We have established that a man named Martin is writing emails to his older brother, Bucky, who has a wife named Suzanne and a manly little tyke named Bucky Junior. Martin works at a secretive organization that he refers to jokingly as Hotel California (or HC) for short. Let’s see what happens next:
Dear Bucky,
Sorry to have alarmed you with all the cloak and dagger stuff from the last email. No, I don’t think you’ll have to start dredging the river for me if you don’t hear from me for awhile (but it’s nice to think that you would – that’s what family is for, right?).
But I do have an update on the situation at HC. You’ll never believe this, but I have now been “contacted.” I got an untraceable email from a sender named “Bureau of II” with the subject line “Interesting Ideas.” I’m going to copy it to you below so you can read it for yourself and tell me what you think:
Martin,
We have established two things about you:
1. That you knowingly and willingly disobeyed company policy by opening up a file that was not germane to your assigned work here.
2. That you have an interest in Interesting Ideas.
Please submit an Interesting Idea in the aforementioned file and we will consider it.
Thank you.
Bureau of II
I’m telling you, Bucky, I think someone at HC is finally pulling a prank on me. I have no objections to that – I applaud the effort. With a work atmosphere as oppressive as it can be there sometimes, this lightens things up a bit. I’m a little surprised that I haven’t been directed to delete the email, but maybe that would be laying it on too thick. I’m going to hide it on my computer anyway to protect the guilty. And me. At least my emails to you are on my personal computer – shouldn’t have to cover my tracks here. Listen to me – I’m already talking like this is a covert operation requiring the highest security clearance possible. Looks like you made the cut.
To answer the question that I know you’re thinking: yes, I am planning to submit an “Interesting Idea.” I’ve got plenty of those – shouldn’t be too hard to extract one from the prodigious gray matter that will satisfy the BOII. Here’s a few that come to mind with little effort:
1. Society took a downturn when we stopped requiring men to learn proper swordplay.
2. What would the state of political governance be like if vegetarians were not allowed to vote?
3. All things considered, “water closet” is a term that we ought to bring back.
What do you think? Too random? It does betray a certain longing for the past – might mark me as a “Luddite” or something worse. I’ll keep working on it; effort will be expended after all. I’ll let you know what happens next.
Martin
P.S. I hope to visit soon – I want to make sure somebody is teaching BJ how to say my name.
Artwork by …well, I’m not sure. Sam?
I’ll probably delete
I might delete,
I should delete…
I’m undecided
Lynniebeemuseoday 