# SF story ID: AR-18, Esso, We-ans **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 23, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653 "2016-09-23T17:05:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653/1 "2016-09-23T17:05:50Z")
Help me identify a science fiction book or story. Here’s what I remember, or think I remember: [ul][li]The protagonist was Black (I think).[/li][li]He discovers an Armalite AR-18 (or the civilian AR-180 version) hidden in a wall. The wall may have been made of stone.[/li][li]He thinks he is in the land of Esso, because ‘Esso’ is prominently displayed at the top of the ancient map he has.[/li][li]He thinks the people of the ancient country were called ‘We-ans’, because he read the Preamble to the Constitution that said ‘We, the people’.[/li][li]As he travels on a crumbling freeway, he wonders why the We-ans had two roads going to the same place.[/ul][/li]I may have read the story in _Omni_, but ISTR it was a book. I’m not sure. If it was a book, it was probably a selection from the Science Fiction Book Club from back in the late-'70s or early-'80s. Ring any bells? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653/2 "2016-09-23T17:25:02Z")
The Weans by Robert Nathan? [Loading interface...](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2664067-the-weans) Googling suggests that the book is an expansion of articles originally published in Harper’s magazine - maybe Omni reprinted those? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653/3 "2016-09-23T17:31:55Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > The Weans by Robert Nathan? [The Weans by Robert Nathan | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2664067-the-weans) I recognise Robert Nathan’s name, but the book was published in 1956 and the AR-18 wasn’t designed until 1963, and wasn’t produced until 1969. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653/4 "2016-09-23T17:41:07Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I recognise Robert Nathan’s name, but the book was published in 1956 and the AR-18 wasn’t designed until 1963, and wasn’t produced until 1969. Sorry. Here’s an article that mentions some other books in the “Future Archeologist” category - [http://www.locusmag.com/Perspectives/2009/08/gary-westfahl-addled-archaeology-of.html](http://www.locusmag.com/Perspectives/2009/08/gary-westfahl-addled-archaeology-of.html) . ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653/5 "2016-09-23T17:54:45Z")
That’s way older than Omni. Perhaps the OP is conflating two works. Does he remember the Weans principal opponent, the Ussers (USSR)? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653/6 "2016-09-23T17:57:24Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > That’s way older than Omni. Perhaps the OP is conflating two works. Does he remember the Weans principal opponent, the Ussers (USSR)? Also known as the “More-wes.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sf-story-id-ar-18-esso-we-ans/766653/7 "2016-09-23T19:40:33Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > That’s way older than Omni. Perhaps the OP is conflating two works. Does he remember the Weans principal opponent, the Ussers (USSR)? I’m not at all sure I read it in _Omni_, and I _think_ it was too long for a magazine. But it’s entirely possible I’m conflating two stories. I _am_ sure about the Armalite found hidden in a wall.