Showing posts with label Tomorrow Today--the series. Show all posts
Tomorrow Today--I2I
4:17 AM
I had been complaining all day to Jeff about my colleague at the office. And he had been listening to me..or at least he had appeared to be--his eyes glued to his computer showing graphics of DNA. I just believed him simply because that was the me-time. And that was regardless the fact that he was busy doing other things. SCIENTISTS!!!
"Jhon has been a pain in anybody's ass, I'm tellin' u. Put it this way, if your very ass were there, they would feel painful, too!"
"Uh-uh. Go on."
"Seriously, Jeff. What is wrong by making sure that we exist in our virtual world during work?"
"Mmm,..."
"You do not need to answer that!"
"OK. Go on."
"See? You agree. You agree with me. That's good."
"I mean, what? I am new and suddenly I have to be responsible for things he IS responsible for? He can wait till I get all the knowledge I can. And I will!"
"By being in your so-called virtual world?"
"Well, yeah! No regulations forbid HUOL* during working hours. And has it ever crossed his pitiful smaller-sized brain--if I correctly identified it as one--that I,..I get many things the company need from HOUL? You see,I added almost a hundred database just from being online in HUOL. That's a number, I'm tellin' you. That's a number!"
"OK. that's a number, I got you." Jeff was typing while saying all that.
"And what number has he got so far?"
"Three thousands or so, but hey! He stays longer than I do. You gotta keep that in mind."
"I do keep that in mind. Go on."
"Maaaaaan,... I can go on for years on this one."
Jeff suddenly stopped working and looked me in the eye.
"Don't! Don't go on for years. I gotta work all night for this new gadget for tomorrow. Now,..." He got up and went to his room. Seconds later he got out with a box.
"Try it!" He handed the box to me. It was black all over with maroon letters--TT.
"Tomorrow Today?"
He nodded.
"Again?"
"O c'mon, don't 'again' me!"
"Go home, try it, if it doesn't work, go back here and I will wake up a whole night listening to your pathetic stories."
"But..."
"I promise. Boyscout promise.
"But you have never been a boyscout."
"I will starting tonight for you only if this I2I doesn't work."
"I2I?" He puzzled me. He enjoyed that.
So I went home. I got a feeling that he actually just wanted to kick me out of his place. Well, he succeeded. I opened the box since he reminded me again and again that this one is not to be used on the road.
When I opened it, I saw two thin round metals shining because of the light from the lamp in my bedroom. There was no manuals just like he said. He only told me that I should lay down next to a phone which I found it very strange but I did it anyway.
I took out the thin round metals. I lied down and put them on top of my eyes. Before that I readied my fingers on the maroon box to turn the switch on. And I did. And I thought of my colleague as Jeff instructed earlier. And I was watching a movie with never ending ribbons flying above my eyes.
The scene was something I was familiar with. I was sitting in my cubical with my headsets connecting to HOUL. My online self was checking the contacts I had on my HOULCOM--a gadget in that virtual world that functions as a telephone. Some names and numbers were in red and blinking. I touched the screen on one number and there was Maurie. How beautiful.
"Mornin', morning."
"Hey, there." Maurie replied in texts.
"In texts?"
"What do you suggest?"
I touched the CAM panel on my computer screen and was about to see Maurie LIVE when I heard a knock on the wall beside me.
It was John.
"Hey,..."
"Yeah?"
"I rang you, you didn't pick up. Got lists of things to do from the big boss. Here's your part." He dropped a multimedia card on my table. He literally d-r-o-p-p-e-d it.
"Nice girl,...Maurie." He said that after glancing to my computer screen. Then I looked at her in the eye and see images shown in flashes.
Me
Maurie
John
Big boss
John and big boss in his office
John says "I can depend on him."
Big boss
John
Big boss "The HOUL boy?"
HOUL home page
John--quiet
Big Boss smiled cynical smile
Big Boss
John put his head down
John says "He can."
Big Boss "If he wants to."
I took off the I2I thin round metal and suddenly dialed John number.
*HUOL--Hook Up Online
"Jhon has been a pain in anybody's ass, I'm tellin' u. Put it this way, if your very ass were there, they would feel painful, too!"
"Uh-uh. Go on."
"Seriously, Jeff. What is wrong by making sure that we exist in our virtual world during work?"
"Mmm,..."
"You do not need to answer that!"
"OK. Go on."
"See? You agree. You agree with me. That's good."
"I mean, what? I am new and suddenly I have to be responsible for things he IS responsible for? He can wait till I get all the knowledge I can. And I will!"
"By being in your so-called virtual world?"
"Well, yeah! No regulations forbid HUOL* during working hours. And has it ever crossed his pitiful smaller-sized brain--if I correctly identified it as one--that I,..I get many things the company need from HOUL? You see,I added almost a hundred database just from being online in HUOL. That's a number, I'm tellin' you. That's a number!"
"OK. that's a number, I got you." Jeff was typing while saying all that.
"And what number has he got so far?"
"Three thousands or so, but hey! He stays longer than I do. You gotta keep that in mind."
"I do keep that in mind. Go on."
"Maaaaaan,... I can go on for years on this one."
Jeff suddenly stopped working and looked me in the eye.
"Don't! Don't go on for years. I gotta work all night for this new gadget for tomorrow. Now,..." He got up and went to his room. Seconds later he got out with a box.
"Try it!" He handed the box to me. It was black all over with maroon letters--TT.
"Tomorrow Today?"
He nodded.
"Again?"
"O c'mon, don't 'again' me!"
"Go home, try it, if it doesn't work, go back here and I will wake up a whole night listening to your pathetic stories."
"But..."
"I promise. Boyscout promise.
"But you have never been a boyscout."
"I will starting tonight for you only if this I2I doesn't work."
"I2I?" He puzzled me. He enjoyed that.
So I went home. I got a feeling that he actually just wanted to kick me out of his place. Well, he succeeded. I opened the box since he reminded me again and again that this one is not to be used on the road.
When I opened it, I saw two thin round metals shining because of the light from the lamp in my bedroom. There was no manuals just like he said. He only told me that I should lay down next to a phone which I found it very strange but I did it anyway.
I took out the thin round metals. I lied down and put them on top of my eyes. Before that I readied my fingers on the maroon box to turn the switch on. And I did. And I thought of my colleague as Jeff instructed earlier. And I was watching a movie with never ending ribbons flying above my eyes.
The scene was something I was familiar with. I was sitting in my cubical with my headsets connecting to HOUL. My online self was checking the contacts I had on my HOULCOM--a gadget in that virtual world that functions as a telephone. Some names and numbers were in red and blinking. I touched the screen on one number and there was Maurie. How beautiful.
"Mornin', morning."
"Hey, there." Maurie replied in texts.
"In texts?"
"What do you suggest?"
I touched the CAM panel on my computer screen and was about to see Maurie LIVE when I heard a knock on the wall beside me.
It was John.
"Hey,..."
"Yeah?"
"I rang you, you didn't pick up. Got lists of things to do from the big boss. Here's your part." He dropped a multimedia card on my table. He literally d-r-o-p-p-e-d it.
"Nice girl,...Maurie." He said that after glancing to my computer screen. Then I looked at her in the eye and see images shown in flashes.
Me
Maurie
John
Big boss
John and big boss in his office
John says "I can depend on him."
Big boss
John
Big boss "The HOUL boy?"
HOUL home page
John--quiet
Big Boss smiled cynical smile
Big Boss
John put his head down
John says "He can."
Big Boss "If he wants to."
I took off the I2I thin round metal and suddenly dialed John number.
*HUOL--Hook Up Online
Tomorrow Today: The Interview—Part III
12:06 PMI was holding this so-called Honestick in my hand at Jeff’s apartement.
“Would you please not risk that gadget, Na?”
“What do you mean?”
“You are sitting by my window, Na.”
I forgot that I was. I just liked doing that whenever I was in Jeff’s apartement—sitting by his window, leaning my back on the wall and holding my knee and smoking and sometimes playing guitar. I decided to put the Honestick on a desk within ny reach without changing my sitting position.
“I am nervous.”
“Doesn’t take a genius to know.”
“Doesn’t take Honestick as well?”
“Unless you want to look more nervous.”
I was quiet. Jeff was, too. He was busy reading this thick book that I would rather sleep on.
“I think I will give it a try.”
“Obviously.”
“What do you mean?”
“I meant obvious, right?” He stopped staring at his book and looked at me. “You see, Na, we come up with great products that everyone needs. We sell.”
“You mean, we WILL sell.”
“I know. I know. All those gadgets have not been publicly sold, I know. And yes, we WILL sell.”
“And so I am your guinea pig.”
“Well,...you want it.”
“I NEED it.” And then I added:
“Well, better go now. See you tomorrow for the complete repot, Mr. Godbloom.”
“I hate you.”
“Yeah, but you need me.” I stood up, said goodbye, went out, headed home, cleaned up and got some rest. Tomorrow would be my big day.
I was in my room. It was the room that I love as well as I hate the most. The room is where I function best. I have the authority to judge people’s characters. I determine their next life. I play God. This very room was also the room I failed people. I had the moments of imagining what they did after they left me. I could actually see that some of them had despair in their eyes even long before they finished the initial interview. And that day, I would feel everything again.
“Mr. McPherson, how are you?”
“Max. I’m just fine. How about you?”
“I’m great.”
“Only one interviewer?”
“Today, yes. I believe it’s ok for you?”
“Well,... either way it’s fine for me.”
“Good. Let’s start. Today we are going to have an initial interview for the post that you apply for Jones Brothers. Can you start by telling me a little bit about yourself?”
He answered my one question in 15 minutes full of a concise history about himself. He was a man of language, I guess. But it was not enough for me.
“Your answers are very amazing, Sir.”
“Thanks.”
“Anyway, which one of your successes do you feel proud of the most?”
“Well,... achieving almost 80% of trainers’ development objective would be the one.”
He continued with another history on his killer program.
“How did you come up with the idea, anyway?” Before asking that question, I gave myself a short time to reach inside my pocket to turn on the switch of HONESTICK.
“It was my idea.” A double speed answer.
“Can you elaborate it, please?”
“What do you mean?”
Why did he raise his glasses? What for?
“Where did you get the idea of the program?”
“Well,...” a bit too long pause. “I observe data. I am man of data. I just believe in it. Data are always good.
He did repetition of the same idea for several times.
“The numbers told me to do something about it.” After answering the question, he went silent.
“I believe that you don’t mind giving more elaboration.”
“Or are you having a DNA problem?” I added that inside my heart.
“Well,... I interpreted the areas to be improved on some trainers. I took actions.”
“O…K…” My tone was full of dissatisfaction.
“Did you face some problems in doing so?”
“Mmm...not really. Nothing in particular.”
Hiding something, Mr. McPherson?
“Would you be a bit more open about it?”
“You want me to go technical?”
“Let’s see.”
“But it’s going to be very technical. Is education your expertise?”
“It will be if necessary.”
“It’s truly truly technical. Well,…I,…anyway, is the air conditioner off? It’s hot in here.”
“The air con is fine. Try me, Mr. McPherson. I got a good background on education.”
“O, really? You studied education?”
“I am not the one being interviewed, Sir.” My tone was sharp. And my decision had to be, too. But my boss wanted facts. Luckily I did my homework.
“Sir,…I have been checking your previous companies. It seems that you conducted projects in where you worked that are similar with the projects in your previous companies. I see patterns.” I kept silent afterwards and he did, too.
After some times he said:
“I do not see anything wrong with that?”
“I do.” I gave a pause to highlight the issue. “The fact that Jones Brothers is the most leading educational company with killer projects is your interest, I believe?”
“Improve..” He gulped a while before continuing “Improvement. We need that.”
“And for how long do you plan to stay?”
“After I got it all. I mean,…”
It seemed that he slipped the first sentence. He went on blabbing on how improvement is important for people in education…as it were not for anyone else?
The day after that I went to my boss’ office with a “NO” for McPherson. He asked why. I would love to tell him about Honestick. But I gave him the recording I prepared for the interview instead. He wanted proof,...proof he got! (with Honestick and a tape recorder—old and new)
-Je-
Tomorrow Today: The Interview—Part II
11:45 AM After luch, I went back to my office. I headed straight to my desk to get the files to discuss the one million applicant I reviewed last night.
“Come on in.” My boss said after I knocked on his open door.
“I am done reviewing the files for McPherson, Sir.”
“OK. Go on.”
“I think we have to give some notes for Jones Brothers.”
“And what notes would those be?”
“McPherson has been in and out of companies several times. The longest he was in was for two years only.”
“Sure that it was for negative reasons?”
“No recommendation letter for those companies, Sir. I mean, he did mention that he was not financially happy, but,...why wouldn’t he be with twelve million dollar annual income? As a manager only?”
“He happened to work as a manager ONLY in ONLY one of the biggest educational company in America. He has been very active in proofing himself to be a highly capable scholar with his academic posting on the internet, right? Has it ever occureed in your mind that he could get more?”
Why do I feel that this job is like a test? I felt stupid.
“Of course. But here’s another thing I found out. He practised several ideas in his previous company to his next ones.”
“And that is also NOT normal to you?”
“Well,... I talked to some sources and I heard that Jones Brothers is going to issue a 3D learning software.”
“And that is al..”
“Hold on, please. Here’s the thing. He was doing a similar project at his present company.”
My boss was quiet.
“If you were worried about his motivation of stealing ideas from Jones Brothers to apply at his own company, you would probably be right.”
“But, Na...”
“With all do respect, I was asked for my opinions. In this assignment I had to be negative. I had been negative about him, Sir. The decision is in your hand now.”
My boss was very quiet now. He looked deep into my eyes.”
“NO!”
“No?”
“NO.”
“What do you mean “NO”?”
“This one, the desicion is in your hand. Arrange an appointment for the initial interview. You do the interview. After that, give it a thought and come back to me the next day with facts. I want facts. OK? Facts. I just gave you a challenge, Na. And fyi, ... I don’t give challenges often. Good luck!”
“What?”
“I trust that you have a good listening ability, Na?”
I was startled. What’s behind this? I did not dare to ask, though. I turned around and headed to the door. I suddenly forgot something. I turned back and said to him:
“Sir?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you. I’ll meet you two days later for this.”
“OK.”
I turned my body again and as soon as I did that, there was a name in my head:
Mr. Jeff Godbloom
Tomorrow Today: The Interview Part 1
11:36 PMThe Interview
“Messing up with my DNA, huh?” I asked myself that question this morning when I woke up. I was still not sure about trying another gadgets but I didn’t really want to care about it much. I would rather get up, take a bath and be ready for the world. Today I had to deal with a person whose DNA must have been broken. That man was the feelingless man ever alive—my boss!
I entered a tall building. It was 35-story high. The taller the building, the more tiring it would be for the employees incase of fire drill. Well, I had mine last week right in this building where I work and it was terrible.
I work for a headhunter company. I conduct some initial interviews assessing candidates for positions they apply in companies that become my clients. Since I got this job, I felt that I did not really miss a lot of Saturday Night Live shows.
There was this one girl that I remember until now. Her name is Jean something. She had me and Andrea as the interviewer. We were asking her availability on working according to our client’s expectation.
“So, have you done something outside the demand of your previous company?” I asked.
She put on a dumb face.
“What do you mean?”
“Working overtime, perharps?”
“No.”
“No...?” I was expecting that she elaborate her answer with explanations but she didn’t.
“Well,...let’s say that the company had a project that was beyond your working schedule.”
“Well,...I have this standard in working. It’s my body.”
Being a feminist, Andrea was shocked. She took over my question.
“What do you mean?”
“Well,... if I am tired, I will stop working no matter what.” The interviwee said.
“What do you mean?” Andrea was definately irritated since the answer was going to give all the women in the world a bad name.
“I meant... that, I guess.”
“Can you give us a situation maybe?”
“Mmm... I was working in a group with my friend doing a project. We planned to do it until six. And it turned out that the project was not yet finished until six. They wanted to go on longer but I told them that I was tired and needed to stop working.”
“And then what happened?”
“I stopped working.” She sort of thinking that Andrea was asking a stupid question to her.
“That’s it? How about your friends?”
“Well,... they seemed irritated but hey, my body said no for overtime.”
Andrea did not ask further questions and that meant only one—she was not going to promote the girl for the next interview. I was right! I was laughing outloud many times with my fellow co-workers when telling about that while Andrea got totally sick of her for not showing female equity professionally.
One thing got me thinking, though. Will she change if she were even given an opportunity to be better? When I told Jeff about it over lunch, he was just smiling and said:
“People don’t change, Na.”
“How do you know?”
“Coz DNA doesn’t!”
“Here we go again with another DNA talk. You mess up with DNA, though. It can only mean one thing—people CAN change.”
“You see, Na, the gadgets are working only temporarily. Tomorrow Today Inc. hasn’t found a method to lengthen the function of those gadgets.”
“That’s your next homework, I guess. My homework was only one for last night. I had to review a candidate’s profile. He was applying for a managerial position in a very high profile company. Gotta make sure that he was not aiming for the knowledge only. The company needs the fidelity! Hard to check, I must say.”
“Need a lie detector?”
“Yeah, right! Bringing a lie detector machine would be nice in every interwies we do!”
“I was talking about Tomorrow Today Inc. Here and Now!”
It kinda tickled me if Jeff says the tagline of the company. But I did think that he had something to offer.
“What is it?”
“Well,... it is not exactly a lie detector but it helps though.”
“How?”
“Well,...you see, when you lie, there are some body languages that come out subsconciously. The gadget called Honestick helps strengthen the process.”
“C’mon, I have been in this business like for years by now. I know when people lie.”
“Well, Na,... I have been with TT for five years, I was offered to be a Director of the Research Departement you know and I...”
“What? You were offered that position?”
“No! Na, I was just lying to you.. You did not seem to notice.”
Shit! Jeff got me. He got me good!
“You got me!”
“I got you!”
“Now, tell me, how would you differentiate the body language of a nervous person, in an interview, and of lying? We get nervous when we lie, right?”
“True! You are smart, Na. But we are smarter. TT here and now does not play around with its babies, Na.”
Babies? Jeff is sick!
“We conducted researches and came up with some facts that when people lie, they tend to answer too fast, too long, make a slight movement that was not part of the regular movement they usually do. And Honestick strengthen the signs.”
Do I really have to believe this guy again?
“Meet me home tonight and I will let you try the Honestick.”
Would I drive him home and get this little gadget that to use in my next interview?
-Je-
Tomorrow Today—The Beginning
6:47 PM
Inside the LABEL:Tomorrow Today the series:
And now...I know
The database
Prestigear
“I am all healed, Jeff.”
That’s what I said on Jeff’s door. I told him that PRESTIGEAR—the gadget he let me try was working well and stopped me from self-pitying myself about my break up with Jane. I also told him that that very night I tried PRESTIGEAR, I went to a night club and felt great about myself. I started to glance in a very naughty way to girls dancing and moving sexily.
“The vibe was so very right. I got turned on by just a single look from girls on the dance floor. I ended up having a girl on my bed that night. In the morning she told me that she admired my confidence. She said that I was walking as if I were in a no mens land but myself of course. Thanks, Jeff.”
“Good for you.” Jeff let me in and as usual, he glued himself to his work. On his computer screen was a picture of humans DNA animatedly moving.
“You are dealing with DNA now?”
“I have been doing so. How would you think the gadgets you use work?”
“You mean...”
“You know what I mean.”
“I don’t.”
“Not a good time for a lecture, Na. Busy here.”
“And just when are you NOT busy, Mr. Godbloom?”
“No last name!”
I know that Jeff really hates his last name and I kinda like teasing him with that.
“Well, Mr. Godbloom, do not tell me that you cannot explain a simple thing like the use of DNA in the gadgets. I believe... what was his name again? Your so-called competitor? The database guy? Doug who?”
“Do not try me!”
“I have started it. I am sure that Doug could just explain it to me or to anyone all these things with DNA quickly.”
Jeff seemed irritated and that meant I was successful. He looked at me seriously.
“He was just an opportunist without integrity, ok!”
“And what are you?”
“I am a true inventor who can tell you about how a gadget works with your DNA. Sit down!”
“I am sitting domn, Sir.” I WAS sitting down by his apartement window like I usually did if I were at Jeff’s place. Jeff looked embarrassed and just started the explanation. I won!
“You know DNA.
“You mean that collection of curves with red and blue somehow united like it is shown on your computer screen now?”
“Yes. Human DNA has been any scientists’ interests ever since humans know that we can mess up with it, right?”
“You tell me. My DNA is fine.”
“Was! You see, now we can break the DNA link and use a certain DNA-like creation to link it back again as good as new.”
I was startled. I did not know what to say. I have been a guniea pig for all this time—three times to be exact.
“You don’t have to give me that look. We are a bunch of smart ass here. We do things perfect. It’s tomorrow today here and now!” Jeff was answering my fear by saying the company’s tag line.
“It’s tomorrow today here and now! Right! Am I going to die?”
Jeff laughed out loud.
“You are my best friend, Na. C’mon! You gotta rate me higher than that!”
I was quite. I was very quite.
“Seroiusly, you have been doing safe things to my DNA, right?”
“Sure, Na.” He stopped looking at me and turned to his computer and whispered in a low voume:
“We have insurance.”
“What?” I shouted at the top of mu lounge. But Jeff was laughing at the top of his happy life. He looked at me again and put on his serious face:
“Na, you are safe. Tomorrow Today Inc.’s biggest achievement was that we invented a microwave that can stimulate human body to produce a membran on each end of the DNA link that we break. You see, everytime you try a gadget,...how many times has it been?”
“Seriously?” jeff nodded.
“Three.”
“The three time you tried gadgets, ...well, we should say two. The database thing that the prick invented—Doug—does not work with DNA this complicated. Anyway, there is always a panel that you have to switch, right?”
“A-ha.”
“The panel sends a two kinds of microwaves to our body. The first wave creates the membran I was talking earlier. The second wave stimulates other parts of your DNA that we want to elevate.
When you tried the mood enhancer, the second microwave actually detected your heart activity and identified the longest wave length you produced. In your case it was jealousy. Sorry to remind you of what happened that night you broke up with jane. I didn’t mean to make it... .”
“Jeff,...focus!”
“OK, where were we? Right, the break up, I mean,...sorry. Oh, well, anyway, the wave length of your jealousy was broken. On each end of the link came up this membran I was talking earlier. Then the second wave link the two ends of your jealousy wave and whoaalaaaa... your feeling enhanced!”
“Different gadgets work with different DNA link.” Jeff added.
I was trying to digest everything by asking Jeff to repeat his explanation but I guess he was a scientist and not a lecturer for a reason—lack of patience. I was amazed and confused and worried and feeling other kinds of emotion in my heart. I wonder what DNA link was working at that time.
Jeff told me that he had this new gadget that I should try. I said “NO” for that night.
“Maybe next time.” I saw the need to be sure first that the gadgets will not ruin my body. Well,... Jeff did tell me that Tomorrow Today Inc. has insurance plan, didn’t he?
-Je-
And now...I know
The database
Prestigear
“I am all healed, Jeff.”
That’s what I said on Jeff’s door. I told him that PRESTIGEAR—the gadget he let me try was working well and stopped me from self-pitying myself about my break up with Jane. I also told him that that very night I tried PRESTIGEAR, I went to a night club and felt great about myself. I started to glance in a very naughty way to girls dancing and moving sexily.
“The vibe was so very right. I got turned on by just a single look from girls on the dance floor. I ended up having a girl on my bed that night. In the morning she told me that she admired my confidence. She said that I was walking as if I were in a no mens land but myself of course. Thanks, Jeff.”
“Good for you.” Jeff let me in and as usual, he glued himself to his work. On his computer screen was a picture of humans DNA animatedly moving.
“You are dealing with DNA now?”
“I have been doing so. How would you think the gadgets you use work?”
“You mean...”
“You know what I mean.”
“I don’t.”
“Not a good time for a lecture, Na. Busy here.”
“And just when are you NOT busy, Mr. Godbloom?”
“No last name!”
I know that Jeff really hates his last name and I kinda like teasing him with that.
“Well, Mr. Godbloom, do not tell me that you cannot explain a simple thing like the use of DNA in the gadgets. I believe... what was his name again? Your so-called competitor? The database guy? Doug who?”
“Do not try me!”
“I have started it. I am sure that Doug could just explain it to me or to anyone all these things with DNA quickly.”
Jeff seemed irritated and that meant I was successful. He looked at me seriously.
“He was just an opportunist without integrity, ok!”
“And what are you?”
“I am a true inventor who can tell you about how a gadget works with your DNA. Sit down!”
“I am sitting domn, Sir.” I WAS sitting down by his apartement window like I usually did if I were at Jeff’s place. Jeff looked embarrassed and just started the explanation. I won!
“You know DNA.
“You mean that collection of curves with red and blue somehow united like it is shown on your computer screen now?”
“Yes. Human DNA has been any scientists’ interests ever since humans know that we can mess up with it, right?”
“You tell me. My DNA is fine.”
“Was! You see, now we can break the DNA link and use a certain DNA-like creation to link it back again as good as new.”
I was startled. I did not know what to say. I have been a guniea pig for all this time—three times to be exact.
“You don’t have to give me that look. We are a bunch of smart ass here. We do things perfect. It’s tomorrow today here and now!” Jeff was answering my fear by saying the company’s tag line.
“It’s tomorrow today here and now! Right! Am I going to die?”
Jeff laughed out loud.
“You are my best friend, Na. C’mon! You gotta rate me higher than that!”
I was quite. I was very quite.
“Seroiusly, you have been doing safe things to my DNA, right?”
“Sure, Na.” He stopped looking at me and turned to his computer and whispered in a low voume:
“We have insurance.”
“What?” I shouted at the top of mu lounge. But Jeff was laughing at the top of his happy life. He looked at me again and put on his serious face:
“Na, you are safe. Tomorrow Today Inc.’s biggest achievement was that we invented a microwave that can stimulate human body to produce a membran on each end of the DNA link that we break. You see, everytime you try a gadget,...how many times has it been?”
“Seriously?” jeff nodded.
“Three.”
“The three time you tried gadgets, ...well, we should say two. The database thing that the prick invented—Doug—does not work with DNA this complicated. Anyway, there is always a panel that you have to switch, right?”
“A-ha.”
“The panel sends a two kinds of microwaves to our body. The first wave creates the membran I was talking earlier. The second wave stimulates other parts of your DNA that we want to elevate.
When you tried the mood enhancer, the second microwave actually detected your heart activity and identified the longest wave length you produced. In your case it was jealousy. Sorry to remind you of what happened that night you broke up with jane. I didn’t mean to make it... .”
“Jeff,...focus!”
“OK, where were we? Right, the break up, I mean,...sorry. Oh, well, anyway, the wave length of your jealousy was broken. On each end of the link came up this membran I was talking earlier. Then the second wave link the two ends of your jealousy wave and whoaalaaaa... your feeling enhanced!”
“Different gadgets work with different DNA link.” Jeff added.
I was trying to digest everything by asking Jeff to repeat his explanation but I guess he was a scientist and not a lecturer for a reason—lack of patience. I was amazed and confused and worried and feeling other kinds of emotion in my heart. I wonder what DNA link was working at that time.
Jeff told me that he had this new gadget that I should try. I said “NO” for that night.
“Maybe next time.” I saw the need to be sure first that the gadgets will not ruin my body. Well,... Jeff did tell me that Tomorrow Today Inc. has insurance plan, didn’t he?
-Je-
PRESTIGEAR
4:26 AM
Tomorrow Today—The Series:
1. And now... I know
2. The Database
3. Prestigear
P R E S T I G E A R
“Na, c’mon, let’s go out. We need to have fun sometimes, right? Besides, I think your skin could use some moonlight. C’mon, man!”
“I don’t want to, really. Thanks. Gotta hang up. Catch u later.”
“Later? When? You have locked your self up for...” I hung up the line form Jeff. He is indeed my best bud but at that time, I really needed to be alone.
After the database that he showed me from his friend’s research, I felt strange. I know that the database was only a toy for that Tomorrow Today company which Jeff worked for, but still, that toy left me in a state of great shock. The personality recognition which was supposed to show me the one matches with mine showed that I was the only one who actually did. I jumped into conclusion that I would not find a soulmate in this world. Jeff confronted me that I interpreted the toy in the wrong way. I should have seen love as something to bind the two different personalities instead of does that to the similar ones.
That was where Jeff and I stood on the other side. Why bother being with someone who does not like what we do? Doen’t everyone want to share things with someone who has the same idea?
All the thought led me to nowhere but the withdrawal of myself from the society. I locked myself up in my room. I lived by the deliveries I ordered from fast food restaurants. I gained wight several kilos thanks to McD and Burger King. I spent my days questioning the destiny of no one but myself. I felt low. So low that only myself could appriciate me.
I started to recall the days when my friends criticize the things thatI did. Why that hat? Why stripes? So formal? What’s with the chain around my neck? What’s with that anyway? Didn’t I look cool with that? I took it off the first day of my self-retreat. I felt insecure.
I was sitting on my couch and playing a guitar when suddenly I felt a very great need for a glass of orange juice. I got up and headed to the refrigerator. I thought to myself that I didn’t need any glass. I could just drink it directly from the cartoon.
My refrigerator is next to my door. So i went there. I approached it and suddenly I heard:
“BANG!!! BANG!!!” That sound stopped my heart for a moment.
“Who’s outside?”
“Jeff. Open up!”
“Go home, Jeff!” He was the last person I need in me-myself-and I time.
“I ain’t go anywhere. You know that.”
“I sent you home once and I will do it again!” I shouted at the door. I was very shocked with tha bang bang on the door thing that I hated him somehow.
“I got you something. At least let me throw it inside. Then,..I ‘ll leave.”
“Hey! I am not Hannibal and you are not Starling, okay!!!”
There was a silence—a total silence.
“Jeff? Are you there?” I said that standing still by the refrigerator. Should I approached the door and go find out if he was still there? But he might bang the door again to shock me just like in any common horror movie. Should I? I shouldn’t. Besides, the noise has gone, anyway. But,..would he be waiting outside to catch my hand and forced to get in?
“O, c’mon, Na. Such stupid thought only belongs to you! He is a busy busy nerd, right?” I talked to myself.
“Shit, I hate all this.” I decided to approach the door slowly. Real slowly like an obese turtle.
“Jeff?”
“Stupid!! You shouldnt’ve said his name!!” I talked to myself again like a broadway star in a movie.
I have decided to shut my mouth and just approached the door. I put my right ear really close to it. Really close that my ear literally touched the door and felt the cold of a steel.
Quiet.
I reached for the door key and turned it around. The door was unlocked. Then I reached the handle and slowly opened it. Will his face showed up and scared me to death? My heart was beating and it was beating faster. I move the door and...
I sat down on my couch again. The small thing that looked like it was wrapped by a third grader was on my hand. I opened it like a second grader would. There was a note:
“Damn you for not opening the door. I know that you wouldn’t anyway. Since I didn’t wana spend my time useless going from my place to yours, I prepared a back up plan. I wrapped this PRESTIGEAR for you. Use it for your own good. Na, you are not that low!!!”
That’s it? Nothing else but that? No manuals? It’s not that I have never tried gadgets from him without manuals, but,.. Oh, well. At least he was nowhere near me to call me moroon or anything like that.
The panel was very obvious. And why does Jeff like using panels anyway? Why not button or anything else? Well,..I switch it anyway. And what happened??? Nothing. A big nothing.
“Finally you failed, too, Jeff.” I said to myself happily. You are not the one so successfull, anyway. I mean, I was the one winning the school debate, Jeff. I was the one getting that while you locked yourself up in your mini lab. Nothing spacious about that compared to my apartement. And I was the one doing lots of dancing during the parties we attended, Jeff. Mmm parties. Suddenly that sounded fun.
I got up and walked to my room passing this very big mirror I had. I stopped a while and looking surprised. What I saw was amazing. There was this man with a very sexy lean body in a white tight shirt. He had this messy hair that shouted “Let’s play!”. He was wearing a pair of tight black shorts that curved his butts. Great strong legs support his standing. Wasn’t that what girls wanted? And I bet a chain would look good around his neck. I ran directly to my drawer and took the chain. I put it around my neck and went back to the mirror.
“Mmm...I am ready to play.”
I took a bath and went out and got better.
It’s all in the point of view
—Je—
1. And now... I know
2. The Database
3. Prestigear
P R E S T I G E A R
“Na, c’mon, let’s go out. We need to have fun sometimes, right? Besides, I think your skin could use some moonlight. C’mon, man!”
“I don’t want to, really. Thanks. Gotta hang up. Catch u later.”
“Later? When? You have locked your self up for...” I hung up the line form Jeff. He is indeed my best bud but at that time, I really needed to be alone.
After the database that he showed me from his friend’s research, I felt strange. I know that the database was only a toy for that Tomorrow Today company which Jeff worked for, but still, that toy left me in a state of great shock. The personality recognition which was supposed to show me the one matches with mine showed that I was the only one who actually did. I jumped into conclusion that I would not find a soulmate in this world. Jeff confronted me that I interpreted the toy in the wrong way. I should have seen love as something to bind the two different personalities instead of does that to the similar ones.
That was where Jeff and I stood on the other side. Why bother being with someone who does not like what we do? Doen’t everyone want to share things with someone who has the same idea?
All the thought led me to nowhere but the withdrawal of myself from the society. I locked myself up in my room. I lived by the deliveries I ordered from fast food restaurants. I gained wight several kilos thanks to McD and Burger King. I spent my days questioning the destiny of no one but myself. I felt low. So low that only myself could appriciate me.
I started to recall the days when my friends criticize the things thatI did. Why that hat? Why stripes? So formal? What’s with the chain around my neck? What’s with that anyway? Didn’t I look cool with that? I took it off the first day of my self-retreat. I felt insecure.
I was sitting on my couch and playing a guitar when suddenly I felt a very great need for a glass of orange juice. I got up and headed to the refrigerator. I thought to myself that I didn’t need any glass. I could just drink it directly from the cartoon.
My refrigerator is next to my door. So i went there. I approached it and suddenly I heard:
“BANG!!! BANG!!!” That sound stopped my heart for a moment.
“Who’s outside?”
“Jeff. Open up!”
“Go home, Jeff!” He was the last person I need in me-myself-and I time.
“I ain’t go anywhere. You know that.”
“I sent you home once and I will do it again!” I shouted at the door. I was very shocked with tha bang bang on the door thing that I hated him somehow.
“I got you something. At least let me throw it inside. Then,..I ‘ll leave.”
“Hey! I am not Hannibal and you are not Starling, okay!!!”
There was a silence—a total silence.
“Jeff? Are you there?” I said that standing still by the refrigerator. Should I approached the door and go find out if he was still there? But he might bang the door again to shock me just like in any common horror movie. Should I? I shouldn’t. Besides, the noise has gone, anyway. But,..would he be waiting outside to catch my hand and forced to get in?
“O, c’mon, Na. Such stupid thought only belongs to you! He is a busy busy nerd, right?” I talked to myself.
“Shit, I hate all this.” I decided to approach the door slowly. Real slowly like an obese turtle.
“Jeff?”
“Stupid!! You shouldnt’ve said his name!!” I talked to myself again like a broadway star in a movie.
I have decided to shut my mouth and just approached the door. I put my right ear really close to it. Really close that my ear literally touched the door and felt the cold of a steel.
Quiet.
I reached for the door key and turned it around. The door was unlocked. Then I reached the handle and slowly opened it. Will his face showed up and scared me to death? My heart was beating and it was beating faster. I move the door and...
I sat down on my couch again. The small thing that looked like it was wrapped by a third grader was on my hand. I opened it like a second grader would. There was a note:
“Damn you for not opening the door. I know that you wouldn’t anyway. Since I didn’t wana spend my time useless going from my place to yours, I prepared a back up plan. I wrapped this PRESTIGEAR for you. Use it for your own good. Na, you are not that low!!!”
That’s it? Nothing else but that? No manuals? It’s not that I have never tried gadgets from him without manuals, but,.. Oh, well. At least he was nowhere near me to call me moroon or anything like that.
The panel was very obvious. And why does Jeff like using panels anyway? Why not button or anything else? Well,..I switch it anyway. And what happened??? Nothing. A big nothing.
“Finally you failed, too, Jeff.” I said to myself happily. You are not the one so successfull, anyway. I mean, I was the one winning the school debate, Jeff. I was the one getting that while you locked yourself up in your mini lab. Nothing spacious about that compared to my apartement. And I was the one doing lots of dancing during the parties we attended, Jeff. Mmm parties. Suddenly that sounded fun.
I got up and walked to my room passing this very big mirror I had. I stopped a while and looking surprised. What I saw was amazing. There was this man with a very sexy lean body in a white tight shirt. He had this messy hair that shouted “Let’s play!”. He was wearing a pair of tight black shorts that curved his butts. Great strong legs support his standing. Wasn’t that what girls wanted? And I bet a chain would look good around his neck. I ran directly to my drawer and took the chain. I put it around my neck and went back to the mirror.
“Mmm...I am ready to play.”
I took a bath and went out and got better.
It’s all in the point of view
—Je—
Tomorrow Today: The Database
10:52 PM
This posting is related to the posting entitled “And Now,…I Know.” Below are some parts of it.
Am I not the luckiest man alive for having a best friend the youngest scientist in America? I got a chance to try out new gadgets he was working on at home. He did it purposely. He chose to bring his work home until everything is ready then brings it to the office. It’s because he was afraid that his ideas can be stolen by his so-called fellow competitor researchers.
At that time he was working on two gadgets. The first one was mood detector and the other was feeling enhancer. They were incredibly small. Welcome to the year of 2020 where big technology comes half the size!
…..
The Database
After I broke up with my girlfriend,well,..y ex-girlfriend, I turned ugly. It was because of that stupid feeling enhancer thing. I hadn’t been able to forgive myself for what I did. Luckily y scientist friend—Jeff—had forgiven e. why shoudn’t he? At least he got the chance to know that his gadgets worked well. My relationship was the proof.
That night I was in his room playing his guitar. I was singing stupid love songs—love songs are stupid unless you are in love! He seemed to get annoyed and took his eyes of his gadgets.
“You gotta stop this, really. It is irritating that you play those stupid love songs!”
So at least I know that Jeff wasn’t in love either.
“Help me!”
“I am helping myself, actually. Come here tomorrow at eight.”
“Why tomorrow? Why not now?”
“Coz you are leaving now.” He got my bag and handed it over to me.
I stood up fro the window and said:
“Tomorrow, ok. Catch you later, bud!”
Then I left and headed straight home waiting until eight the next day.
California, 08:00 pm, the next day
I knocked at Jeff’s door only to find him shouting:
“Come on in!”
I did as I was shouted at and he directly approached me with something in his hand.
“OK, let’s try this.” He showed what I first thought of a calculator. But of course,..half the size.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a damn good gadget which I was really sorry for not creating! Doug created it. Shit!”
Doug was his best competitor.
“I hate the fact that he used simple things from the past and made it advance. It’s basically a database of everyone in the world.
“And how is that possible?”
“Na,..trust me, I do not want to tell you that he came up with this cheap finger print ID in 2015 that all stores and other public places could afford. You see, the finger print can be a very good source of personality recognition. I really do not have time to tell you all this.”
“You just did. Thanks anyway. So, let’s get it on. All you need is to put your finger right over here” He pointed a red glass surface that blinks after he click on a panel.
“After that?”
“Give it a sec and there will be menus appearing. It’s like a query. It can be “Carrer opportunities, Lucky number and the one you need is…Love Match! Go on,..start!”
I pressed y thumb on the blinking glass and then the menus appeared. I entered “LOVE MATCH” and there was an instruction that I had to press some numbers. I did all that and then there was a notification for me to wait 60 seconds.
“Why sixty seconds?”
“Aw, c’mon, Maulana!! It detects E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E’s personality. You gotta give it a break.”
“OK, but then what is going to appear on the screen?”
“Well,..it analyzes your personality and your expected or admired personality. Basically it will show a name of a person and her current location.”
“Cool!!! I can’t wait!”
“Well, not very long. Let’s do the countdown….now!”
“5, 4, 3, 2 ….1!”
“Maulana Surya Antara. CALIFORNIA. 00.
-Je-
Am I not the luckiest man alive for having a best friend the youngest scientist in America? I got a chance to try out new gadgets he was working on at home. He did it purposely. He chose to bring his work home until everything is ready then brings it to the office. It’s because he was afraid that his ideas can be stolen by his so-called fellow competitor researchers.
At that time he was working on two gadgets. The first one was mood detector and the other was feeling enhancer. They were incredibly small. Welcome to the year of 2020 where big technology comes half the size!
…..
The Database
After I broke up with my girlfriend,well,..y ex-girlfriend, I turned ugly. It was because of that stupid feeling enhancer thing. I hadn’t been able to forgive myself for what I did. Luckily y scientist friend—Jeff—had forgiven e. why shoudn’t he? At least he got the chance to know that his gadgets worked well. My relationship was the proof.
That night I was in his room playing his guitar. I was singing stupid love songs—love songs are stupid unless you are in love! He seemed to get annoyed and took his eyes of his gadgets.
“You gotta stop this, really. It is irritating that you play those stupid love songs!”
So at least I know that Jeff wasn’t in love either.
“Help me!”
“I am helping myself, actually. Come here tomorrow at eight.”
“Why tomorrow? Why not now?”
“Coz you are leaving now.” He got my bag and handed it over to me.
I stood up fro the window and said:
“Tomorrow, ok. Catch you later, bud!”
Then I left and headed straight home waiting until eight the next day.
California, 08:00 pm, the next day
I knocked at Jeff’s door only to find him shouting:
“Come on in!”
I did as I was shouted at and he directly approached me with something in his hand.
“OK, let’s try this.” He showed what I first thought of a calculator. But of course,..half the size.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a damn good gadget which I was really sorry for not creating! Doug created it. Shit!”
Doug was his best competitor.
“I hate the fact that he used simple things from the past and made it advance. It’s basically a database of everyone in the world.
“And how is that possible?”
“Na,..trust me, I do not want to tell you that he came up with this cheap finger print ID in 2015 that all stores and other public places could afford. You see, the finger print can be a very good source of personality recognition. I really do not have time to tell you all this.”
“You just did. Thanks anyway. So, let’s get it on. All you need is to put your finger right over here” He pointed a red glass surface that blinks after he click on a panel.
“After that?”
“Give it a sec and there will be menus appearing. It’s like a query. It can be “Carrer opportunities, Lucky number and the one you need is…Love Match! Go on,..start!”
I pressed y thumb on the blinking glass and then the menus appeared. I entered “LOVE MATCH” and there was an instruction that I had to press some numbers. I did all that and then there was a notification for me to wait 60 seconds.
“Why sixty seconds?”
“Aw, c’mon, Maulana!! It detects E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E’s personality. You gotta give it a break.”
“OK, but then what is going to appear on the screen?”
“Well,..it analyzes your personality and your expected or admired personality. Basically it will show a name of a person and her current location.”
“Cool!!! I can’t wait!”
“Well, not very long. Let’s do the countdown….now!”
“5, 4, 3, 2 ….1!”
“Maulana Surya Antara. CALIFORNIA. 00.
-Je-
And now... I know
3:51 AMAnd now… I know
Am I not the luckiest man alive for having a best friend the youngest scientist in
At that time he was working on two gadgets. The first one was mood detector and the other was feeling enhancer. They were incredibly small. Welcome to the year of 2020 where big technology comes half the size!
I was in his room playing guitar next to him on a Sunday evening when suddenly his phone rang. It was his girlfriend.
“OK, OK, I’ll be right there just in a sec. I know. I forgot again. I am sorry. I’ll be there. Hanging up now.” That’s what he said on the phone.
“Shit! It’s Jenny. I forgot again. We were supposed to meet up for a movie. Rush! Rush!”
He directly went to the bathroom and did whatever he was doing there. I guess when he got out I got to go too. But where? My girlfriend’s place? She has been avoiding me for some projects she was working on with Roger.
Out of many of her friends, why Roger? I was intimidated by his physical features, honestly. Who wouldn’t? Tell me one man who wouldn’t feel intimidated by his perfect body, perfect hair and perfect anything? And he happened to be my girlfriend’s project partner? And she happened to be ignoring me for weeks?
There’s got to be something wrong. And I guess that night was the perfect night to find out about that! In a rush, I took the mind reading gadget then put it inside my pocket. I was so sure that my friend wouldn’t mind at all. Besides, I do that often. He would get angry a little and then forgive me as long as I return the gadgets.
“Gotta run. Lock up, will you?” He burst out of the room to his girlfriend. And I was doing the same to mine. That night was the moment of truth.
I walked few blocks while finding out how to operate that mind reading gadget. So it had a small panel and a small bulb and a small everything. I switched the panel and a blue light went on. So I guess I was at the right track, after all.
That track led me to my girlfriend’s door. I knocked. She opened. We went in.
“Have a sit. I’m still busy with this.” She pointed out at her notebook. “And Roger is coming so…” She went back to her notebook.
I felt not right. I felt that she actually wanted her job to finish soon so that when Roger came they could just hang around together. I had to check if I were right.
“You just want it to finish so you can have fun with him, huh?”
She was just silent and kept staring at her notebook.
“So I was right!”
“I really have a lot to do and besides, we have discussed it over and over again. Roger is just a friend. And I am tired of you being so…like this over us.”
I tried to read her mind. The gadget told me that she was lying. I felt suspicious.
“Then why haven’t you had time for me? I know that I am not that perfect. Not as perfect as Roger, but for God’s sake, I am your boyfriend.”
“Na, please stop it.”
“Don’t Na-please-stop-it-me!” I felt angry. The mind reader told me that she was really lying. It also told me that she was looking forward to meeting up with Roger—not me.
“I could just be around while you two were working. But you never let me do that.”
“That was because you once told me that you did not have any knowledge in Chemistry which happens to be something that Roger and I was doing. You would be bored and all that and I would feel guilty ignoring you while you were here. C’mon we have discussed this before.”
She was tricky! That thought came in to my mind. I felt that I was just a fool in front of my girl. Then it turned to anger.
“I know that I am not smart, but I could still understand simple things if you had explained them to me.”
“I don’t want to discuss this anymore!” She yelled at me. My mind said that she did that because she wanted me to leave before Roger came. I felt suspicious.
“Don’t yell at me. You just wanted to me to leave before he came, right? Huh?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I was talking about. It’s the whole thing about you and Roger and your work and everything about you two! Never about me!”
“Na, c’mon. I cannot work if you keep going like this.”
“Well, you make me like this!”
I really had to say it to her that time.
“We are through!!!”
I walked back to the door and slammed it to her face while she was calling my name telling me to go back and said “I love you, Na.”
I had enough. This mind reader was surely working very well and it really opened my eyes. I went to a bar and got drunk till morning.
The next morning I went to my best friend’s house to return the gadget. When I opened the door, he uttered very long sentences.
“Please tell me that you took my gadget. And please return it to me. Please tell me that you did. I won’t get angry at you. Not at all. I just don’t want that gadget in my competitors’ hands. Please tell me. I promise I won’t get angry.”
“Yeah, yeah, I just gave it a test. It works. Here.” I handed it to him.
“Thank you. Thank you.” He said that to me and then returned to his gadget. “O, my baby. Glad to have you back.” He kissed it again and again and got to his desk and ignored me as usual.
I sat down by the window looking at outside—thinking about Maya, my girlfriend. I meant my ex-girlfriend.
“That thing worked. It worked so well that I knew what was going on in Maya’s head. I have been feeling suspicious all along and I felt angry last night. We broke up. Thanks for the mind reading gadget.”
My friend kept looking at his desk while saying:
“You took the feeling enhancer, Na.”
-Je-
