// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "Dancing Gerontius" say to old age? You're stepping on my years.

"Dancing Gerontius"
Short story by Lee Harding
Country	Australia
Language	English
Genre	Science Fiction
Publication
Published in	Vision of Tomorrow
Publication type	Periodical
Media type	Print
Publication date	December 1969

Dancing Gerontius is a science fiction short story by Australian writer Lee Harding. It was first published in the December 1969 issue of Vision of Tomorrow, and later included in several Australia sf anthologies.

Plot summary

In a future where medical advances have allowed people to live longer and longer, the problem of what to do with the ever increasing number of older people is "solved" in a rather callous manner, yet one that many of them would accept.

Further publications

After the story's initial publication in Vision of Tomorrow in December 1969 it was reprinted as follows:

• The Second Pacific Book of Science Fiction edited by John Baxter (1971)
• Australian Science Fiction 2 edited by John Baxter (1975)
• The Best Australian Science Fiction Writing : A Fifty Year Collection edited by Rob Gerrand (2004)

Critical reception

In his review of The Second Pacific Book of Science Fiction critic George Turner called the story a "dark vision" and noted that the climatic scene is "a minor tour de force of evocative writing".

Award

• Australian SF Achievement Award, Best Australian Science Fiction, winner, 1970

See also

• 1969 in Australian literature