Tag Archives: truth

Remember

15 Replies

 

Will you remember

The sound of my voice

Or will you forget

When I’m gone?

 

Remember the rain

As it ran down my face

Remember the chill

In the air.

 

Snow on my lashes

You commented then

Like diamonds you said

They were.

 

Will you remember

The walk that I had

My smile or the colour

Of my hair?

 

I will remember

Until darkness is nigh

And the universe

Explodes in despair.

 

But for the moment

Remember it well

And walk in the light

Of our memories.

 

 

 

 

It’s A Matter of Time

12 Replies

I am having a little difficulty setting up my new computer so here is a post                                  from a few years ago.

Time is a concept that was invented by people to try and control their lives. We focus on the issues of time as if it controls us and in a way it does.  People live their lives under the watchful eye of the clock.  We have to be somewhere by a certain time so we worry about being late.  Time does allow us to focus and organize our lives and that is not all bad but there does come a ‘time’ when it is necessary to just turn off the clock.  Try going a day without wearing a watch or looking at the clock.  Do you find that you are trying to ‘time’ everything? Do you guess at the time?  Some people need the security of knowing just what time it is and this is not a failing.  It probably means that they are rarely late to anything.

Every now and then it is comforting to retire from convention.  Turn off the mechanical devices and listen.  Listen to the sound of your heart or the cries of the seagulls. Take a moment to relish in the absence of technology, ignore the clock and relax.  Today will never, ever come again and it would be a shame to miss it.  Is the sun bright and warm in the sky or is the rain beating a quiet patter against the window?  Is the wind gently swaying the trees as if in a gentle dance?  Do you notice these things when you are preoccupied by the passing of time?  We have the power to control time, or at least the perception of time.  Do not let the clock run your life, it is a tool only.  Enjoy the moments and let the minutes take care of themselves.

Witnesses

10 Replies

 

The stories I could tell,

Said the window to the wall.

Lovers kissed and meetings missed,

And oh that awful brawl!

 

I have a tale to tell!

The door said opening wide.

Of people hurrying and others scurrying,

With children by their side.

 

We see all! They said with glee.

The floors were chiming in.

To and fro, don’t you know,

They walk our polished grin!

 

The rugs and chairs felt left out,

We know what’s going on!

They all sit down and crack a frown,

Their secrets then are drawn!

 

Watchers everywhere ,

Could say what you’re about.

But just today, they will not say,

Of that there is no doubt!

WiFi is Free!

25 Replies

 

Ben was paralyzed. He couldn’t move, couldn’t react. He watched in horror as his friend of 30 years was patted down, handcuffed and walked out of the bar in the company of four very official looking men. Four, there were five!

“You can say nothing about what you think you just heard.”

The warning was issued by a quiet, almost friendly voice. But as Ben raised his head to look at the speaker, a chill ran down his back. The man almost seemed to smile. He reached out his hand and picked up the thumb drive that Stan had dropped on the table. Snap, it was gone.

And with a slight tilt of his head, so was the fifth man. Ben inhaled deeply. He felt as if he had been holding his breath for far too long. He started to hear the regular sounds of the bar seeping back into his awareness. It felt as if time was reasserting itself and Ben was out of sorts. It had happened, here, with a room full of witness who had seen nothing. They didn’t understand. He had to tell them. But what Stan had said . . . Could it be true?

Ben reached for his laptop. A good reporter never went anywhere with out it. As he opened the screen and prepared to log on, Ben wondered . . . what if . . . He put his laptop away and reached for a pen and a pad of paper. Old school it is.

The day had stared routinely. Check correspondence, do a little cleaning, a little writing and then down to the pub for lunch. Saturday was Ben’s day to unwind, read the paper, watch a little sports on the big screen. Everyone knew it. So he was surprised when Stan burst into his reverie.

“Ben, Thank God you’re here! You have to help me! People need to be warned!” As he spoke, Stan threw himself into a chair across from Ben and dropped his head into his hands. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. He was obviously agitated and Ben got over being surprised enough to reach out to his friend.

“It’s okay, we’ll fix what ever is broken. Just try to calm down and tell me what’s wrong.”

The man that raised his head looked haunted. He reached out his hand and dropped a thumb drive on the table.

“He figured it out.” He whispered, “Then he got proof. He trusted me.”

Ben waited. He knew his friend. He knew he needed to tell his story in his time. But Ben felt a gentle unquiet seep into his mind. This was not one of Stan’s pranks, he was scared, terrified.

Stan slowly looked around the room. Only well known regulars were in attendance. He heaved a sigh.

“I don’t know how much time I have before they get here but you have to get the word out. The WiFi is free.”

Ben chuckled, “Well, yeah! That’s what we all wanted. Free WiFi for everyone!”

Stan shook his head. “Don’t you get it? Don’t you understand? They are listening!”

Ben lifted his glass of ale. “Okay, I’ll bite, who’s listening.”

“The computers.”

His glass stopped, mid air.   “What computers?”

Stan sat back in his chair.

“Have you ever wondered how Police can get to a bank robbery so quickly when the silent alarm isn’t triggered? Or how a traveller who jokes about a high-jacking can be so accurately pinpointed? How about those calls you get where no one speaks. It’s the WiFi. It’s everywhere. The computers are primed to react to certain word combinations in certain areas.”

Ben heard the words but it was what was not spoken that had him concerned. It wasn’t Big Brother watching, it was Big Computer listening!

Stan seemed to deflate. “I have a computer hacker friend who figured it out awhile back. He collected all his data, his proof. He wanted to take it to a reporter and I suggested you. He gave me a copy.”

Both men looked at the thumb drive. “Where’s your friend?” Asked Ben.

Stan never raised his head. “Dead.” He whispered.

An oppressive silence seemed to hang in the air. Patrons laughed and ate and drank. The big screen droned on about sports and the world continued to rotate. But something intangible had just happened and it was sobering.

Ben opened his mouth to ask a question when five large, official looking men appeared beside their table. Stan started to speak as he tried to stand up but a very forceful hand stopped him. Ben started to protest until a badge was place in front of his eyes. He tried to lean back to read it but it was snapped shut.

Ben was paralyzed. He couldn’t move, couldn’t react. He watched in horror as his friend of 30 years was patted down, handcuffed and walked out of the bar in the company of very official looking men.

The message was clear:

The WiFi is listening . . .