Trapped in the Amber of Time
Trapped in the Amber of Time
Excerpt from the Novel, “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr, p 76-77.
Scene where Billy is first abducted by aliens: “‘Welcome aboard, Mr. Pilgrim,’ said the loudspeaker. ‘Any questions?’
Billy licked his lips, thought a while, inquired at last: ‘Why me?’
‘That is a very Earthling question to ask, Mr. Pilgrim. Why you? Why us for that matter? Why anything? Because this moment simply is. Have you ever seen bugs trapped in amber?’
‘Yes.’ Billy, in fact, had a paperweight in his office which was a blob of polished amber with three lady-bugs embedded in it.
‘Well, here we are, Mr. Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no why.'”
