Thursday, July 6, 2017

Story 193: Reverse Puberty



            (Associate escorts Client into the office and they sit at opposite sides of a desk)
            Associate: So, as I mentioned on the phone, we were most taken with your application essay.
            Client: Thank you; I put a lot of thought into it.
           Associate: Yes, well, as you know, this is a life-changing process that cannot be entered into lightly, so we very carefully select only those who demonstrate both a great need and a complete understanding of what this involves.
            Client: I agree entirely.
            Associate: And that’s where we come to the interview portion of this program; it shouldn’t take too long.
            Client: That’s all right, I’ve got nowhere to go.
            Associate: Hm.  (Looks at a printed list of questions) Your essay covered a lot of these, so I’ll skip ahead a bit… ah, here: You received the manual detailing the medical process of reversing your puberty, which basically means that your hypothalamus will be tinkered with and the appropriate glands and organs will be removed or revert to their pre-adolescent state.  We have perfected the technique so you will not develop the unwanted symptoms that come with Kallmann Syndrome and the like, and you will retain your current height and muscle mass; however, in certain respects, you basically will have the body of a child.  Are you completely prepared to accept all the possible consequences, real or imagined, that will result from this traumatic procedure?
            Client: I most certainly am.  At this point in my life I don’t intend on having any children of my own, and none of this (Gestures across her body) is doing me any good, know what I mean?
            Associate: (Writes notes) Please don’t make me answer that.  Now, another side effect of the process will be to considerably lower your levels of aggression due to the complete lack of both estrogen and testosterone in your body.  Are you currently in a home, work, and/or social situation where that would be a problem?
            Client: Quite the opposite, actually: I’ve been told that I have “anger issues,” so this should be a relief to us all.
            Associate: Hm.  (Writes more notes) Standard confirmation: Did you sign the attestation that undergoing this procedure will not, in fact, return you to your own childhood where all was bliss and nothing bad ever happened?
            Client: Yes; don’t worry, I know this isn’t a time machine.
            (They both laugh, then abruptly cease and stare at their hands)
          Associate: Um, let’s see.  Do you understand that fundamentally changing your body chemistry also does not release you from any debts or contractual obligations that you currently possess?
            Client: Sadly yes.  They’ll be a bit confused the next time they see me, but they’ll still want my money.  I actually have a question.
            Associate: Oh?  Yes?
           Client: It’s a little embarrassing, but will this also get rid of, you know… (Waves her hand at her face)
            Associate: Your… nose?
            Client: No!  You know – unwanted body hair.
           Associate: Oh, good heavens, yes.  At least it should; you might want to avoid ingesting certain types of milk and meat to make sure.
            Client: Oh.
          Associate: You also didn’t mention if acne was a problem, but that too should go by the wayside.
          Client: Yes!  I try not to think about it anymore; you probably don’t have to worry about anything like that, but it’s so irritating that I still have to deal with it at my age.
           Associate: I have an inkling.  (Scratches her back)  Right, we’ve come to the last question: Once you have completed the reversal, do you intend to spend the rest of your days convincing your family, friends, and/or total strangers to undergo the same process?
            Client: Heck no!  Let them figure it out for themselves if they want.
            Associate: (Writes more notes) Perfect.  (They both stand and shake hands) Well, that’s all for now.  I have to submit these for review, but judging by your answers I can say with confidence that you should be reverted to pre-pubescence in a very short time indeed; congratulations.
            Client: Thank you so much!  It’ll be such a relief – you have no idea how puberty ruined my life.
            Associate: I think most people would agree.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Story 192: Documentary of Humanity



            (A view of Earth, as seen from outer space)

          Documentarian: (V.O.) The planet: as yet unnamed.  Location: third celestial body from the central star in this system.  The dominant species: bipedal, hairy, fleshy beings ill-suited for survival in their own natural environs, yet extremely adaptive, to the point where they have nearly destroyed their own world as they force it to cater to their whims.  In the most prominently visible language, they call themselves “humans”; and they are the subjects of tonight’s episode:

(Title card) Out in the Star Field: The Ways of the Natives

            (Montage of everyday life around the globe)

           Documentarian: (V.O.) Seven major land masses.  Seven major bodies of water.  More than nine billion of these creatures and counting.  The real question lies in how this planet has not imploded from the sheer weight pressing on its crust by now.

            (View of a traffic jam on a freeway)

            Documentarian: (V.O.) Their migratory patterns are baffling: large numbers of the herds travel immense distances within one solar day, simply to return to their point of origin with no real signs of food, possessions, and/or offspring having been obtained in the process.

            (View of a busy playground)

          Documentarian: (V.O.) Speaking of offspring, their young appear to have over-developed skulls to encase their over-developed brains, yet the majority of this segment of the population encounter great difficulty in simple tasks such as following straightforward directions or differential equations.  (View of one child repeatedly tossing a ball against a wall) Most peculiar use of advanced cognitive functions.

            (View of an office building)

       Documentarian: After vast study of these beings, we have developed a rudimentary understanding of the aforementioned most prominently visible language.  We also developed extremely crude methods of infiltration into their various herds: they do not bear up under close scrutiny, but tests have proven them to be at least temporarily passable.

          (View of Documentarian wearing a human-face mask, a hazmat suit, and a large VISITOR badge, navigating through a maze of cubicles; the recorder following is unnoticed by the subjects)

            Documentarian: (Speaking quietly) I have penetrated deep into the wilds of a branch of this species, whose members mainly call themselves “employees.”  Each is positioned at an outlying terminal to receive and enter data for the central hive mind; we believe this ultimate authority is called “I.T.,” but there could have been a mistranslation of its importance in the social hierarchy.  (The Documentarian stops at one cubicle) I will now attempt to initiate contact with one of these beings.  Observe how one must execute extremely complex auditory and visual behaviors to successfully convey one’s intentions.  (To employee) Ahem.  Ex – cuse meeeee…?

            Employee: Oh, hello.  Can I help you?

           Documentarian: Yes.  Could you – explain.  To me – what, is it, you are doing?  Here.  Yes.  Could you?  (V.O.) We have observed on multiple occasions that these beings respond favorably to repetition.

            Employee: Um, well, as you can guess, it’s not exactly rocket science here, heh-heh.

         Documentarian: (V.O.) These creatures often make that sound that is not what they call “words” – usually if they are amused, but also if they are angry, triumphant, or extremely nervous.  It is unclear as to which meaning this subject is attributing to the sound, so in order to blend in, I imitate.  (To Employee) Heh-heh.  (V.O.) The subject accepts the sound and continues with communication.

         Employee: Yeah, what it boils down to is that I take data from one place and move it to another.  I also take pieces of paper from one place and move them to another.

         Documentarian: (V.O.) The subject appears slightly agitated; I mentally review my list of appropriate questions for this environment and select the one least likely to elicit an aggressive response.  (To Employee) Do you find your work fulfilling?

            Employee: No!  (She lays her head down on the desk and cries)

           Documentarian: (V.O.) Having depressed the subject, I decide to terminate contact and allow the being to return to its natural state.  (Documentarian walks away from the still-sobbing Employee)

            (View of a break room)

        Documentarian: (Still wearing the camouflage, now addressing the recorder; the other employees in the room do not notice) Aside from the occasional fact-finding mission, we have a strict policy of non-interference with any species we observe: we must allow their lives to progress as if we had never been there.  It becomes difficult when observing subjects in peril, however; for example, this alpha over here is harassing this beta for food, territory, and possible procreation.  At times such as this, one wishes one could simply transport the alpha off-world to leave the beta and the rest of the herd in peace, but that cannot be.  (The beta suddenly dumps the contents of the water cooler over the alpha’s head; the remaining employees form a circle around the two as they fight) Ooh, did not see that coming; this just got rather exciting.  Again, one cannot interfere, but that does not mean one cannot take sides.  (Documentarian joins the circle and chants “Go!  Go!  Go!  Go!” with the others)

            (View of the Documentarian, sans camouflage, hovering in the middle of a savanna)

          Documentarian: (V.O.) There are so many variations within this species that they simply cannot all be covered in one episode, which is why this is the first of a 10,000-part series.  Next installment will find us exploring the dangerous mountains and valleys of commerce, collectively referred to as a “mall,” wherein many beings enter and leave without having accomplished much that is observable, aside from being encumbered with burdensome materials.  Once our overview of this species concludes, please stay with us for our 1,000,000-part series on all the other species of this planet – in this scientist’s opinion, by far the more interesting segment of this particular program.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Story 191: You’ll Only Really Be Famous After You’re Dead



            “What am I doing wrong?”  Friend 1 asked Friend 2.
            Friend 2 was in the middle of constructing a very convoluted and unstable medieval society and could not afford to be distracted.  “You’re gonna have to be specific: wrong about what, your life path?  Your decision to move to a suburb instead of an urb?  Having a crush on your co-worker?  Your career choice?  Your haircut?  Your – ”
            “Knock it off, you know what I mean!”
            It seemed that the world-building would have to wait until a more opportune time, sigh.  “I really don’t, there’re just too many choices.”
            “You’re hilarious.  I’m talking about my artwork!”
            “Oh, that again.”
            “Why aren’t I famous and making a billion dollars by now?!  I’ve been at it my whole life!  Practically.  Why does no one recognize my talent?!”
            “Maybe because you don’t have any.  Sorry, that was just a reflex, I didn’t mean it.”
            Anyway, I’ve done all I can possibly do to push my works of genius onto the unsuspecting public, I’ve advertised myself like crazy, I’ve built such an online platform that I could take a nose dive off it – short of busking in the street and throwing my paintings at people, what else can I do to make any kind of money off my only life skill?!”
            Friend 2 gave this a few moments of actual serious consideration.  “Well, you know most artists are only truly famous after they’re dead, so maybe you should just die.”
            “You’re really sick sometimes, I feel obligated to point out.”
            “Oh, I forgot the air quotes; I meant ‘die.’”  She did the air quotes this time.  “As in, not really dead, but your online audience thinks you are.  A social media death, if you will.”
            “I’m not sure where you’re going with this.”
         “You have all your stuff for sale on your Web site and you’re always on all those other networks, right?  So, once it’s announced all over there that you’re dead, what’s online is as real as reality and your work will be worth a fortune because now it’s tragic.”
            “I’m pretty certain that’s considered fraud.”
            “Not if someone else is the one saying it and you’re not involved.  Then you come back later, say it was all a mistake that that someone else made, and your work will sell even more since they’ll be post-resurrection.”
            “I don’t know, it all seems so… underhanded.”
            “It is, but do you want results or not?  You also probably want to hire a stranger to do this for you – I’d do it for free, but the authorities’d probably trace it back to you.”
            “If I pay someone they’ll trace it back to me, too!”
            “Good point.  Maybe find someone who’ll do it pro bono – ooh, I know a guy I’m going to blackmail, this’ll be perfect!”
            “What?!”
ONE WEEK LATER
            Friend 2 arrived at Friend 1’s apartment.  “So – how’s life in the great beyond?”
          “Terrible.  That guy you made me give all my passwords to so he could hack my accounts?  He’s absolutely awful.  What exactly do you have on him?”
        “Everything.  He did great work, though – you’re officially dead as far as cyberspace is concerned.”
            “I know, and I feel miserable.  All my friends and relatives are freaking out!”
            “Oh, you actually have real friends online?”
            “Yes!  Why, don’t you?”
           “Heck no – I don’t want any of them knowing my business.  Total strangers, though, they’re cool.”
            “I should’ve known this’d happen before I went along with your stupid idea!”
            “I resent that; you have results, don’t you?  Isn’t the money rolling on in as we speak?”
           “No!  It isn’t rolling on anywhere!  My bank account is frozen while my family is trying to habeas my corpus!”
            “Ohhhhh…. But you’re stuff’s selling like hotcakes, right?”
            One painting sold.”
            “See!  That was one more than you’d sold last week!  You’re making progress!”
          “I’m ending this: I’m coming back to life, I'm confessing all, I’m going to jail, and this nightmare will all be over.”
            “Let’s not be hasty now – you wouldn’t want the authorities tracing this back to me, would you?  I thought we discussed this.”
            “I would want it traced back to you!  You and your… consultant!  I can’t believe I let you convince me this was any sort of good!”
            “Well, you weren’t famous before, and now you’ll be so famous that you’ll probably have a court television show based on you.  I honestly don’t understand why people always complain when they get exactly what they want.”