A Fire on the Moon

by Norman Mailer

If a car had been made whose motor had two carburetors, a double set of tappets, two sets of dual spark plugs, two batteries, two generators, two coils, two distributors and condensers, a double bank of mufflers and twin exhausts, a gear shift and an automatic transmission, a double set of valves and tappets, a set of auxiliary axles and auxiliary wheels and tires to drop out of the chassis when a tire blew, a horn and a siren, a steering wheel and a control stick, a left foot brake and a right foot brake, a hand brake, and a transmission parking lock, horizontal windshield washers and vertical windshield squeegees, a door which could be opened and locked from inside and outside with two sets of locks functioning in connection or independently, and windows which were automatic or hand-operated, as well as a gas tank with two reserve gas tanks, an air-conditioning system for the front seat and another for the rear seat each capable of being used for the entire car, heaters which worked off the battery and heaters warmed by the temperature of the motor, double radiators, double air filters, a hood which lifted from the front, and motor panels which lifted from the side, seat belts and fenders built in eggcratelike compartments to absorb collision, an AM radio, an FM, a stereo, and a radiotelegraph system, all of which components were capable of sending back to the garage all available information on the rigidity of the chassis, the wear and heat of the tires, the temperature...