The colour green has acquired political associations in recent times and these complement much older associations such as its poetic and religious wealth of symbolism connecting it to such aspects as life, youth but also the transience of life, an ambivalence explored so poignantly in 'Fern Hill' by Dylan Thomas. .What wil be l be the future course taken by the colour green in the face of the sober grey of enforced uniformity/ Hence this story from the future.

1. THE GREEN AND THE GREY A short story of the Science
Fiction genre. How far wil generitic engineering produce dehumanizing results such as the
deprivation of colours from one's field of vision Will human rulers one day be replaced by semi-
organic and semi-artificial superbrains, all for humanities benefit, of course. Will so-called mutants be
eliminated from the mainstream in a very humane manner, not by exection but by extradiction to a
‘green zone.’

3. A Message from the Future
‘Be so kind as to show me your personal data card,’ officer Zx302 requested.
The patient Viofj8 obliged. At first the officer’s face showed no sign of an
emotional reaction before he resumed the interrogation with the mere suggestion
of a smile.
‘I see you are not classified as a monochromic person.’
From a drawer of his desk he produced an illustrated manual.
‘ I will point to a section of this chart and I want you to respond by referring to
what appears to you to be the appropriate colour. How about the square c?’
‘Grey’ the patient answered.
‘And what about this box?’
‘Dark grey.’
‘And this one?
‘And this one?/
‘Sort of blue.’
‘Interesting. Does the word “green” mean anything to you?’
‘Green, er’ the patient answered with quavering voice.
‘According to your data card you should not be able to perceive anything green.
Look at this picture.’
The patient contorted his face as if in pain
‘Have you seen this colour before?’
The patient became even more agitated.
‘You have then. You were not programmed to see green, you know. When was the
first major occasion you saw green?’ the officer asked in an irascible tone.
‘It was the day - I was late for work – when and I took the wrong mobosphere.
Before I knew it. I could see that I was approaching the end of the Master-Dome.’
‘But you had no authorization to approach the limit of the dome, let alone travel
beyond the limit.’
‘No. I cannot excuse myself for committing a gross and egregious error.’

4. ‘What colours did you see at the edge of the perisphere?’
‘The usual ones at first - grey, light grey, yellow, brown and blue and.. and…;
‘Green?’
‘Yes – green’ though at the time I couldn’t give it a name.’
‘What did you feel on seeing this colour?’
‘Mixed, very mixed feelings from horror and shame to a strange kind of
exhilaration.’
‘Did you report this occurrence to your superiors?’
‘I should have, I know, but I was too terrified to tell anybody.’
‘ As you know, people in authority noted a change in your behavioral patterns after
this event, which of course led to an investigation.’
‘Am I ill? Have I committed a crime?’
‘A crime? Not exactly, though you did act in a deviant manner. There were
mitigating circumstances in you case, however.’
‘Mum mum –it..?’
‘Let me explain. The process of genetic manipulation should have seen to it that
you would not be able to see anything green. There was some kind of slip=up, I’m
afraid. For no fault of your own you are now a mutant?
‘Dear me. Can I be cured?’
‘Not fully, not sufficiently, I’m afraid.’
“What will happen to me then?’
‘You will be eliminated.’
‘Have mercy! It wasn’t my fault , as you said yourself.’ The patient uttered with
trembling voice.
‘Do not equate elimination with the termination of your corporal existence. You
need not fear “execution.” to use a somewhat outdated term. More like “exiled” or
“extradited.”’
‘Where to?’
‘To a so-called “green zone.”’
‘What is it like to be in a “green zone?’
’Different, but pleasant enough, once you have adjusted to your new surroundings.
You will have the company of other mutants such as yourself.’
‘Will I be able to keep in touch with relations and old friends?’
‘I’m afraid not. Those who see green undergo a personality change that alienates
them from others. They pose a source of contagion.’
‘Why should they do that?’

5. ‘Since the reformation of society under the wise guidance and benevolent
supervision of the Great P the distribution of colour recognition faculties has
conformed to the roles allotted to the various classes that make up our great
society. Those in the highest rank retain the ability to perceive the full range of
colours. Those in the lowest rank, the Zomboids, are totally monochrome, that is,
able only to differentiate between black and various shades of grey. Those in the
intermediate areas are able to see only those colours that they need to fulfill their
duties for the benefit of all.’
‘So when do I depart for the Green Zone?’
‘Immediately. However, you will attend an orientation course that will prepare you
for your new mode of existence. You will learn about food, sex, singing and joking
and playing around. In some ways I am rather envious of you. You will be under
surveillance, though. I doubt you will notice it. You see, further research has to be
done on mutants and their behavioral adjustment after entry into the green zone.
You may prove useful to the Great Society after all.’.
And so it was that the patient began an enjoyable new life in the green zone for
reasons that attentive readers may infer for themselves. The Great P by the way is
the Supreme Ruler of the Great Society. P’’ originally stood for ‘President’ but the
only organic matter remaining within his (her, its) physical makeup are brain cells,
the functions of which are greatly augmented by a super computer that exploits the
powers of molecular combinations and nanotechnology based of quantum leaps.
One of my students is a UFO freak and he reportedly found some kind of crystal
ball that purportedly enables him to receive and interpret messages retroported
from a future civilization. This ball, he surmises, may have been left on earth by
aliens with a disposition to enlighten humanity about coming events or it may have
been quite simply mislaid. There had been a considerable number of UFO
sightings in his area, this student confided.