21C Man, part 10: This Is How We Manage Things

[Doktor Howl]

At some point, AL and Felipe went out to get food.  The code monkeys were working like maniacs, and there wasn't much for me to do.  I closed my eyes to sleep...Which hardly ever works.  Unless I lay perfectly still with my eyes shut, breathing slowly, and even then I'm lucky to catch a half hour.

I must have LOOKED asleep, though, as the code monkeys started talking out of school, in hushed voices.

"Do you think they're gonna kill us?" Anne asked, "They always kill people in the movies, even if there's no reason to do so."

"Naw," Michael said, "That's the CIA.  These guys will just try to use us in an experiment, and then they'll get eaten by alien critters."

"Or shot by James Bond," Doug added.

"Well, he's nicer than I expected a hit man to be," Anne said, bless her paranoid little heart.

"He's actually kind of a dick," Doug said, "He made Abigail cry."

"That wasn't his fault," Michael responded, "He did what he had to do.  Personally, I think he's a nutcase.  He doesn't seem to give a crap about anything but the job, and he seems to even be doing that grudgingly."

I opened one eye.  "The world of multinational industry is mysterious and terrifying, and not for the likes of you and I to ponder."

"Um."  This was Doug and Anne.

"You heard all that?" Micheal asked.

"I hear everything.  I see everything.  It is entirely possible that you are right and that I am nuts.  But not according to the textbook.  I suffer no misery from it and I get the job done.  Therefore, I am 'eccentric', and thus to be tolerated by yourselves as an uncle.  The sort of uncle that bites people at parties.  You know the one."

They just stared at me.

"Maybe I can explain this another way, but it's gonna cost Doug a cappacino."

More staring.  I got up and plugged my phone into Michael's sound system and punched up Hair by Lady Gaga.  Then I began to dance.  Badly.  It was the sort of thing you'd expect Irish people to do when they gather around the bonfire after power-tooling the neighbors.  Sort of a stomp, really.

Micheal and Anna looked like their eyes were gonna come out of their head.  Doug grinned, and started dancing.  Well.  Very well.  So well, I hate him more.  I have mentioned that we all hate him, yes?  Micheal and Anna shrugged and joined in, about as badly as me. 

As the song wound down, there was a noise at the lab door...There stood Abigail, who wanted to take our lunch order, and was staring at us like we'd lost our minds.  I didn't expect her to understand, not really.  Abigail is one of those people who will never lose her shit, no matter how badly she needs to.  She is the type to always give a fuck, because that's what she's been taught is important.

But we know better.  We know about The Future™, and what it takes to get there.  It takes skill and it takes luck and it takes hard work.  And if definitely requires losing your shit and dancing like nobody's watching, while all the normal people scramble for the other side of the bus.

To be continued.

[Doktor Howl]

Last chapter in about 45 minutes.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

That got a good solid chuckle out of me, which is an auspicious start to the day. 

[Doktor Howl]

That got a good solid chuckle out of me, which is an auspicious start to the day. 

I didn't know how to state my case.  So I committed dancecrime.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Last chapter in about 45 minutes.

I'm gonna have to try to get hold of a computer on campus this afternoon so I can read it, I need to know what happens!

[Doktor Howl]

Last chapter in about 45 minutes.

I'm gonna have to try to get hold of a computer on campus this afternoon so I can read it, I need to know what happens!

Might be sooner, but no promises.  I'm in the middle of writing it, but everyone needs their hands held today.

[Eater of Clowns]

I feel bad for the code monkeys. They seem okay and they'll still have that shit boss when it all blows over.

[Doktor Howl]

I feel bad for the code monkeys. They seem okay and they'll still have that shit boss when it all blows over.

I don't know about that.  See part 11.  I think there might be a little more adventurism in their future.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yeah, I bet  they won't stick around for long even if he doesn't go out of business, now that they get that they don't have to.

[Doktor Howl]

Yeah, I bet  they won't stick around for long even if he doesn't go out of business, now that they get that they don't have to.

I've already heard rumblings.

To the tune of "who in Tucson does industrial controls?"  I don't think Doug is expressing loyalty to his boss's sales numbers.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yeah, I bet  they won't stick around for long even if he doesn't go out of business, now that they get that they don't have to.

I've already heard rumblings.

To the tune of "who in Tucson does industrial controls?"  I don't think Doug is expressing loyalty to his boss's sales numbers.

[The Wizard Joseph]

This is my favorite so far. The owner getting his own shit sandwich back was good, but showing the geeks that a contract enforcer can get down for the fuck of it is priceless!

WOOT! 

[Doktor Howl]

This is my favorite so far. The owner getting his own shit sandwich back was good, but showing the geeks that a contract enforcer can get down for the fuck of it is priceless!

WOOT! 

It wasn't for the fuck of it.  It was necessary.  These are industrial maintenance rituals.  Do not question them.

[The Wizard Joseph]

This is my favorite so far. The owner getting his own shit sandwich back was good, but showing the geeks that a contract enforcer can get down for the fuck of it is priceless!

WOOT! 

It wasn't for the fuck of it.  It was necessary.  These are industrial maintenance rituals.  Do not question them.

I do not. Not if you sir see the problem and solutions. I suspect that you're much better at it than I am. Not blowing smoke here.

[Doktor Howl]

This is my favorite so far. The owner getting his own shit sandwich back was good, but showing the geeks that a contract enforcer can get down for the fuck of it is priceless!

WOOT! 

It wasn't for the fuck of it.  It was necessary.  These are industrial maintenance rituals.  Do not question them.

I do not. Not if you sir see the problem and solutions. I suspect that you're much better at it than I am. Not blowing smoke here.

If you don't keep the Machine God happy, nothing gets fixed.