The last ones to work for dollars aroused hatred in the town, and some were subjected to regrettable acts of retribution.  In our defense, it was an unusual time. We had built a beautiful system to replace wages and entertainment; people hanging on to the old currency—we saw red. But then again, there were probably those who were simply jealous.

 

2.

Of all those benefiting from facial recognition, the least remarked upon were plastic surgeons. Clay implants were originally developed, after all, for patients who needed to deceive the cameras. The leap to fashion only happened later, when people began to mold their faces before dinner, just as they arranged their hair, and nose shapes changed with the seasons.