So he wrote Friday, then Job, The Cat Who Walks through Walls, and his final book, To Sail Beyond the Sunset. Each of these books differed from anything he had previously done, and some displayed new techniques he had been inventing.
To Sail was published on Robert’s 80th birthday in 1987, by special arrangement with his publisher. The only further item Robert wrote was the foreword for Ted Sturgeon’s novel Godbody. While contract negotiations for To Sail were still going on, Robert came down with what was to be his final illness. For almost two years, he hovered between illness and frail health, but finally succumbed on May 8, 1988.
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
*
CUTS IN Red Planet
[Alice Dalgliesh, the editor at Scribner’s, objected to anything that might be construed as having some sexual connotations and also to the use of guns by youngsters, as well as other matters. As a result, Heinlein was forced to make a number of cuts in his original manuscript. Some of these are shown here. Chapter and paragraph numbers refer to Red Planet as originally published.]
Between Chapter II, paragraph 13 and Chapter II, middle of paragraph 23:
The second generation trooped out. Phyllis said, “Take the charges out of your gun, Jimmy, and let me practice with it.”
“You’re too young for a gun.”
“Pooh! I can outshoot you.” This was very nearly true and not to be borne; Phyllis was two years younger than Jim and female besides.
“Girls are just target shooters. If you saw a water-nccker, you’d scream.”
“I would, huh? We’ll go hunting together and I’ll bet you two credits that I score first.”
“You haven’t got two credits.”
“I have, too.”
“Then how was it you couldn’t lend me a half credit yentcrday?”
Phyllis changed the subject. Jim hung up his weapon in his cupboard and locked it. Presently they were back in the living room, to find that their father was home and dinner ready.
Phyllis waited for a lull in grown-up talk to say, “Daddy?”
“Yes, Puddin’? What is it?”
“Isn’t it about time I had a pistol of my own?”
“Eh? Plenty of time for that later. You keep up your target practice.”
“But, look, Daddy-Jim’s going away and that means that Ollie can’t ever go outside unless you or mother have time to take him. If I had a gun, I could help out.”
Mr. Marlowe wrinkled his brow. “You’ve got a point. You’ve passed all your tests, haven’t you?”
“You know I have!”
“What do you think, my dear? Shall we take Phyllis down to city hall and see if they will license her?”
Before Mrs. Marlowe could answer Doctor MacRae muttered something into his plate. The remark was forceful and probably not polite.
“Eh? What did you say, Doctor?”
“I said,” answered MacRae, “that I was going to move to another planet. At least that’s what I meant.”
“Why? What’s wrong with this one? In another twenty years we’ll have it fixed up good as new. You’ll be able to walk outside without a mask.”
“Sir, it is not the natural limitations of this globe that I object to; it is the pantywaist nincompoops who rule it — These ridiculous regulations offend me. That a free citizen should have to go before a committee, hat in hand, and pray for permission to bear arms-fantastic! Arm your daughter, sir, and pay no attention to petty bureaucrats.”
Jim’s father stirred his coffee. “I’m tempted to. I really don’t know why the Company set up such rules in the first place.”
“Pure copy-cattism. The swarming beehives back on
Earth have similar childish rules; the fat clerks that decide these things cannot imagine any other conditions. This is a frontier community; it should be free of such.”
“Mmmm…probably you’re right, Doctor. Can’t say that I disagree with you, but I’m so busy trying to get on with my job that I really don’t have time to worry about politics. It’s easier to comply than to fight a test case.” Jim’s father turned to his wife. “If it’s all right with you, my dear, could you find time to arrange for a license for Phyllis?”
“Why, yes,” she answered doubtfully, “if you really think she’s old enough.” The doctor muttered .something that combined “Danegeld” and the “Boston Tea Party” in the same breath. Phyllis answered: