WEDDING DAY
BY WINSTON MARKS
Some folks say a good wife is a composite of many
things. And sometimes a girl finds it tough.
But with the ratio of the sexes drastically changed....
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, January 1955.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
At breakfast Polly and June had an argument over the coffee. Polly hadbrewed it. June thought it was too strong. Doris and Sue stayed out ofthe argument at first.
Polly defended, "Sure, it's a little stronger, but men like it strong.You might as well get used to it."
June said, "See here, he's got to make some concessions. After all, whyshould four of us suffer—"
"Suffer? You call being married to Hollis Jamison suffering?"
"Don't be so impressed. He's not doing badly marrying us, either. Hecould do a lot worse."
"Why, you vain witch! Just because you play a fair game of chess—"
"Oh, I'm not taking all the credit. You're a fine cook, Doris is wittyand Sue's body would make any man's mouth water—but that's just thepoint! Look what he's getting! Why should we have to change all ourhabits and tastes to conform with his?"
Now Doris entered the argument. "You know darn well why! It's stilla man's world and a man's choice. Back when there was a man forpractically every woman, it was different. But it's five women to oneman right now—don't ever forget that—five to one, and so far the lawonly requires a quadracell. Just be grateful you aren't the one who'sleft out. You and your chess-playing! How far would you get attractinga man, all by yourself?"
"Shhh, now, all of you," Sue broke into the telepathic conversation."Let's clear the dishes and get the apartment straightened up. Hollisdid make one concession—moving in with us, instead of making us livein that dismal bachelor's hole of his. Let's not make him regret it."
They heeded Sue and got busy. Sue was the arbiter. She ruled thequartet with a gentle but confident mind. All four knew that her lithe,athletic body with its soft curves and golden hair was the greatestasset in this transaction of matrimony.
There had been no dissension on this point, nor could there have been.The bureau would never have allowed them to be together and form amarriage cell had there been the slightest dispute.
Many differences of opinion were allowable, but the four had beencarefully screened in certain matters of basic tastes. They liked thesame colors, foods, styles of clothing, video programs, sports andvacation activities. All were carefully schooled ambiverts of roughlyequal education. Instead of conflicting, their differences of skills,talents and personality traits complemented each other.
Even with all this care in selecting and matching, however, the bigtest was the culmination of the marriage, itself—the whole purpose ofthis banding together. The unpredictable quality of the most stablefeminine emotions made the choice of a mate most difficult of all.
This awareness was in all their minds this day, and it made them alittle nervous. Even the argument that had started over the coffee hadbeen faintly alarming to Sue. They were a team, welded together by thewonderful gift of telepathy, which was only possible through formationof a marriage cell. The most complete intimacy of thought and feelinghad been nurtured for a whole year before marriage was permissible.Sympathy, tolerance and sharing a common experienc