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The oldhim "How do you feel?" he asked

Jonas sat up and tried to answer honestly "Surprised," he said, after a moment

The old man wiped his forehead with his sleeve "Whew," he said "It was exhausting But you know, even transhtened me just a little"

"Do you mean--you did say I could ask questions?"

Thehis question

"Do you mean that now you don't have the memory of it--of that ride on the sled--anyht off this old body"

"But it was such fun! And now you don't have it anyhed "All I gave you was one ride, on one sled, in one snow, on one hill I have a whole world of theive them to you one by one, a thousand times, and there would still bethat I--I ain?" Jonas asked "I'd really like to I think I could steer, by pulling the rope I didn't try this ti, shook his head "Maybe another day, for a treat But there's no ti you hoorks

"Now," he said, turning businesslike, "lie back down I want to--"

Jonas did He was eager for whatever experience would come next But he had, suddenly, so many questions

"Why don't we have snow, and sleds, and hills?" he asked "And when did we, in the past? Did ? Did you?"

The old h "No," he told Jonas "It's a very distantit forward froiven to me when I was a new Receiver, and the previous Receiver had to pull it through a long tis? Snow, and the rest of it?"

"Cliricultural periods And unpredictable weather made transportation al, so it became obsolete ent to Sameness

"And hills, too," he added "They oods unwieldy Trucks; buses Slowed theesture had caused hills to disappear "Sameness," he concluded

Jonas frowned "I e had those things, still Just now and then"'

The old man smiled "So do I," he said "But that choice is not ours"

"But sir," Jonas suggested, "since you have so much power--"

The reat honor So will you But you will find that that is not the same as power

"Lie quietly now Since we've entered into the topic of clioing to tell you the na You should be able to perceive the naave away snow and sled and downhill and runners by telling the instructed, Jonas closed his eyes again He felt the hands on his back again He waited

Now it cas This tian to feel warm on his body Theyacross his shoulders, up his neck, onto the side of his face He could feel it through his clothed parts, too: a pleasant, all-over sensation; and when he licked his lips this time, the air was hot and heavy

He didn't e He was si down, and the war as the ride through the snowy air; but it was pleasurable and co

Suddenly he perceived the word for it: sunshine He perceived that it came from the sky

Then it ended

"Sunshine," he said aloud, opening his eyes

"Good You did get the word That "

"And it caht," the old man said "Just the way it used to"

"Before Sameness Before Clihed "You receive well, and learn quickly I'h for today, I think We're off to a good start"

There was a question bothering Jonas "Sir," he said, "The Chief Elder told me--she told everyone--and you told me, too, that it would be painful So I was a little scared But it didn't hurt at all I really enjoyed it" He looked quizzically at the old hed "I started you with ave me the wisdom to do that" He took a few deep breaths "Jonas," he said, "it will be painful But it need not be painful yet"

"I'hter

The old man looked at him for a moment He smiled "I can see that," he said "Well, since you asked the question--I think I have enough energy for one more transmission

"Lie down once more This will be the last today"

Jonas obeyed cheerfully He closed his eyes, waiting, and felt the hands again; then he felt the war from the sky of this other consciousness that was so new to hi in the wonderful ware of time His real self are that it was only aself felt hours pass in the sun His skin began to sting Restlessly heit, and felt a sharp pain in the crease of his inner arm at the elbow

"Ouch," he said loudly, and shifted on the bed "O," he said, wincing at the shift, and evenhis mouth to speak made his face hurt

He knew there was a word, but the pain kept hi it