"I feel exactly the way someone would if someone put an arm through their lung. You know: death warmed over. Also, high. They have me on the good future drugs. They said they're non-addictive but may have 'unpleasant euphoric qualities.'"

Rich shook his head.

"I don't know why they put 'unpleasant' in the front, though. I mean, how is euphoria unpleasant? That's, like, an oxymoron." Rich looked genuinely stymied by that contradiction for a moment before moving on. "But it could be worse."