“So that they can’t perpetuate a burden on society,” I say. “That’s the rationale behind it, isn’t it?”
George nods.
“And I’m assuming these people with so-called genetic flaws don’t have any say in the matter?” I ask.
“I’d wager a certain percentage do, but most are likely deemed unable to make decisions about their health, especially if they are already in the state’s care.”
“But what about those who are able to make decisions and don’t want that procedure?” Lila asks. “I don’t see how forcibly sterilizing them can be lawful.”
“They can do it because there’s a precedent for it,” George says. “I remember the Supreme Court case that ruled on this. It was a while ago, in the late 1920s, I believe. There was a young woman considered an imbecile by heredity. Her home state of Virginia wanted to sterilize her, but they also wanted to make sure they had the constitutional right, even with the laws in place, to do that. Her case went all the way to the Supreme Court. All the other states with eugenics laws were watching. That majority decision made it possible for other states to rest easy with the same kinds of laws.”
“Was this young woman actually an imbecile?” I ask.
“I never saw the documentation proving it,” George replies. “And, granted, I wasn’t in the courtroom. But I remember someone being quoted in a newspaper after the fact saying she actually had average marks in school, which a true imbecile would not have. But that fact apparently was never brought up in the proceedings. She’d gotten pregnant at seventeen while living at a foster home, and unfortunately that was seen as a sign of her low intelligence.”
“Plenty of smart girls fall pregnant,” Lila says.
“Indeed. I remember thinking there were holes in the argument, but it wasn’t my case. And I didn’t practice that kind of law. I just know that case is why a lot of states have eugenics laws.”
“This is exactly how the madness in Germany started. Exactly. They...” I let my words drift away. I will not openthatdoor. Not on Christmas.
“I know it sounds a bit shocking now, but the movement was quite popular years back,” George says. “There was even an extensive exhibit at the 1915 World’s Fair right here in San Francisco. It was all about education back then, teaching people that the best way to strengthen society was to bring into it strong, healthy, and intelligent children. But the focus morphed rather quickly to the practice of sterilizing those with geneticallyundesirable traits. It went on for years, all in the name of bettering society. It’s still going on, though less now, I think. After what happened in those concentration camps in Europe, the idea of building a race of only perfect people sounds far too much like what the Nazis were trying to do.”
I stiffen involuntarily. A bit of port sloshes out of my glass and onto my hand.
“George,” Lila says softly.
George looks quickly to me. “I’m so sorry, Helen. That was careless of me. I can only imagine the things you must have witnessed.”
“There are no words to describe it,” I say, fingering away the tiny spill, my voice catching in my throat.
The three of us are quiet for a moment. The fire snaps and pops, and the radio station begins to play a choral selection from Handel’sMessiah.
“Do you really think that place could have sterilized this young woman?” Lila finally asks. “Why would they, if all she was to them was an unmarried pregnant teen?”
“I don’t know.” George turns to me. “How well did you know her?”
“I was with her twice. Once when she was a toddler and again when she was nine or ten. She’s not an imbecile, I can tell you that.”
“But your sister-in-law said she was delusional?” George asks.
“She said Rosie claimed to see colors and shapes no one else could see. But she also said Rosie was a liar who couldn’t be trusted. So maybe this claim was a lie? I don’t know. Celine saying this about Rosie seems very odd to me, because that girl had lived her whole life at the vineyard. She was the vinedresser’s daughter, and Celine and Truman knew her well. The way Celine tells it, Rosie was pretty much in charge of the entire upkeep of the house when all of this happened. That’s a lot for one so young,and she was managing it. I don’t see how Celine could have given Rosie all of those responsibilities if she was delusional. Celine is smart. I would’ve asked her to explain, but by this point in the conversation she was furious with me and she stomped off to her room.”
“Well, hopefully you’ll get the answers you’re looking for when you visit that institution,” Lila says. “George and I can drive you there, if you’d like. It might be helpful to have him with you in case you need help getting the information you want.”
“I think having a lawyer there with me might put them on the defensive so they tell me nothing,” I say.
“Helen’s probably right about that. Legally, she won’t have any rights to information about Rosie,” George says to Lila. “I agree she’ll need to strike a non-adversarial tone.”
“We can still drive her up to Sonoma County and just wait in the car when she goes in,” Lila says.
“Certainly. Would you like for us to do that, Helen?”
“That’s kind of you, truly it is,” I reply. “But I can manage if you don’t mind me borrowing a car for a day. I’m a good driver, honestly. I’ve been driving for decades in Europe, and my international driver’s license is still valid. I do plan to get my own vehicle at some point. I just don’t have one yet.”
“She can take the boys’ old Studebaker, can’t she, George?” Lila says. “I hardly ever drive it anymore. It’s just sitting in a shed in the backyard.”
“That’s true,” George says. “I’ll need to see if the engine will turn over and make sure there’s air in the tires and all that.”
