Archive for July 16th, 2007

AKA: a piece of a larger picture.

Fade In:

A 30-40 year old man stands at a drop point on a factory line. He is intently waiting for the product that he is testing to drop onto a flat, padded panel directly in front of him. A chute market correct is on his right, incorrect on his left. An 8 ball drops onto the testing pad. He immediately picks it up, starts shaking it…

Testor: Should I have come to work today?

He looks at the 8 ball.

8 ball: Ask again later.

Testor puts ball aside onto an empty egg crate looking shelf and presses release button on machine. A second 8 ball drops onto testing pad. He picks it up, shakes it and asks aloud…

Testor: Will I get a raise?

8 ball: Not likely.

He throws the 8 ball into the chute marked “Correct”

This goes on through a series of questions ranging from “Will the Republicans stay in office?” to “Will they bring back Who Wants to be a Millionare?” He seems to be indeterminately choosing which 8 balls are correct and which are incorrect.

After 5 or 10 8 ball Q and A sessions he picks up the 8 ball on the shelf and asks out loud…

Testor: Should I have come to work today?

8 Ball: Yes.

Testor thinks about this for a minute, shakes the 8 ball vigorously and looks around to make sure no one is watching. He leans in close and asks…

Testor: Am i determining the future of this reality by dictating which answers are correct and incorrect on little plastic balls filled with a non-toxic ooze or am i just diluting myself into believing that this actually works? In short, can i change the outcome of any series of events by predetermining if the 8 ball is correct for others? Will my judgment based on a randomly selected series of nonspecific questions actually determine other people’s reality, or are they paying me for nothing?

8 Ball: Step away from the pipe.

The man thinks about this, looks around and puts the ball down the chute marked “correct.”

Fade Out.