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The Pepperman In a Cyborg World
I OPENED A DOOR
AND FOUND MYSELF
IN FRIENDLY SURROUNDINGS.
QUITE DIFFERENT FROM
OTHER ADVENTURES.
I WASN'T SO INVISIBLE OR
OR SHALL WE SAY UNSEEN.
I WAS NOT THE OBSERVER
THIS TIME AROUND OR WAS I.
IN FACT THIS ADVENTURE
WAS PECULIAR IN A WAY.
I WAS WITH TWO,
SUPPOSEDLY FRIENDS.
THAT WAS A FIRST.
THE THREE OF US WERE
CHALLENGED TO ANSWER
ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR
A MILLION DOLLARS.
I DID NOT THINK TO
ASK MYSELF WHAT IS
THE VALUE.
I SOME HOW WAS
ELECTED OR SELECTED.
NOT SURE HOW THAT
CAME ABOUT.
WE, MEANING THE THREE
OF US, TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE.
WE WERE TOLD THERE ARE
QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS.
I JOKED, IF IT'S TWO THOUSAND,
I'M OUTTA HERE.
IF ONLY EIGHT HUNDRED OR LESS,
LETS MOVE ALONG.
NOT SURE WHY I MADE THAT
REMARK. I GUESS ONE QUESTION
EVERY HOUR OR EVERY DAY?
NEVER CROSSED MY MIND.
I LOOKED TO MY LEFT
AND MY SUPPOSEDLY FRIENDS
WERE NOT THERE.
ONE QUESTION EVERY HOUR?
ANYWAY. THE FIRST QUESTION
WAS NOT A TOUGH QUESTION.
I JUST DON'T REMEMBER
WHAT IT WAS.
THE FIRST INTERVIEWER?
RESEARCHER? DOCTOR?
ONLY ASKED THAT ONE
SIMPLE QUESTION.
NOT SURE HOW LONG I
WAITED BEFORE A SECOND
PERSON OR QUESTIONNEER?
SHOWED UP.
I WAS NOT WEARING A WATCH
OR TIME PIECE, THERE WERE NO
CLOCKS IN MY VICINITY OR
SURROUNDINGS.
THERE WAS PLENTY LIGHT.
NO WINDOWS.
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT
DID NOT REQUIRE A WHOLE
LOT OF THOUGHT.
HOWEVER, IN RETURN
I DID ASKED THE QUESTION
WHY THE LONG PERIOD OF
TIME BETWEEN QUESTIONS.
AGAIN I MADE THE MISTAKE OF
MAKING A, OR, THE REMARK.
NO PROBLEM I HAVE NOTHING
BUT TIME.
WHY DID I SAY SUCH A THING.
NOW I HAD TO ASK MYSELF
THE QUESTION
WHERE AM I?
WHAT AM I DOING?
MOST IMPORTANTLY,
MY FAVORITE QUESTION.
WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON?
AM I UNDER OBSERVATION?
I HAD THE FREEDOM TO
MOVE AROUND. HOWEVER
I RESTRICTED MYSELF IN A
WAY BECAUSE I WAS WAITING
FOR THE NEXT QUESTION.
NOW I START LOOKING AROUND
FOR CAMERAS MOTION SENSORS
AND SUCH THINGS.
WHY WOULD PEOPLE? RESEARCHERS?
OBSERVATIONIST?
LEAVE ME UNATTENDED?
I STARTED TO ROAM AROUND.
OF COURSE MY CURIOSITY WAS
STIMULATED.
AFTER ALL, I AM THE PEPPERMAN.
CREATURA OF CURIOSITY.
I WONDERED IN TO WHAT I
THINK WAS SOME SORT OF
LUNCH ROOM. I SAW A COUPLE
PLATES WITH WHAT APPEARED
TO BE RAW MEAT PATTIES.
AT THE SAME TIME ANOTHER
INDIVIDUAL WALKED UP BEHIND
ME SAID IT WAS VEAL.
WE BOTH SAT DOWN ON NOT
SO COMFORTABLE CHAIRS
MADE OF PLASTIC AND FIBER.
IF YOU REMEMBER THOSE TYPE CHAIRS.
HE MADE A STATEMENT THAT
HAD ME PUZZLED.
HE SAID AND I QUOTE
"IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DONATE MY EYES
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU
TO BE THE RECIPIENT."
I'M NOT SURE IF HE ASKED
A QUESTION AFTER THAT.
I WAS ASKING MYSELF THE
QUESTION WHY AM I NOT
HUNGRY. AFTER SEEING WHAT I
WAS TOLD WAS VEAL.
THE 1973 MOVIE
SOYLENT GREEN
CAME TO MIND.
WITH CHARLTON HESTON
AND EDWARD G. ROBINSON.
I THOUGHT ABOUT
HIS STATEMENT.
WHY WOULD SOMEONE
MAKE SUCH A STATEMENT?
AND I HAD TO ASKED MYSELF
THE QUESTION.
WOULD I PAY A MILLION
DOLLARS TO SEE
WHAT I HAVE SEEN.
OPEN DOORS IN THE UNIVERSE
AND TRAVEL FORWARD AND
BACKWARD IN TIME?
Michael E. Harris
032221
Copyright ©
Michael E. Harris
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