
Cost of Living
By ROBERT SHECKLEY
Carrin wakes up on a rare day off to a house that feels more like a showroom than a home. Every surface hums with sleek, automated gadgets—from an electric auto‑cook that serves breakfast to a plastic‑shimmering shower that massages his skin. Yet beneath the glossy convenience, a lingering unease gnaws at him, sparked by the unsettling suicide of his neighbor, Miller, a man who seemed to have everything.
As the Avignon Electric finance officer arrives for a routine check, Carrin’s mind races between pride in his immaculate interior and the growing dread that the comforts he cherishes come at a hidden price. The encounter forces him to confront the paradox of a society that promises endless luxury while silently demanding ever‑greater sacrifices, leaving listeners to wonder just how far one will go to keep the façade of a perfect life.
Language
en
Duration
~19 minutes (18K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2009-07-19
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1928–2005
Best known for sharp, funny science fiction that could turn absurd in a heartbeat, this American writer made a specialty of stories that feel playful on the surface and unsettling underneath. His work helped define the satirical side of mid-20th-century SF.
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