“The way you want to be treated. I mean, the way one wants to be treated himself. One is supposed to treat others in the manner in which oneself wishes to be treated,” offered Gaon Shabazi.

“Three wrong answers,” marveled Fred, as if impressed. “I mean, that is what our mothers said, but Mother wasn’t on the money, was she?…[R]emember that the slow poison of prejudice at work in every American body,” he intoned, “begins with thinking everyone is like me. Everyone should be treated like me. Others want to be done unto the way I want to be done unto. This is our egoistic culture…Could it be—do you think—could it just possibly be that we should treat others the way they want to be treated? How about that, people?”

The longish silence was broken by the gay laughter of Tillie Albright, a Dutch-to-English translator with a small agency…

“You are very young, my dear!” She actually shook her finger at him gently. “Do you know how people want to be treated? Like kings and queens, if you please! Believe me, translators would love to be treated as if the words ‘hard work’ and ‘discipline’ were not in their dictionaries. Treat me as I wish to be treated? Lots of coffee breaks, and martinis at lunch! A little discreet harassment from the right person will not be a problem! Even some dancing!”