like most young people, chib and his friends enjoy rebellion for its own sake. they pretend to plot terrorist attacks when they know they are under surveillance. such talk is so common that the listening authorities treat it with contempt. the police are laughable by 20th century standards. dressed in fur-like characters from "the wizard of oz" they use electric tricycles no faster than golf carts, which nonetheless are equipped with sirens "to warn the bad guys they are coming". they have shock-sticks and guns which fire "choke-gas pellets".