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                         Underground eXperts United

                                 Presents...

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         [  Worlds  ]                                [  By The GNN  ]


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                                  WORLDS
                            by THE GNN/DCS/uXu


I knew what his problem was the moment he entered the pub. He had that
unique kind of perplexed look. In fact, his whole presence was paranoid; he
was desperately looking for signs that would reveal his present whereabouts.
Futile, indeed! There is no way you can tell where you are.
   As it was only me and him (and the bartender of course) in the facility,
I guessed that he would not mind me talking to him.
   "Isn't it a bit early in the morning for drinking?"
   He gulped down his whiskey shot and ordered one more.
   "You don't seem to mind...", he mumbled.
   "No, but I'm a professional! A.L Coholic! Pleased to meet you!"
   I grabbed his hand and shook it. He did not look up.
   "I'm lost..." he said with a sad voice.
   "I know."
   "You do?!" he said and turned to me. "How... do you know?"
   "I've seen guys like you many times before."
   "Where am I?"
   "Does that matter?"
   "Yes! Yes, it does! It matter really fucking much! Tell me where I am!"
   I patted him on the shoulder and ordered some more whiskey. I had a
little story to tell him. Better have some supplies on the way. I had told
this story many times. It was really nothing special. But it usually cheered
people like him up.
   "How did you get lost?" I started.
   "I got drunk and... well..."
   "Lost count?"
   "Yes."
   "Fine! Now, let me tell you: you're not the only one! That happens all
the time! It has happened to me many times! The thing is to exploit the
situation. Why was New World invented? For the sake of freedom! What we
might not do in Real World, we can do in the New World. You're not afraid
that you're lost in the New World - you're afraid to be lost in the Real
World! Isn't that so? Because if you were in the Real World now... and some
crazed guy approached you... and he pulled out a gun... that bullet would
actually kill you, not like in the New World, where you just feel a sting
and then wake up again."
   "True..."
   "Some weeks ago I picked up a lady in this bar. We went home to my place
and did the shit. Afterwards, while we were still drunk, we decided to play
around with the Worlds. I have a interface at home, so we didn't have to
go to any arcade. We went back and forth a number of times. The next
morning she was really depressed. She was married, you know. What happened
was not supposed to happen. What did I do? Well... I just told her: don't
worry honey it actually didn't happen! We screwed in New World, not in the
Real World, so there's no reason to be sad! That comforted her! She went
home to her husband and now... well, I guess she lives a happy life."
   The guy gulped down some more whiskey.
   "I see your point", he said. "You lied. You didn't fuck in New World, but
in the Real one. But to her, the concepts makes a big difference."
   "You got it. It makes a difference for all of us."
   He rose from his bar stool.
   "But you see - I really want to know where I am..."
   "You're in the Real World"
   He said thanks and left. I turned to the bartender and ordered some more
liquor. The guy would be just fine. He would go home and live his life as he
had always done, occasionally going down to some arcade and travel back and
forth to the other world. I say 'the other world' not 'New World' (or 'Real
World') either for that sake, because I do not know where I am. I lost count
many years ago.

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 uXu #526              Underground eXperts United 1999              uXu #526
                    Call THE YOUNG GODS -> +351-1XX-XXXXX
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