irony

sometimes we overstress due technologies distraction, but seems we can't live without it

Roger walked away from the city streets and all its lights. He left his belongings behind. The smoldering ruins of what was once his full collection of electronic gadgetry topped by his tower and personal computers lay a molten mess at the top as effigies.

He didn’t even look back. He saw the red silhouettes of flames flickering on the dark forms of towering trees gathered around him on his march out of town. He was tired of the bullshit. Tired of technology pulling at his every cell, every day, every minute, every f….ing second of his life, or what he thought was left of his life.

His backpack contained a few slices of baloney, cheese, apples and nuts. He carried no cash. No water. He left his home abruptly. He thought of Elvis Presley having shot out his television set years ago. He felt satisfied he had taken Elvis out in the burning of his belongings. The neighbors of course would call the fire department once they came home. They were located a quarter mile from his house and would not suspect anything unusual unless the home itself caught fire. Even if it were reported on his exit, he would be at least two or three miles down the highway. Who would suspect that he had set fire to his own dwelling anyway? And anyway, he just wanted out. He was done with twenty first century living.

Roger found himself in Anchorage Alaska three years later. He was heading back to California. He had bummed rides to get this far. He was tired of struggling with nature's frigid cold, burning summers, and people. Once home he determined he would resume his life of video gaming, television programming, tinkering with computers and surfing the internet's chat rooms and the like. He had missed the life he had tried to run away from. He missed the creature comforts technology had afforded him. The burning question now was the length of time it would take to accumulate the funds necessary to purchase his missing arsenal of electronic gadgetry which had made 21st living tolerable. The unpleasant rub that had been plaguing his mind for the six past months was to what employment industry he would willingly sacrifice his freedom to make his dream reality.