27. Asherah’s Apartment (Paris)
JOURNALIST
Tonight’s Point Of View is devoted to accelerated chromosomal deficiency, or A-C-D, a recent phenomenon that has put the scientific world on alert.
My guest is Professor Mendel who heads the Institute for Applied Anthropology in Paris.
Good evening Professor. Could you give us an overview of what we already know about this phenomenon?
PROFESSOR
Of course. But first of all, I want to thank you for inviting me…
There is the sound of a door opening and closing, and a woman’s voice says:
INANNA
It’s me!
In a Bohemian-style living room, Asherah is sitting on a sofa watching the television screen, a cup of tea in her hand. She has changed. Gone are the subdued behavior and the sweet innocent face. Her traits now show a tougher personality with definite opinions, a woman aware of herself and fully committed.
ASHERAH
Come quickly, Inanna, they’re talking about us!
Inanna enters the room, throws her things on a chair, and takes place on the sofa beside Asherah. Their eyes glued to the screen, they exchange a quick kiss on the mouth.
PROFESSOR
The press and many of my colleagues speak of an epidemic because the affected individuals all show the same symptoms. First of all, only men and male adolescents are affected. Second, the most common symptom of all known cases today concerns the voice, which can be best described as completely “derailing.”
(with an embarrassed smile)
You will excuse this unscientific term, but it perfectly describes what occurs in the voice of these men, continually passing from one registry to the other. It’s absolutely not painful, but extremely unpleasant. Most of these men, whether young or old, are so ashamed that they do not dare leave their home.
Another symptom that emerges from the latest medical reports is that patients become apathetic. Many women have stated that their husbands’ sexual appetite has completely vanished.
JOURNALIST
But Professor, why the name accelerated chromosomal deficiency?
PROFESSOR
Blood tests have revealed a dramatic decrease in testosterone level of these men. This explains without any possible confusion the transformation of the voice and the loss of libido.
JOURNALIST
Of course, everyone is wondering how such a phenomenon could have occurred. But before we hear you on this topic, I would like to hand over to our reporter, Michel Cauvin, who has traced back the history of this epidemic for us.
On the screen behind her appears a young man. He is standing in the bright light of the early afternoon on the road with the Water Purification Center of Bogotá behind him.
JOURNALIST
Michel, what have you found?
REPORTER
Good evening Sarah, good evening Professor. Indeed, I’ve tried to establish the chronology of the phenomena associated with the A-C-D epidemic.
As Professor Mendel has already told us, this phenomenon is recent and global. The first reports attesting to the occurrence of its most prominent symptom are not older than a few months.
However, one of the most unusual features of this epidemic is that it did not spread, as all epidemics do, but it appeared almost simultaneously in scores of urban centers around the world.
A map of the world with dozens of places circled in white appears on the screen.
REPORTER (voice-off)
The white circles on the map indicate the regions where cases of voice transformations have been reported. As you can see, all cases except for one, to which I will come back in a moment, appear around important urban centers.
The reporter reappears on the screen.
REPORTER
In all these centers, the main symptom of A-C-D was reported between February and March of this year. However, these are not the first manifestation of this epidemic. The earliest mention of A-C-D comes from Iran and is three years old. Since then, other cases have been recorded in Brazil, Japan, and here in France.
But unlike the recent outbreak that has affected hundreds of thousands of individuals, the older cases only concern isolated individuals, all male of course —
JOURNALIST
Fascinating indeed. But tell me, Michel, where are you?
REPORTER
I am in front of the Water Purification Center of the city of Bogotá in Colombia. Just before the emergence of the numerous cases of A-C-D that has devastated the town, local newspapers reported that individuals had broken into…
The reporter steps aside, allowing the camera to zoom in on the opening in the fence, now patched up with a plank of wood.
REPORTER (voice-off)
… the place where the municipality recycles its water. Is there a link between this transgression and the epidemic of A-C-D? The authorities immediately started an investigation, but no trace of toxicity has been found in the water contained in the tanks.
The reporter reappears on the screen.
REPORTER
Another most curious coincidence comes from Arlit, a town in northern Niger that government forces have tried to retake from rebel fighters, but made little progress, that is until last February, when the fighting suddenly stopped from one day to the next. A journalist stationed there confirmed that the rebels had abruptly abandoned their positions. Curiously, the first cases of A-C-D were recorded at the same time.
JOURNALIST
It is indeed a most curious coincidence. Thank you, Michel.
The screen behind her turns black, and she faces her guest again.
JOURNALIST
What do you think of this, Professor?
PROFESSOR
It is certainly an interesting idea, and we should not neglect any lead. But to come back to your question about the causes of this epidemic, a hypothesis favored by most secret services was that of a virus or of a bacterium. The sudden and spontaneous appearance of A-C-D could indicate the use of a biological weapon. But so far, no group or network has claimed responsibility for this.
JOURNALIST
It would be the most horrible scenario.
PROFESSOR
Indeed! A few other causes that have been brought forward are the pollution of groundwater, a deficiency in the food chain, or a shower of meteorites carrying harmful gases.
JOURNALIST
Do we have to worry, Professor?
PROFESSOR
No. First of all, no new case has surfaced in recent months. It seems that the worst is behind us. Furthermore, laboratories all over the world are actively looking for a way to counteract the effects of A-C-D.
JOURNALIST
Thank you very much, Professor Mendel.
Asherah turns the screen off.
INANNA
I’m worn out.
ASHERAH
I’m not surprised, I saw you on the news, you were real dynamite. The naked woman on the Cathedral must have scandalized many?
INANNA
Wow, it was a big success. They insulted us, they threw tomatoes, they spat at us. Fortunately, the team I was working with was really fantastic. We had real fun!
ASHERAH
Come, as a reward for what you have done for the good cause, I’ll give you a full-body massage.
They disappear into an adjacent room.
* * * * *
The mess in the bedroom is unbelievable. Clothes are spread all over the place, and the bed is a real battlefield.
Inanna undresses and lies down on her belly on the bed. Very gently, Asherah sinks her fingers in the lush blond hair of her companion, and slowly goes down her neck and her back.
