dD novel post: “Memory Lane”

Knowing I needed a change of clothing I moved over to my closet, pulling out a pair of simple black pants and a black shirt. As I placed the clothing across my arms I could feel the material of the clothing rubbing against my skin. It was good to feel natural sensations and not those made up of artificial computer code, but I did miss the sensations and how I could alter it. I liked the control of it, something I lacked with my current real life role. I could barely afford the basic technology I used to design my programs, pay my rent, buy food and pay other debts I had. I have a home though, so I should be glad, but I wanted more out of life. The best I could hope was that my use of this technology would be enough that I could get a better job or make a career on my own.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I changed out of my my well worn clothing and put on my selected outfit, following with a simple pair of black shoes. It was not as formal as I would like, but it worked for meeting my friend. I reached for a jacket I had on my desk, looking over the slick surface of the jacket, with its silver lining, loose cuffs, smooth edges and high collar. The jacket looked nice to me, but it also served another purpose, to hide the port hidden on the back of my neck. It was a nice investment, as people often saw the device as nothing more than a spectacle. I held a hatred for them, and would often go to lengths to avoid them, such as hiding the device by wearing a thin jacket or overshirt most times of the year. Putting on the coat I moved to the door, picking up my cellphone and a set of keys before leaving. Placing the keys and a pair of shades in my pocket I left the apartment, locking the door behind me on the way out.

It was already dark as I left the large complex I lived in, stepping away from the numerous, clean white buildings of my apartment that held so many people. It was not much, but it was cheap and in one of the better neighborhoods of town. The artist block, as it was called, was home to a large section of artist, musicians and part time philosophers, most of which enjoyed the company of the local shops nearby. I often enjoyed spending time with these people, that was until I had this device implanted, mostly because of the fear of what others thought, that and a minor infection.

They accepted my seclusion, and I even had some visitors while I was getting better. But, that ended when I started focusing solely on the computer programs and my own artificial world. My mind raced with these Ideas as I moved along the small shops I used to frequent, which consisted of a small coffee shop, and some other gaming or book stores. The memories made me wonder if I should go back and say hello tomorrow, but that thought quickly exited my mind as I thought about the project. That was all I needed to do for the time being. I strolled ahead to a small building, which was neatly painted white with a sign above the door. The sign read simply as ‘Live’, the lettering of a cursive variety with red ink against a black background. I finally made it to the club, all I had to do now to go inside and see my friend.