Because Jim Briskin represented Whites and Cols alike.

'We're there, sir,' the 'ab driver, a Col, informed him. The 'ab slowed, came to rest on the breastshaped vehicle port of the satellite, a dozen yards from the pink nipple which served as a location-signal device. 'You're Jim Briskin's campaign manager ?' the driver said, turning to face him.; 'Yeah, I recognize you. Listen, Mr. Heim; he's not a sell-out, is he ? I heard a lot of folk argue that, but he wouldn't do it; I know that.'

'Jim Briskin,' Heim said as he dug for his wallet 'has sold out nobody. And never will. You can tell your buddies that because it's the truth.' He paid his fare, feeling grumpy. Grumpy as hell.

'But is it true that ?'

'He's working with Whites, yes. He's working with me and I'm White. So what ? Are the Whites supposed to disappear when Briskin is elected ? Is that what you want ? Because if it is, you're not going to get it.'

'I see what you mean, I guess,' the driver said, nodding slowly. 'You infer he's for all the people, right ? He's got the interest of the White minority at heart just like tie has the Col majority. He's going to protect everybody, even including you Whites.'

'That's right,' Salisbury Heim said, as he opened the 'ab’s door. 'As you put it, "even including you Whites".' He stepped out on the pavement. Yes, even us, he said to himself. Because we merit it.

'Hello there, Mr. Heim.' A woman's melodious voice. Heim turned -

'Thisbe,' he said, pleased. 'How are you ?'

I'm glad to see that you haven't stayed below just because your candidate disapproves of us,'

Thisbe Olt said. Archly, she raised her green-painted, shining eyebrows. Her narrow, harlequinlike face glinted with countless dots of pure light embedded within her skin; it gave her eerie, nimbus-like countenance the appearance of constantly-renewed beauty. And she had renewed herself, over a number of decades. Willowy, almost frail, she fiddled with a tassel of stoneimpregnated fabric draped about her bare arms; she had put on gay clothes in order to come out and greet him and he was gratified. He liked her very much - had for some time now.