Screen 1 0630 Monday
[incoming Susan priority 2]"have you fed the kids?"
[outgoing]"Hmmm?"
[incoming Susan priority 2]"Our kids... have you fed them?"
[outgoing]"oh yes at 1900 or so..."
[incoming Susan priority 2]"Honey! Today! This morning?!"
[outgoing]"Gaaah! It is morning? Bah! Activating drones 3 and 4"
[incoming Susan priority 2]"Set yourself an alarm next time!"
[outgoing]"Yes. Sorry..."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 3 0647 Monday
[incoming MesotopianFangs priority 3]"Demos I've got a job for you if your interested..."
[outgoing]"MF today is wide open You have my attention"
[incoming MesotopianFangs priority 3][encrypted]"Read this and meet us at the attached chat room"[Attached: CorpJob.docz]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 2 0715 Monday
[incoming Tate priority 5]"Dad, this teacher is being retarded. He is suggesting that the UCAS can be blamed for all of the political problems of this last decade."
[outgoing]"Teachers are mortal too you know."
[outgoing]"But regardless they deserve your full attention. If you don't stop talking in class I will disconnect all of your non-emergency comlink functions."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 2 1205 Monday
[incoming Miraluna priority 4]"Daddy I'm out early today can you pick me up?"
[outgoing]"Yes munchkin. Your teacher notified me. I parked the car down the street, uploading directions now. Drone 7 is at the school gate and will escort you."
[incoming Miraluna priority 5]"Thank you daddy"
[outgoing]"No problem love you."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 3 1213 Monday
[incoming Steallaorc priority 3][encrypted]"Kraken the grid is still up! I need those cameras down NOW!"
[outgoing][encrypted]"Calm down! You are on the wrong floor you said it was the third floor so I neutralized the third floor. Sanitizing now. Open door in 1 min 38 seconds."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 1 1435 Monday
[incoming Susan priority 3]"Babe I'm running low on phosphorus rounds can you please order me some?"
[outgoing]"Sure order done. Pickup at Don's after 1600"
[incoming Susan priority 3]"Will do. Also will you clean up the house? I need to have guests over tonight"
[outgoing]"Babe, I have all the drones out on business or errands this will need to be something the kids do. Will that be okay?"
[incoming Susan priority 3]"Sigh. Fine."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 2 1436
[outgoing]"Tate. Pickup."
[incoming Tate priority 3]" Yes dad?"
[outgoing]"Attached is a note excusing you from your last class period. You will have to take it online tonight but for now come home early and clean the house."[Attachment: excusenote.docz]
[incoming Tate priority 3]"What! I had plans you already said I could go!"
[outgoing]"I know but plans change. I am comping you some drive hours as well as two curfew passes to make up for this."
[incoming Tate priority 4]"Sigh fine"
[outgoing]"hah just like your mother"[Attachment: screen1screenshot.jpz]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 3 1735 Monday
[incoming Steallaorc priority 3][encrypted]"Thanks for the assist Kraken your share is already sent."[Attached: BankofNorthernAmerica.transaction.logs]
[outgoing][encrypted]"No problem. You guys are good and first time errors were not deadly. My services are available any time through the same channels."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Later that night in a house on the north side of Dallas:
The light above Tate's door went green with a low soft chime. Tate glanced up from his screens and turned. Seeing the color he paused all input and yelled above his music: "Come in dad!"
Demos slipped in.
"Tate, sorry to interrupt your most pressing game time" Demos started with a smile, "but I was headed to bed and wanted to make sure you were not still upset about today."
"Nah I'm good Dad. I just really wanted to see that concert. But it turns out that more of my friends are going to see them this weekend than went tonight and if it is okay with you I'd like to use the driving hours you gave me and one of the curfew passes on Friday."
"Yeah that should be fine. I'll need to check with your mother though before giving you a final okay. You'll have an answer in your inbox tomorrow morning. Good night and good hunting in your games"
"Night dad."
Demos left and headed down the hall to his daughter's room. Stopping by his study to pickup a small worn book; he knocked on her door and then slid it open.
"You ready to read our story?" He queried.
"Yes daddy."
As he sat down on her bed and opened the book she looked up and asked:
"Daddy why don't you just play the story from a screen like they do in school?"
A thoughtful smile flitted across his face.
"Because some things a daddy can only do in person."
[incoming Susan priority 2]"have you fed the kids?"
[outgoing]"Hmmm?"
[incoming Susan priority 2]"Our kids... have you fed them?"
[outgoing]"oh yes at 1900 or so..."
[incoming Susan priority 2]"Honey! Today! This morning?!"
[outgoing]"Gaaah! It is morning? Bah! Activating drones 3 and 4"
[incoming Susan priority 2]"Set yourself an alarm next time!"
[outgoing]"Yes. Sorry..."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 3 0647 Monday
[incoming MesotopianFangs priority 3]"Demos I've got a job for you if your interested..."
[outgoing]"MF today is wide open You have my attention"
[incoming MesotopianFangs priority 3][encrypted]"Read this and meet us at the attached chat room"[Attached: CorpJob.docz]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 2 0715 Monday
[incoming Tate priority 5]"Dad, this teacher is being retarded. He is suggesting that the UCAS can be blamed for all of the political problems of this last decade."
[outgoing]"Teachers are mortal too you know."
[outgoing]"But regardless they deserve your full attention. If you don't stop talking in class I will disconnect all of your non-emergency comlink functions."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 2 1205 Monday
[incoming Miraluna priority 4]"Daddy I'm out early today can you pick me up?"
[outgoing]"Yes munchkin. Your teacher notified me. I parked the car down the street, uploading directions now. Drone 7 is at the school gate and will escort you."
[incoming Miraluna priority 5]"Thank you daddy"
[outgoing]"No problem love you."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 3 1213 Monday
[incoming Steallaorc priority 3][encrypted]"Kraken the grid is still up! I need those cameras down NOW!"
[outgoing][encrypted]"Calm down! You are on the wrong floor you said it was the third floor so I neutralized the third floor. Sanitizing now. Open door in 1 min 38 seconds."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 1 1435 Monday
[incoming Susan priority 3]"Babe I'm running low on phosphorus rounds can you please order me some?"
[outgoing]"Sure order done. Pickup at Don's after 1600"
[incoming Susan priority 3]"Will do. Also will you clean up the house? I need to have guests over tonight"
[outgoing]"Babe, I have all the drones out on business or errands this will need to be something the kids do. Will that be okay?"
[incoming Susan priority 3]"Sigh. Fine."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 2 1436
[outgoing]"Tate. Pickup."
[incoming Tate priority 3]" Yes dad?"
[outgoing]"Attached is a note excusing you from your last class period. You will have to take it online tonight but for now come home early and clean the house."[Attachment: excusenote.docz]
[incoming Tate priority 3]"What! I had plans you already said I could go!"
[outgoing]"I know but plans change. I am comping you some drive hours as well as two curfew passes to make up for this."
[incoming Tate priority 4]"Sigh fine"
[outgoing]"hah just like your mother"[Attachment: screen1screenshot.jpz]
--------------------------------------------------------------
Screen 3 1735 Monday
[incoming Steallaorc priority 3][encrypted]"Thanks for the assist Kraken your share is already sent."[Attached: BankofNorthernAmerica.transaction.logs]
[outgoing][encrypted]"No problem. You guys are good and first time errors were not deadly. My services are available any time through the same channels."
--------------------------------------------------------------
Later that night in a house on the north side of Dallas:
The light above Tate's door went green with a low soft chime. Tate glanced up from his screens and turned. Seeing the color he paused all input and yelled above his music: "Come in dad!"
Demos slipped in.
"Tate, sorry to interrupt your most pressing game time" Demos started with a smile, "but I was headed to bed and wanted to make sure you were not still upset about today."
"Nah I'm good Dad. I just really wanted to see that concert. But it turns out that more of my friends are going to see them this weekend than went tonight and if it is okay with you I'd like to use the driving hours you gave me and one of the curfew passes on Friday."
"Yeah that should be fine. I'll need to check with your mother though before giving you a final okay. You'll have an answer in your inbox tomorrow morning. Good night and good hunting in your games"
"Night dad."
Demos left and headed down the hall to his daughter's room. Stopping by his study to pickup a small worn book; he knocked on her door and then slid it open.
"You ready to read our story?" He queried.
"Yes daddy."
As he sat down on her bed and opened the book she looked up and asked:
"Daddy why don't you just play the story from a screen like they do in school?"
A thoughtful smile flitted across his face.
"Because some things a daddy can only do in person."
Comments
I really enjoy your short stories, especially the ones set in a modern/futuristic genre. You do them very well.
-Melpo
I liked the switch at the end, but then I'm a father myself, and which of us doesn't like a happy, sappy ending ;)