Gone With the Windows I never used to believe in the romantic notion about love at first sight, but after what happened to my friend, Brenda, I am no longer so positive. It all came about with the purchase of my new computer with the modem to turn it into a speaker phone and answering machine. When it was finally set up I needed to call someone to make sure it was all activated. That's when I made the decision that sealed Brenda's fate . . . I chose her to be the recipient of my first call. I clicked the mouse on the icon of the man known as the OPERATOR who, like the Genie of the Lamp, appeared full-screen and politely asked me if I wished to place a call. Then I clicked the command "Dial" and . . . RING . . . RING . . .Brenda's voice answered, "Hello?" "Gee, Brenda, this is weird," I said, "You sound as though you are right inside the computer. Will you call me back, I want to try out the answering machine." In a few minutes the phone rang and I heard the OPERATOR apologizing, "I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now, but please leave a message and I'll return your call." Then I heard Brenda saying, "My, what a sexy voice you have. I'd love to meet you some time." I called her back to tell her the machine was working and she asked, "Who is the darling man who answered your phone? You've been holding out on me." "He's the cute dark haired man who lives in my computer," I laughed, "who seems to be in charge of my telephone and fax machine. What else he does in there in his spare time, is none of my business." "What a seductive voice he has," she said, "I'd like to meet him." From then on, Brenda began to call several times a day when she knew I wasn't home, just to hear OPERATOR'S voice. When she began to call in sick from her job so she could call him every hour, I really became alarmed and decided I had better take desperate action. I invited her over to meet the man of her dreams. I placed her in front of the computer and called up the dark haired man. "See," I told her, "Your beloved is only an Icon in a computer program. He lives inside the computer and he can never come out." Brenda began to sob. "But I'm in love with him!" she cried. And then in a fit of passion, she threw herself on my computer and wrapped it in her arms. I grabbed the mouse, intending to erase the cause of her grief, but before I could zap the OPERATOR, she got in my way and I clicked the mouse on Brenda. She disappeared without even a puff of smoke and I searched for her in vain. And then my phone rang. "We can't come to the phone right now. Would you please leave a message and we'll return your call." It was a duet . . . looking out at me from inside the screen were two little icons. There was the dark haired OPERATOR and there, snuggled beside him was BRENDA. . . . . I miss my friend and I'm still not convinced about love at first sight. But I like to imagine Brenda with her OPERATOR, strolling hand-in-hand down the pathways along the Internet Highway, happy together in Cyberspace Paradise. ~Daphne Wilson |
This page was last updated on: 20/2/02
