2082 (The Chronicles of Hope Book 1), page 9
‘I’m not up to date with stuff like that; however, I’ve do some little treats myself. I got given some of those new active contact lens things recently – you know those ones that use augmented reality and have film playback right on the lens? I don’t get on with them, but I thought I’d bring them here for you lot to have to pass the time if you want. Apparently they’ve got a hundred or so high resolution 3D films on each, so–’
‘I’ll have one of those!’ said Louis, to cries of ‘me too!’ mainly from the male population of Clashton.
‘Whoever, just come and see me. Anyone else willing to share? Julian?’
Frank had naturally picked on Julian, as his imposing physical presence guaranteed that he was foremost in Frank’s eyeshot. Realising his potential faux pas, he was relieved when Julian was as amiable as Ruby had described.
‘I’ve brought a portable boxing ring with me. I’d been meaning to speak to you to see if it’d be okay to put it up somewhere – I thought everyone could use it as a way of keeping fit, if you think that’s okay,’ said Julian timidly, clearly trying to mask his heavy lisp. The gentle tone of his voice certainly belied his stature, his ripped and bulging body looking like a tractor wheel. He also seemed to have almost permanently bloodshot eyes.
‘No of course, that’s fine, a good idea. I love boxing. Maybe just shadow boxing though to start off with. Saying that, I guess we could have matches further down the line, maybe even me against Jeremy,’ said Frank to a couple of strangled outbursts of agreement from the residents, temporarily forgetting Ruby’s alert about the flourishing friendship between Jeremy and Julian.
‘You’ll have to fight me first in an eliminator round for the right to fight him,’ asserted Julian, confidently but not aggressively.
‘Thanks for bringing your ring anyway, we’ll get it set up soon then – whoever wants to use it can,’ Frank said.
‘Speak for yourself,’ snapped Louis, candidly jumping on the double entendre bait.
‘Frank I’ll share this with you, look what I’ve brought!’ shouted Quincy, waving an object above his head.
‘Oh my God, that’s disgusting!’ said Ruby, now head down with her hand over her mouth. Frank was squinting, trying to make out what Quincy was showing him.
‘There’s one little monster that’ll never walk on this planet again,’
Quincy’s glee was causing considerable commotion and provoked Frank out of his seat for a closer look. Floyd followed and was first on the scene, trying to get at the object with sniffling panache.
‘Oh God, Quincy! Is that a dog? What is it, stuffed?’ Frank said, voice choked in revulsion.
‘Yes it’s stuffed – it’s a little warning to your oversized mutt there to watch his step.’
‘If you’d be so kind as to leave it outside for the moment,’ said Frank, bemused as he made his way back to his seat.
‘Why do you spend your life making animals better if you hate them so much?!’ Ruby said firmly as Quincy took his exhibit outside – to no reply – allowing Frank to continue.
‘Sorry about that. Anyone el—’
Frank found himself unable to finish his question as most of the room was now talking amongst themselves, with one resident occasionally shouting above the others to directly address Frank. It was chaos, but in a friendly, sharing manner which Frank hadn’t expected.
‘Kadeisha, what have you brought with you – what’s your luxury item?’ shouted Frank.
‘I’ve brought this – it’s just a hairbrush, I’ve got plenty of hair that I need to keep in shape,’ said Kadeisha, maybe referring more to the naturist side of her make-up rather than her modelling looks.
‘What’s the difference between a naturist and a nudist? The concept’s always baffled me,’ said Frank.
‘Weight of body hair’ sneered Louis.
‘It’s basically that a nudist is someone who likes being nude whereas a naturist, like myself, will dedicate my entire lifestyle and behaviours to the belief and practice of being nude,’ stated Kadeisha.
‘So basically a naturist just takes it way deeper!’ laughed Frank.
His comment produced a look from Ruby so scalding it suggested that her innocent appearance belied her understanding of double entendres.
‘Yes Frank and, being at one with nature, I’m glad you’re looking into changing this food. I don’t eat food with chemicals in and this stuff is loaded with them. I’m also a vegetarian, so if that could be taken into account ... ’ said Kadeisha.
Frank was poised to engage in conflict with Kadeisha, and cite her vegetarian status as ignorant for not accounting for the predatory instincts of animals and the slaughtering of their prey for their own sustenance. Before he could, Dexter jumped in.
‘Mon, I’ve brought me chess set wid me but none of yous chickuns iz gonna play me,’ he said.
‘I’ll play you sometime, I was a bit of a pro at chess in my youth.’
‘It’s a deal, Frank. While we’re here why don’t you ask Hubert what he’s brought with him?’
‘If he wants to share I’m sure he will Dexter, no one here has to share things like this if they don’t want to,’ replied Frank.
‘He’s too chickun to share it with you Frank, it’s a gollywog and he delighted in showin’ it to me.’
Hubert was strangely quiet and Frank considered that Dexter had maybe seized the opportunity to almost bully Hubert as revenge. Just when Frank was about to offer his judgement on the situation, Hubert broke his silence to heap further animosity onto the scene.
‘I haven’t got it with me, actually. Anyway, why don’t you focus on Ken? Someone’s seen him watching horrible things on his laptop.’
Suddenly the room was awash with noise, from vitriolic abuse to applauding head-nodding jabber. The bullying chilled Frank, with Ken keeping his head down throughout. He was clearly a quiet man, and Frank sensed the abuse could easily spiral out of control if it cajoled some of the more volatile residents in Clashton into action.
‘Watching what exactly?’ said Frank.
‘Children being abused, it’s sick’ added Hubert.
‘But they’re not real children, have I got that right? They’re just avatar children? So just animations of children being sexually abused, is that correct?’
‘That’s right Frank, so it’s not hurting anyone, and I’ve never ever hurt anyone, child or otherwise, or watched real children like that or anything,’ argued Ken, almost in tears.
‘Oh Christ I haven’t got a clue on all this, I really don’t understand the obsession Ken but it’s not as if you’re alone, half the world seems to be living through these avatar realities, its just outstandingly sad. I guess it’s about the psychological hurt inflicted by such acts more than anything but I’ll need to have a think about it. It’s probably just another example of the government not knowing how to deal with this new development. Vince, I see you’ve got a spade with you – is that what you brought as your luxury item?’
‘Sure is, Frank. It’s to grow me Uncle Reg wif.’
‘Grow him? Bury him with, you mean,’ Louis helpfully offered.
‘Yeah, and you’re next on me list. Nah, me Uncle Reg – veg. I’ve just planted sum loverly broad beans, I’ll say one fing’ for this planet: it’s got sum crackin’ soil.’
Frank was keen to encourage banter rather than an argumentative atmosphere, but didn’t yet know the assembled audience well enough to know where the line was.
‘I hope we’re all going to get to taste these beans – the lack of balance in our diets here makes my cooking back home look positively flavoursome. Anyhow it’s getting late – and Floyd might start trying to eat Quincy if we don’t get him fed. So if no one else has anything to add?’ said Frank hopefully, glancing round to then see a timidly raised hand.
‘Er Frank, when I came here I had an addiction to books d’you know what I mean. So I’ve got a load if anyone wants to read them,’ mumbled Eddie.
‘That’s great, thanks Eddie,’ said Frank.
‘They’re mainly stuff like celebrities’ autobiographies, I’ve got loads so …’
‘Trust you to be reading crap like that!’ came the stroppy interruption from someone stationed out of view from Frank. Frank didn’t even need to look, recognising the voice as Jeremy’s. Though opposed to the treatment of Ken, he found it understandable; but Jeremy’s comment was like a red rag to a bull, hitting on one of Frank’s most troublesome subjects.
‘What, you’re saying he’s thick because he has different interests to you Jeremy? There are many different types of intelligence, not just academic knowledge as most people assume. Common sense and coping skills should be just as highly prized as the ability to complete a maths problem or write a good essay. You need them just as much to survive and achieve, if not more. There’s also a massive difference between being intelligent and being cultured. People seem to think I’m pretty intelligent. Am I cultured? No. Am I knowledgeable? Not particularly, no. And I wouldn’t seek to be either – I think you can know too much. I think I see things in a different way to most people and it scares me a bit. When you marry intelligence and knowledge together it could send you loopy, you’d become pre-occupied with stuff. You only live once, why spend it bothering your head with inconsequential stuff? If you’re intelligent, you actually realise that you’ll only bother feeding knowledge into your head that you interesting or that will help you go about your everyday life – otherwise it’s pointless.’
Frank was now in full flow, quickly extrapolating far more from Jeremy’s comment than both he and everyone present expected.
‘God, it winds me up so much – if anyone calls anyone else uncultured, in my opinion that person is then instantly unintelligent. It means they can’t understand that some people have got different interests and views to themselves. The definition of cultured is something like to be enlightened and educated. If you then call someone uncultured, you’re damning them for not being educated – which is disgusting as it’s probably not their fault. That person is probably more enlightened than you on certain subjects as well such, so you’re not as knowledgeable as them on those subjects, it’s about your interests more than anything. Who’s to say that being interested in art means you’re more cultured than someone interested in football – which in a sense can be seen as an art form anyway – and, either way, none of that has any bearing on intelligence. Intelligence and knowledge are two very different things. I’m not knowledgeable at all really and I guess that may have held me back in what I do. It’s a conscious decision, though, as I just don’t see why people consciously seek out knowledge. Knowledge without application is largely pointless.’
Frank’s comments seemed well received by the attentive gaggle, many of whom were casting disparaging looks Jeremy’s way – not that Jeremy was bothered. Frank himself was embarrassed by how he had got carried away and strayed from the subject matter of Jeremy’s original comment. Towards the end of his rhetoric, he felt as though he was in formal public-speaking mode and his cheeks undertook a chameleon-like change from pale white to Venetian red.
‘Back to the matter at hand. What I will say is that, if you think any of the items you’ve brought with you would be helpful for anyone else to use – such as Julian or Eddie, thanks for that you two – then please think of others and offer whatever it is around.’
The speed of Frank’s speech was quickening considerably as his sentences lengthened, both a product of the Jeremy-fuelled adrenalin. His heart and Floyd were thankful when he decided to wrap up proceedings shortly afterwards. Frank and Floyd were through the exit door first, Frank glad that Floyd’s hunger negated any suspicions of rude behaviour. As he left the hall, he let out an audible sigh of relief. The two-second reflective pause he allowed himself was discourteously interrupted by Floyd tugging him off his feet. It was sufficiently long enough, though, to allow the group behind to close significantly enough to propel Frank into an eavesdropping capacity.
‘Oooh, Rubes is it?’ Frank heard, followed by a series of muffled whistles, jeers and playful teasing. Frank remembered that was how he referred to Ruby earlier and let Floyd walk at his desired speed in the hope of getting away from the potentially awkward situation. His hopes were scuppered as he overheard Ruby say ‘I’m just going to have a quick word with Frank,’ facilitating further derision from the masses.
‘Hi Frank! Just wanted to catch you, I thought that was great – your thoughts at the end were great.’
‘I got carried away a bit didn’t I, sorry; it’s just one of my pet hates. People assume doctor’s for example are all fiercely intelligent, I’m not sure that’s a pre-requisite to being a doctor. You need a good knowledge base yes, but knowledge is easily learned or referred to in a book, so if you’re a hard worker, or if you’ve got a photographic memory, you’ll instantly make a good doctor. I’m not sure the actual skill set is that high and yet they’re all revered,’ said Frank, now sitting more comfortably having turned Ruby’s compliment into a censure.
‘It was brilliant what you said – did you not see how everyone was hanging off your every word and really listening? We should do this more often, have more sessions like this, make them every few days or something – it’d be like group therapy and everyone can learn so much.’
‘Woah! Settle down, I’m no therapist. That’s what Carmela’s for, I’m seeing her tomorrow actually to see how all that’s going.’
‘They don’t like her Frank, she sounds like she’s being horrible to them. When they come away from her sessions, they’re in their shell for hours after. It’s not right.’
‘That’s the nature of her therapy, and it seems to be controlling them up to now. I’ll speak to her tomorrow and see how she thinks it’s going.’
‘It’s not controlling them Frank – they don’t need controlling, they’re essentially good people, you’ve acknowledged that yourself. Anyway I better go,’ sighed Ruby.
‘Rubes, thanks. I will try and fit more stuff like this in, but it’ll be alongside Carmela’s treatment for the moment. That’s the only way I can see that has the potential to genuinely make a difference in a way we can then demonstrate to the government. By the way, that jewellery thing, those bracelets – you’re unbelievable you know that? You were told you were being sent here, completely unfairly – though obviously no one’s here fairly. And what, you just thought you’d round up the jewellery to hand out and play games with and stuff? You have the sweetest mind, it’s an eight-year-old mind at times as I’ve said before, but it’s just unbelievably sweet and endearing.’
‘Bai chi Frank,’ said Ruby, embarrassed.
As Frank and an increasingly impatient Floyd went home, he considered that there had been very little governmental contact of late – and, in turn, very little contact with his family. He wondered whether subconsciously he didn’t want to find out that Ruby was there by mistake and could return home. For once he successfully, and wearily, put the concerns away from the forefront of his mind and stored them on his iWatch to-do list.
NINE
RAY’S STEADY MOUSTACHE
Frank was out on his morning walk with Floyd the next day when he bumped into Marcel and Gaynor. He hadn’t seen them for a few days and suddenly realised that they weren’t at the previous night’s gathering.
‘Hi Marcel, Gaynor,’ said Frank with a nod of the head. ‘You weren’t at the meeting last night. Were you aware of it? Did you just decide not to come? That’s fine if so,’ he said.
‘It was no reason really, we were a bit tired. Just so you know, I brought my ballet shoes with me as my luxury item – I’ll be back in them one day Frank. By the same rationale, Marcel–’
‘I can speak for myself thanks, sugar-tits. I’ve brought my mime gloves with me – I’ve got them on now, see!’ scoffed Marcel.
Frank was slow to catch on that he’d have to bend down to look at them, to his, but no one else’s, embarrassment. Floyd, however, was already over-enthusiastically sniffing them out, far less respectful than his master, something which the bull-headed Marcel appreciated.
‘Better get on anyway. Again, if there’s anyth–’
‘We know Frank, if there’s anything we need we’ll come and see you. We’re getting on just grand at the minute though. Even this miserable soul is lightening up a bit.’
‘I agree, hang fire on getting us back to Earth. It’s peaceful here, a relief to be away from all the crap we deal with back there,’ added Marcel.
‘Okay, I’m speaking to them today, actually, but I won’t refer to your situation. Have a good day.’
Frank glanced down at his iWatch to see his telephone date with Government lynchpin Keith Baldus was ten minutes away. For once it was him dragging Floyd back to his apartment; a feat which reassured him that he wasn’t in as bad a shape as he had suspected.
‘Hi Frank, it’s Keith, how’s things?’ was the informal voice which apathetically greeted him a full half hour later.
‘I could be better. I haven’t heard from anyone for ages – it feels as though we’re completely detached here. You said there’d be contact with my family on a regular basis. Once every few weeks doesn’t really cut it as ‘regular’.’
‘I suppose we could contact you more often, but what is there to say? You’re all there for the next couple of months and your family knows they need to contact us to get through to you – and we haven’t heard from them.’
‘Oh right,’ said Frank, his heart sinking horribly. ‘Oh, there is something I need to bring up, actually. We’ve a girl here, Ruby Wu. Do you know why she’s here? She’s been a great help to me, actually, but she doesn’t seem to have any affliction or any telling contradictory personality traits. Is there a chance it’s a mistake?’
‘I wouldn’t have thought so Frank, I was assured the system and machine were foolproof. I will check for you though. Of course, if it is a mistake it’s your call whether you then tell her that.’
Frank was aggrieved, but no longer surprised, that Keith, a governmental figurehead, was hinting at dishonesty and disguise. He was more appalled though that the thought had actually crossed his mind – that Keith’s corrupt suggestion was spot on.
