The Golden Rule

Ch 1: A Little Unwell

It could no longer be ignored that she was not well. She awoke with a slight ache in her head that from her perspective had no cause. She had gone to sleep at the appropriate time, eaten all of her scheduled meals, and had not strained herself in her duties. She lingered on the bed mat for a short time, but after she noticed her mother’s empty bed mat, she became ashamed for wasting time and flung off her burlap sheets. Her mother heard her stirring and came within her view. 

“Are you feeling well, Angeline?” she asked, more out of tradition than concern as she had no indication to whether Angeline was well or not.

“Yes mother. I am feeling quite well,” Angeline carefully replied. No matter how bad she felt she could never let on. It had been instilled in her since birth that every word that escapes one’s lips must always improve the wellbeing of the other person. Even in her current state, empathetic words rolled out of her mouth as automatically as they ever had.

“You do not have to spare my feelings if you do not want to. It would not please me if you were not feeling well and did not tell me.”

“Thank you for your consideration, but I assure you I am fine, and there is no need to worry about me.”

“Well if you are truly all right, I will not try to distress you with my questions. Do not worry about walking to the Rationing Center. I walked there with both our cards, and I brought back our morning meals.”

“Thank you but you did not need to stress yourself in that manner. I am old enough to gather my own meals from the Rationing Center, and I should be the one going for the both of us since your occupation requires more energy.”

“Your occupation needs as much energy as my occupation. I am sorry if my decision upset you. You were sleeping a little longer than usual, so I decided to have your meal here ready for you when you awakened.”

“A little longer? Did I delay you going to the Onyx Developing Center? I am sorry for causing you so much concern; I will get ready right away!”

“You did not cause me any discomfort Angeline. You still have plenty of time to eat, change and go to the Learning Center. There is no trouble at all.”

Angeline had projected an appropriate smile throughout their discussion though her loss of time and her mother’s unnecessary effort had made her feel guilty. She got up and walked with her mother a couple of steps to the bare wooden table which held her morning meal. She pulled out the wooden chair from beneath it and prepared herself to consume whatever substance her mother had placed in her wide saucer. She took the long, sturdy spoon that was placed beside the saucer and dug it into an amorphous white paste. She lifted it into her mouth without hesitation, swallowing it in a fast, but not sloppy fashion. Her meal was a healthy concoction of all the necessary vitamins and nutrients she would need for day and luckily for her had no discouraging flavor. But what would flavor matter to her? Food’s purpose is to provide nourishment for the day; taste is irrelevant. Of course some meals had slightly worse tastes than others, but she would eat the meals without as much as a second thought.

“This meal was very filling. Thank you for going through all the trouble to bring this from the Rationing Center” she said after finishing it.

Her mother replied in an equally relaxed manner, “Please I told you it was no trouble at all for me, Angeline. I will be going to my center now unless you need anything else from me which I assure you will not be of any inconvenience to me.” She still had her sweet smile and though she was starting run late, she was careful not to show any irritation or sign of wanting to leave.

“No I am perfectly settled. You can go to your center now, and I will go to my occupation.” Angeline’s reply freed her mother from her societal obligation, and she was free to leave her daughter at the table without any guilt.