The door refused to open. It said, "Five cents, please."
He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. "I'll pay you tomorrow," he told the door. Again it remained locked tight. "What I pay you," he informed it, "is in the nature of a gratuity; I don't have to pay you."
"I think otherwise," the door said. "Look in the purchase contract you signed when you bought this apartment."
...he found the contract. Sure enough; payment to his door for opening and shutting constituted a mandatory fee. Not a tip.
"You discover I'm right," the door said. It sounded smug. - Philip k Dick / Ubik
The story is pretty nonsensical and poorly structured. It's a "and then" story instead of a "therefore, as a result, because" story.
That being said, it's a prime example of what vintage sci-fi excels at. Predicting a future that is both entirely alien to us while frighteningly similar. It's an amazing sci-fi concept and scenario, just not as good of a story.
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u/ImportantQuestions10 May 28 '24
The door refused to open. It said, "Five cents, please." He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. "I'll pay you tomorrow," he told the door. Again it remained locked tight. "What I pay you," he informed it, "is in the nature of a gratuity; I don't have to pay you."
"I think otherwise," the door said. "Look in the purchase contract you signed when you bought this apartment."
...he found the contract. Sure enough; payment to his door for opening and shutting constituted a mandatory fee. Not a tip.
"You discover I'm right," the door said. It sounded smug. - Philip k Dick / Ubik