Richard, Maura, and Michael look amused; Tony and Daphne appear intrigued but skeptical; and Annie looks downright disapproving. Incidentally, Scott has missed the whole conversation as he has stepped away from the table to take another call. I’m not sure how I feel about the topic other than slight annoyance at Jess for bringing it up at all.
Richard and Michael start amusing themselves with some one-liners about the Danes, stuff about herring and Hagar the Horrible and Hamlet.
I can tell Annie’s strident, women’s studies side is about to emerge when she says, “Jess, are you seriously considering this?”
Jess nods. “Sure. Why not? I mean, these Danish donors are gorgeous . They all have the classic Scandinavian look. Tall, athletic, small nose, blue eyes, fair skin”
“So, what, you’re after some kind of designer baby?” Annie says.
“A designer baby!” Jess says, intentionally ignoring Annie’s derisive tone. “That’s so cute. Yeah. I guess that’s what I’m after.”
Annie continues, “Doesn’t this strike you as unethical?”
“Unethical? How do you figure?” Jess says. I can tell Annie is getting on her nerves, as she often did in college.
Annie says, “Because of the stereotype that blue eyes, light skin, and height are somehow more valued. I mean, it commercializes people.”
“Yeah! That’s bullshit ,” Michael says, laughing. “Why aren’t you checking out black sperm banks?”
Annie ignores Michael’s joke and says to Jess, “I mean, you’re essentially supporting genetic engineering. Eugenics .”
“What’s eugenics?” Daphne says.
Annie says, “It’s a social philosophy that advocates selective breeding. Basically improving human traits through social intervention.”
“And what’s the problem with that?” Jess says.
“Yeah,” Richard says. “If it can create more intelligent people, I’m all for it. Dumb folks cause a lot of problems in the world”
“I totally agree,” Michael says. “Idiots are always fucking things up for the rest of us.”
Annie refuses to be sidetracked by jokes. “Eugenics can lead to state-sponsored discrimination Even genocide.”
“Oh, don’t be so melodramatic,” Jess says. “Because I think a little Danish baby would be cute, you’re comparing me to the Nazis?”
“How much does it cost?” Daphne interjects. Tony looks at her, puzzled, as if to say, Ain’t nothing wrong with my seed, woman !
“I’m not sure It’s probably pretty expensive.” Jess shrugs. Money is not her issue. Then she turns back to Annie and says, “Besides, what’s the difference between you picking Ray to be the father of your child and me picking Henrik the Dane to be the father of mine? It’s a personal choice. It mirrors natural selection.”
“Well, first of all, I didn’t pick Ray to be the father of my child,” Annie says. “I picked Ray to be my husband . We decided on children much later.”
Now I’m annoyed at Annie, too. Her response hits a little too close to home. I cross my arms and feel myself become tense.
“Well, some people are just blessed to find a husband they love and have babies the old-fashioned way,” Jess says.
” Yeah !” Daphne says. “I don’t see the problem in using science to have a baby.”
“I agree,” Maura says, and then shoots me a worried look as if to say, We must protect our sister here .
Annie says, “Well, I just think this Viking sperm stuff is creepy .”
I find myself wondering if Annie would also think interfamilial egg donation was creepy. I bet she would. Then again, I might have to agree. It is sort of creepy.
“Look. I’ll solve this problem once and for all,” Michael says just as things are really starting to break down.
Jess looks at him and says, “How?”
Michael raises his eyebrow suggestively. “C’mon. Wouldn’t you rather have a caramel baby with hazel eyes?” Then he looks at Annie and says, “And I know you’d approve of those melting-pot implications?”
Everyone laughs, including Annie, as I think, Good ol’ Michael . You gotta love a friend who can manufacture a quality come-on during an ethical debate on eugenics.
Maura says to Jess, “I think you should take him up on that one.”
Michael points at Maura and mouths, Thanks .
I look at Michael and say, “Thank you .”
I can tell Michael knows what I’m driving at, that I appreciate him changing the subject, because he winks and says, “No problem.”
Annie and Jess exchange conciliatory remarks as if to acknowledge that they can have a lively disagreement and still remain friends. Even Daphne’s sad expression fades as I watch Tony put his arm around her and whisper something in her ear. She smiles. So I smile. Then I feel myself relaxing again as we turn to topics other than sperm and eggs and the orchestrated meetings between the two.
* * *
twenty-one