Look into your Future

Look into your future! The world was a harsh place. Everyone everywhere was offended by someone or something. In efforts to placate everyone and prevent further racism, it was decreed that originality was banned, creativity was against the law and public nuisances were no longer tolerated. Everyone looked the same, dressed the same and lived in the same way because it was now believed too many differences and individualism promoted hatred. If one was able to promote peace or create something useful for everyone i.e. create the cure for the common cold and or cure cancer, he or she would have some leniency if this level of commonism was breached.

Cassidy went about her normal daily routine, being sure not to stand out, minding her own business and speaking only when spoken to. She didn’t wear flashy clothes, have crazy hairstyles and tried to never, ever be late. She’d only seen it happen a few times on her way to work and she hoped she would never be the cause of it.

The day it happened she was walking down the sidewalk, when she was rudely pushed aside.

“Excuse me! Get out of my way, move!” A man yelled as he plowed his way through the crowded sidewalk. He was bobbing and weaving through the crowd all the while yelling and screaming. All of a sudden tornado like sirens started blaring and an eerie blue lighted cylinder descended from the sky and enveloped the screaming man and froze him in his tracks. At the same time a red laser scanned his body and like magic his face was promptly displayed on all surrounding screens of every type. If a movie was being watched on a cell phone screen or other portable device – the screaming man was now on the screen or if reading a digital billboard – now the screaming man. Every television set, every LCD, every mirror, every window and every reflective device – eyeglasses, car windows, shiny buttons, puddles of water now had the screaming man’s face displayed.

Because everyone was watching this spectacle occur no one noticed the hundreds of mirror like screens on adjustable podiums surround the man in a semicircle. When a gravelly voice, screeched, “How do you justify this disturbance?”

The man stood rigid to his spot with his eyes tightly closed and uttered, “I overslept.”

“Not recognized,” the gravelly voice responded. “Do you have a complaint? Has someone offended you in anyway?”

“uh, uh, no.” the man stammered.

“Do you see yourself as an asset to the community? Can you justify your existence?” the scratchy voiced questioned.

The man just stood there with his head hanging low and his eyes were still closed.

After a long pause, the voice declared, “Neither can we! Open your eyes and look into your future!”

The man opened his eyes and stared into the mirror like screens surrounding him. He opened his mouth to object, but instead a scream was expelled as the man’s image slowly faded out of sight.

Cassidy often wondered what happened to the man, but she didn’t jeopardize her future so she did as she was told and never questioned anything.

image is a still of the art installation 'Audience' by Random International: http://random-international.com/work/audience/