Chapter Ten
‘As I was saying,’ Aimee said, ‘The place has got worse recently. For example, where do you live exactly? Still the same neighbourhood?’
‘ Yes, Ribtown. My apartment’s new, but I’ve never moved from the area.’
‘Well, Ribtown’s particularly bad. You should watch yourself.’
‘Bad? In what sense is it bad?’
‘You really have a lot of catching up to do Jay.’
Aimee shook her head and looked at Jay as if he was a misbehaving child.
‘I don’t understand.’ Jay said ‘Are you saying the area where I live is dangerous?’
‘Well, dangerous is perhaps an overstatement. But, the last time I passed through there, I didn’t see much City Guard presence, and there were a few ex-insiders scrabbling about at the side of the electric tramway.’
‘What do you mean “ex-insiders”?’
‘It’s just a term that some people use. You’re an insider if you live in the city and have a job, an apartment, and a regular life. If you run out of credits on your smartcard, for example, then you’ll get a few warnings before become an “ex-insider” ‘
‘a few warnings?’
By now Jay was feeling as if he was being briefed about a new language that he had been totally unaware of before, and that he had just realised that everyone was suddenly speaking.
‘Yes, and then everything stops working. And you have to leave your apartment.’
‘Leave? But, why?’
‘Well, that’s the way it goes for those who can’t pay. Suddenly, the smartchip, yes the one that both you and I have implanted in our forearms, stops giving us access to all those gadgets that we cannot live without. You find that you can’t turn on the News Channel. The vid phone doesn’t work. You don’t even have access to your fridge or microwave, so you can’t even eat. And the heating and air con system switches off. It all just gets too much and people end up leaving their apartment. Of course, once outside, the chip being blocked, you can’t get back in. That’s when you become an ex-insider.’
‘You know a hell of a lot about this, Aimee.’
‘Well, I get to hear some horror stories becasue of my job, of course. Working with old people, talking to them all day, you find a lot out. Plus, some of them end up in the residence becasue this has happened to them.’
‘So they’re not homeless then?’
‘No, the Corporation offers them a residence place in return for favours. But I can’t talk about that.’
‘Favours? What do you mean you can’t talk about that?’
‘Well, listen Jay. I’ve already talked too much about all this, but I think you need to know. Fortunately, the Sini-Programme hasn’t come into operation yet, but it could be that your vid-phone, or mine of course, is being monitored.’
Jay suddenly felt he was gaping into a void, and he felt he was being sucked into something that might be difficult to find his way out.
‘I’m sorry, Aimee, but I’m just trying to understand. I don’t know anything about a “Sini programme” or any Corporation monitoring.’
‘Well, it’s something you have to be careful about, although, I doubt very much that anyone would be monitoring your vid-phone. You’re so clueless about anything. You wouldn’t be on their list. And as far as I know, as far as my anti-spyware tells me, I’m clean too. But you can’t be 100% certain. That’s why we should meet. Then I’d be able to talk more freely.’
Jay looked at Aimee. He hadn’t had time to think about this yet.
‘And what about this “Sini Programme”? Isn’t Sini the name of a politician?’
‘Yes, but don’t say that too often. That’s just the thing their search bots would pick up if they are monitoring your phone. Let’s call it “Project Blackberry” or something.’
‘OK, I like it. What about this blackberry then?’
Aimee looked at Jay and they both cracked up, laughing. It was the first time she had seen Jay smile or laugh since getting back in touch with him.’
681 words written this chapter
7117 words in total so far
42883 words to go
= 2,257 per day to write if you want to make your target.
‘ Yes, Ribtown. My apartment’s new, but I’ve never moved from the area.’
‘Well, Ribtown’s particularly bad. You should watch yourself.’
‘Bad? In what sense is it bad?’
‘You really have a lot of catching up to do Jay.’
Aimee shook her head and looked at Jay as if he was a misbehaving child.
‘I don’t understand.’ Jay said ‘Are you saying the area where I live is dangerous?’
‘Well, dangerous is perhaps an overstatement. But, the last time I passed through there, I didn’t see much City Guard presence, and there were a few ex-insiders scrabbling about at the side of the electric tramway.’
‘What do you mean “ex-insiders”?’
‘It’s just a term that some people use. You’re an insider if you live in the city and have a job, an apartment, and a regular life. If you run out of credits on your smartcard, for example, then you’ll get a few warnings before become an “ex-insider” ‘
‘a few warnings?’
By now Jay was feeling as if he was being briefed about a new language that he had been totally unaware of before, and that he had just realised that everyone was suddenly speaking.
‘Yes, and then everything stops working. And you have to leave your apartment.’
‘Leave? But, why?’
‘Well, that’s the way it goes for those who can’t pay. Suddenly, the smartchip, yes the one that both you and I have implanted in our forearms, stops giving us access to all those gadgets that we cannot live without. You find that you can’t turn on the News Channel. The vid phone doesn’t work. You don’t even have access to your fridge or microwave, so you can’t even eat. And the heating and air con system switches off. It all just gets too much and people end up leaving their apartment. Of course, once outside, the chip being blocked, you can’t get back in. That’s when you become an ex-insider.’
‘You know a hell of a lot about this, Aimee.’
‘Well, I get to hear some horror stories becasue of my job, of course. Working with old people, talking to them all day, you find a lot out. Plus, some of them end up in the residence becasue this has happened to them.’
‘So they’re not homeless then?’
‘No, the Corporation offers them a residence place in return for favours. But I can’t talk about that.’
‘Favours? What do you mean you can’t talk about that?’
‘Well, listen Jay. I’ve already talked too much about all this, but I think you need to know. Fortunately, the Sini-Programme hasn’t come into operation yet, but it could be that your vid-phone, or mine of course, is being monitored.’
Jay suddenly felt he was gaping into a void, and he felt he was being sucked into something that might be difficult to find his way out.
‘I’m sorry, Aimee, but I’m just trying to understand. I don’t know anything about a “Sini programme” or any Corporation monitoring.’
‘Well, it’s something you have to be careful about, although, I doubt very much that anyone would be monitoring your vid-phone. You’re so clueless about anything. You wouldn’t be on their list. And as far as I know, as far as my anti-spyware tells me, I’m clean too. But you can’t be 100% certain. That’s why we should meet. Then I’d be able to talk more freely.’
Jay looked at Aimee. He hadn’t had time to think about this yet.
‘And what about this “Sini Programme”? Isn’t Sini the name of a politician?’
‘Yes, but don’t say that too often. That’s just the thing their search bots would pick up if they are monitoring your phone. Let’s call it “Project Blackberry” or something.’
‘OK, I like it. What about this blackberry then?’
Aimee looked at Jay and they both cracked up, laughing. It was the first time she had seen Jay smile or laugh since getting back in touch with him.’
681 words written this chapter
7117 words in total so far
42883 words to go
= 2,257 per day to write if you want to make your target.
posted by blog-efl at 11.11.04
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