The second in a series of extracts from a short story called…
Echo Chamber
Two
He arrived at work and removed his personal headset, hanging it carefully on a brushed aluminium cloakroom hook before affixing his CardinalCorps® HQ model. He imagined everyone would have this sort in five years time, but for now it was strictly not for commercial use. It was so discreet it was practically invisible.
All clients must believe they are being treated by an unassisted mind — a fundamental principle of ConPatCon (Consultant Patient Confidentiality)
A small disc fitted neatly into the mouth of his ear canal, affixed with a flesh coloured pin. He didn’t consider himself someone who over-relied on his headset but he would never want to face a patient without one. The CardinalCorps® HQ model recorded everything that was said and so provided legal protection. It also protected him by microjecting signals to his opiate receptors to ensure that, however miserable a patient might be, he was kept upbeat and positive about the benefits of the CardinalCorps® suite of products. Indeed, part of his own care package was that he too got to speak to a higher-ranking ProCon (Product Consultant) every six months. He began to wonder if they too were wearing a secret … a Deviceburst™ blinked him back to the Melbourne test: a teasing arc — whiteclad figures jumping pirouetting in unison to appeal howzat which must surely be a rhetorical question — he’s out! The Ashes retained and deservedly so.
Megan was readjusting her fringe as he ushered her into his office. In heels she was taller than him as they shook hands but as she sat her shoulders closed and she shrunk into the polyurethane couch.
Lovely to meet you. Now Megan were you able to get your headset removed properly with Franceska out at the desk? Great. Just to make it clear you’re in a safe and confidential environment and this appointment is part of your package that comes bundled with your monthly Cardinal subscription. I always like to be more of a listener than a speaker so I’m going to listen after I’ve asked the most boring question I could ask ha ha which is why have you come to see me today?
Thank you. I don’t know if I needed to come but … I really want to make this clear: me being here is no reflection on you guys. I’ve got no problem with my headset as such. Maybe the reason I’ve come is to get it working better for me.
Absolutely that’s what we’re here for. Reality flowing forward, for you, forever. Please continue.
So I guess I’ve noticed it’s fine at weekends when I get to spend time with my boyfriend when we might get to go for a meal or go try an XPad game together but during the week while I’m at work I feel as though its not as responsive as I’d like it to be.
Let me stop you there, Megan. You mentioned a boyfriend?
Yes.
And his name is …
Noel
Ok fantastic. And how long have you been together with Noel?
It’s ten months … coming up for a year.
Wonderful. Thank you. Please continue.
So it’s the daily routine, the commute to work, lunch breaks I … it’s funny you should mention Noel actually because … his messages to me, they …
Take your time.
I guess I’d really like to know if these are messages actually created by him or if they’re sort of translated from his thoughts… and if so are his thoughts sending me messages that he thinks I want to hear or are they genuine reflections of how he feels? I’m being silly. I don’t expect you to answer all of this.
Ha ha don’t worry Megan it’s a really good question. Now I’m not going to ask you for an example but what I will ask is do you feel like these messages from Noel are too personal and intimate or actually not personal and intimate enough?
Not enough really. I suppose. It just feels like the message is part of his routine or his sense of duty. I don’t expect a Shakespearean sonnet every morning but I guess I’d like more than … it’s not just the regularity, it’s the wording, you know … I want more than just something you’d see in a greetings card. I want something about me. Christ, my make-up patch ZoTana sends more personalised messages than him some days.
Have you actually spoken to Noel about this?
Yes … well not in so many words. I sometimes tease him about it so he must know that something’s wrong. I try and gently quote things back at him to get a reaction but he never really responds. It’s like I think he might be getting the joke …
What you’ve said is really useful Megan and it’s not an uncommon feeling. I think what you really need to ask yourself is: what’s the real problem here? Are we really talking here about the Cardinal Nine Fifty — the market leader for customisation in the entry level range — or, maybe are we talking about you and Noel?
I suppose…
That’s not me being critical you understand. I couldn’t be more full of praise for anyone than for someone who seeks to resolve an issue like this, in this way, and let me be clear: I admire you for that. But actually in trying to find out where the line is between Noel’s feelings and the interpretations of his device — I trust he uses the nine fifty too, right?
Right.
What you’re actually doing is trying to work out where that line is, and are you super comfortable with that line?
The line. Okay, what do I do?
Of course I can make my recommendations and we can look at adjusting your plan to help you to ensure that communications are pitched at the right level and calibrated intuitively for you. You’re currently part of the SaverPlus programme package which really is a great package … but I can’t help but think that there’s something that the SaverPro offers that you seem to be yearning for. The SaverPro would totally suit you guys. The advanced BrocaLexis module it offers combined with a more responsive EmotioScheduler would solve many of these issues — like that.
He clicked his fingers.
At a highly competitive price.
Yes I was wondering about that and I really don’t have the money … I use SponsorCredit and am already a league six content provider to pay for …
Going to have to stop you there, Megan. Money is not something we talk about here in the consultation space. That’s something you would have to discuss with one of our sales team. I’m not a sales person as you can tell ha ha but what I am for my sins is a realist. And realistically it looks as though you’re faced with two choices. You’ve got to choose between Noel on the one hand, and how much you want to continue collaboracting with him and on the other hand a very small and incredibly reasonable increase to your monthly communications plan. As I say that’s not a decision we should talk about here and it’s a decision only one person here can make.
Let me go and talk to a personal friend of mine, Calvin from our ProCon sales team.
