Saturday, 4/13/2216, Part 5

In the time it took me to finish one additional beer, Ontivia and Grygor had killed two and had two accompanying shots. I had not partaken in the shots. I was good and truly wobbled now, but in a good way. I was having some difficulty keeping up with the conversation though.

I suddenly stood up, They both looked at me with concern but I raised a drunken hand.

“Bafroom?” I asked.

“Right down there through that door.” Grygor said, pointing. “You ok?”

“M’good. Swear. Be right back.”

I stagger over to the end of the bar and through a grimy metal door. I was greeted with a rainbow wonderland of graffiti and stickers. I would’ve been truly impressed if I wasn’t focused on my mission. I was about to bust a maneuver I had learned in college.

I lean over the toilet. Main menu, select body, select stomach, select purge.

I puke. A glorious expulsion. I instantly feel better. I wipe my face with toilet paper and throw it in the toilet. I wouldn’t have known how to flush it, but thankfully there was a sign that said ‘Push Lever to Flush’. Very helpful.

EarthGov: Thank you for your testimony. We value your assistance.

I was equally grateful for a sign over the sink saying ‘turn tap’ with an arrow. They must have a lot of confusion with every newcomer. This analog stuff was cool but it must be annoying once the gimmick wears off.

There’s a mirror above the sink. I look at my reflection and wipe my face with my sleeve. I look like hell, but I guess that’s what popular people look like.

“Hey there mr cool guy,” I say to myself, pointing finger guns at my reflection and laughing creepily to myself. “Welcome to the party, took you long enough to get here.”

Main menu, select body, select brain, select focus, increase 20 points. Just in case. This expert technique always helped me and Seitaro get back in the game whenever there was game to get back into. Still drunk, but not too drunk.

I pushed back through the door and walked mechanically back to the table. They were talking about something. Ontivia looked up and saw me approach.

“Hey, you ok?” She asked.

“Yes. Excellent. Just had to use the bathroom.” Slick as hell.

“Okay, let me know if you’re feeling sick.”

“I’m not.” I insist, “What were you talking about?”

“We were talking about Isaac Asimov. I Robot, Foundation, you know?” Grygor said enthusiastically, his southern twang extra twangy.

Ontivia looked at Grygor and then jumped in. “Foundation is really good, it’s about nerds taking over the galaxy.”

Grygor laughed. “Well, not exactly.” Then to me, “have you ever read any of his books?”

“I don’t fucking read!” I yelled, cackling maniacally. Realizing that might not have been funny and was certainly too loud you followed with “No, I do read, but not Asimov,” in a much calmer, quieter voice.

“Oh. Well you should.” Grygor said.

He started to say something else when Ontivia broke in and asked “What about Cyber Socialism? The Fight for Human Rights?”

“Huh? What’s that?” I asked. One of her political books, probably. I could look it up and fake it, but why bother? We were ‘human interacting’ right now.

“You’ve never read it? Really, you?” She asked insistently.

“No, I don’t be reading that political stuff, usually.” Why was she so weird about politics, I wondered. She wasn’t like this online.

Ontivia was about to say something else but this time Grygor broke in.

“What do you read?” He asked.

“I just started Hacking a High, a History,” I said, mentally praising myself from the past for reading. “It’s a history book about the transition from physical to digital drugs. It’s actually super interesting that they managed to cut physical drug use waaaay back by decriminalizing it.”

“That is interesting.” Grygor responded politely.

“Makes you wonder why cyber drugs aren’t treated the same way. I mean, nowadays nobody does physical drugs!” I thought about K and added “Well, almost nobody.”

“Do you ever do any of that stuff, or are you just interested in drugs as a subject?” Grygor asked.

“Well… I won’t say I don’t… I dabble from time to time.” I lied.

Grygor laughed at that. “Don’t worry brother, I’m not the feds. Don’t matter what you dabble in, as long as you’re not an asshole you’re welcome in my bar.”

“I’m so happy to be here.” I said, beaming. Suddenly another thought crept into my mind. “Could someone hang out here who didn’t have a NAC?”

Grygors face darkened, only for a second, but I saw it with the increased focus.

“Do you know anyone like that?” He asked, smiling again.

Yikes!

“Maybe, no I don’t.”

“Well I’d like to think that we are inclusive to all here. NAC or no.”

“Sorry, I’m just drunk. I don’t know anyone like that.” I mutter, unconvincingly looking down at the table.

“Ok buddy,” Ontivia hopped in to save me once again. “I think that’s enough for tonight. I’ll help get you to the train.”