maybe Luke.” And after some discussion later, Josh had been selected.

“Hey,” Josh thought, “with us guys from a democracy, one would think that straws would be drawn among the whole family for the short straw to decide which sibling would be next. Maybe in most families, but not in this family.”

The decision, however, did require some whispering between Mom and Dad, even though whispering wasn’t necessary up front in the vehicle away from the kids. The parents therefore had decided on Josh instead of Luke as next.

Dad ran a fuel check. “All right, we might as well decide now who’s next to follow Josh in order to get us there and back.”

So Mom and Dad debate this in advance of its need, but it wasn’t much of another debate to whittle down to either Joan or Joe right after Josh. Surprise. Both won the fixed lottery. Luke was bypassed. Thus, on the start of Mom’s and Dad’s return trip, there would be Joan followed by Joe. Both would be used as fuel for Mom’s and Dad’s vehicle. Luke and the other remaining kids would be safe for awhile. Josh was readied and went in headfirst to fill up the tank. Joan and Joe were held on standby.

This was an important journey. Mom and Dad were embarked on a religious quest, joining every one else of their True Religion who owned a vehicle and who had birthed and/or adopted enough human fuel kids necessary for the trip. Except for older hitchhikers, duping an adult for fuel was almost impossible. Their vehicles ran on only human fuel. As a matter of fact, human fuel made their vehicles go everywhere, even to the neighborhood grocery store.

Please note, readers, that the above is science fiction about a fictional trip. But hey, anything can happen.
– End of Just imagine.

The above short-short SF story illustrates what madness our inventive people can ascend to in order for us to commute or travel very long distances in their own individual vehicles. What’s happening now? Well — anything, especially corn and any other stuff that will ferment, can be used for fuel in our present vehicles. When gasoline from petroleum runs out, when ethanol can’t be made any longer, what’s next? Human bodies for fuel? Hitler cars? //Hitler? Not again, please!// What do you suppose Josh, Joe, Janet and Luke thought about their being used as fuel for Mom and Dad’s vehicle? If you were in their place, in their situation, what would you think about your life’s only purpose as human fuel?

What do I think? I agree with one knowledgeable scientist who looked under the hood of one of our modern cars at the engine, and said, “It should be impossible that this thing would ever work.” Well, of course the people in Detroit made it work! It may not be at all efficient, but it works and that’s all that counts. But maybe the car itself no longer counts. Can the common use of the combustible engine be curtailed before its collective madness destroys the planet, before it destroys us?

Yes, perhaps a trend can be started today that may not see success until decades later. Such as, the several alternative-powered cars that have surfaced.

Wait a minute! Nowadays, there is little need for everyday workers to commute, to spend hours jammed on lock-down highways during rush hours. Why? Because we’re no longer a nation of manufacturers. No longer do we all need to travel to factories to make things. We are almost a customer-service nation. Most everything we work at can now be done at home, on computers. Soon, we don’t even need to “work” on computers at home, but via computer technology on cell phones. Soon we should be able to work from anywhere beyond our homes.

Sounds good, but only time that’s passed us by can predict the future. Everyone else — me too! — who has tried to foretell what will be around or popular in the future is doomed to fail.

Lastly, something that a good think tank needs to solve is a way to better our present distribution system, for food to supermarkets, necessities and fun stuff to warehouses. Anything workable that will replace the big trucks — 18 wheelers. Our present system that’s dependent on highways has replaced the railroads that once had rail freight depots in every city, town, backwater place. This former distribution system was successful that way at one time. For now? Have you any suggestions for a new goods distribution system? O woe is me! Questions, questions, questions — but no answers!

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