Unplugged

Unplugged A couple decide to leave the United States. Frank sees what technology is coming to and wants to unplug. Jess with apprehension agrees. They live without it until it creeps back.

Unplugged

I was watching the news on my 4-k, ultra hi-def, surround sound TV (with internet capabilities). It could order me a sandwich, but, sadly couldn't make one. In due time. I frowned. I had my top dollar headphones in, a gift courtesy of my wife-she enjoyed the finer things. The news anchor was blabbering. The caption beneath ran: Soon Virtual Reality Will Be Indistinguishable. I blinked in disbelief. Sitting up I removed my headphones and looked around at all the gadgets and unnecessary gizmos I had collected throughout the years.

It would all mean nothing if I had to question what reality was. Like a flash, I had an epiphany-I have to get away and start anew.

I decided to make a trip the wireless store. Fiddling with a few new phones, the slightly overweight worker, had crumbs on his shirt. He appeared to be muching on what appeared to be a Hot Pocket-pizza flavored as indicated from his heavy breathing.

“I would like a new phone,”

“You've come to the right place. We have the top of the line.” Rancid, hot breath spewed from his mouth. My assumption of pizza was incorrect, definitely meatball.

“I was thinking of something a little less...” I looked at him apologetically “technologically advanced?” A TV goes staticky in the store with no signal is seen at the bottom.

Looking at the TV the worker said, “It's the technological Gods, you angered them.” He corrected his terrible posture, “So let me get this straight-you want a new old phone?”

“Yes, flip phone to be precise.” I looked at him with quiet optimism.

“You too huh?” -placing the phones back to their display- he went on: “I've been giving it some thought myself, but hell, look where I am-I'm surrounded by it-technology that is. If I tried, I would only be painfully reminded of what a foolish mistake it is.” He turned on one of the phones on display. “You can't stop progress my friend.”

“What are you talking about?'

His glasses hung crooked-dangling on the bridge of his nose, “I think you know what I'm talking about.” He said with a confidence of an expert Dungeon and Dragons player.

I did. “No I don't.”

He resettled his glasses only to have them fall back to their previous resting place. He got uncomfortably close. Whispering in my ear: “Unplugging,” he unplugged the defunct TV from the outlet.

Silence ensued.

“So the phone.” I reminded him.

“Right. I have to check if we even still sell those.”

I waited for what seemed like an eternity. “You're in luck, these are the last two”

“I'll take them.” One for me and one for Jess.

“So I guess you won't be paying using your..”

“Yeah, no.” I handed him the money and turned to leave.”

“Oh, and about what I said... Goodluck,” he laughed heartily. Although I knew he was sincere in his intent.

On the way home, I thought of a way to convince my wife. I knew it wouldn't be easy but I was determined. It was easy for me to disconnect from it all. My friends and family would understand. As for my wife-the pressure from external entities might sway her decsion. That's how the apparatus stays in tact. The world has evolved to where you need technology to be connected to friends, family and current events. You receive the pleasue of using the devices-so there is an investment-an optimism that things will only improve. Not many people account for what will be sacrificed; privacy- the current way of life. This is overshadowed by the positive aspects. With clever marketing techniques and tactics that make old devices inferior-users are opted to upgrade, to avoid missing out-or being judged for not being progressive. This was the case for my wife; she was ingrained-technology had become tethered to the very fabric of her being-like another appendage. Disconnecting would be difficult for her.

Jess was on her tablet. I carefully took it from her and placed it aside. “Baby,” I warmed up to her, squeezing both sides of her shoulders gently. “How do you feel about going to Costa Rica for a week, or, a month?” Or forever, I thought.

She was still glued to the tablet across from her. “I don't know it sounds great.”

I needed an answer it was imperious. “So... Is that a yes, or, a no?”

“Why the sudden urgency?” With a tone of skepticism she continued: “Is there something you're not telling me?” There was no evading her cold gaze. I took a deep breath in, “The truth is I want us to unplug from techology.” Her expression read hurry up with it I have candy to crush. “I had a vision of what my life would digress to...” I picked up and analyzed my old cell phone, which original purpose was to unify us, now, was the cause of us drifting apart. Remembering the caption of the news headline from earlier: “I'd die before trying anything that made me question what reality was.” I said sternly.

This woke her from her trance, “Frankly, I think you're overreacting Frank.” she said queroulously. “You want me to change my lifestyle for what? Some paranoid idea you have about the future?” she snapped.

“With you or without you I'm going through with this-it would help if you were in agreement.” My eyes held a gaze of silent desperation. “ All i'm saying is give some thought.”

The next afternoon Jess came to me. “Love is about sacrifice, and, if you think that this will make you happy then I'm all in.” I kissed her and smiled feverishly.

“So... When do we leave?” She asked.

“First thing Monday morning.”

“You already bought tickets? What if I declined to go?”

“I figured you'd come to.” I smirked.

“What should I pack?” she asked searching around the house.

“All you need is a passport and the clothes on your back. And, don't forget that beautiful smile.” This made her smile and relinquished any remaining doubts.

“Oh, I almost forgot...” I pulled out the blue and pink flip phones: which I labeled his and hers in case of confusion. “In case of an emergency we have these.” She looked at them as if they were some abomonation- a relic of the past that should be buried in a time capsule and casted out to sea. “We can keep our numbers, it's just a downgrade.” She stared at me incredulously, “Downgrade?” It was if I had just invented a word. This was not something she was accustomed hearing.

Wriggling my hands in a serpentine pattern, “Look, you can even play snake. Remember that game?” She looked unimpressed. “I think you're off the deep-end.”

“No, but we will be... When snorkling in Costa Rica!” I said with a spanish accent while salsing.

There was one final thing that troubled her. “What about the cat?”

“Does she have a phone?”

She rolled her eyes, “I don't think so.” she played along.

“Then, she can come.”

It was late afternoon when we pulled up to the log cabin. Trees were scattered about the premicise The perfect fit for a returrn to form. I left my bags in the car and hurried inside. Contained within was a kitchen and living room that were conjoined- with a window providing a view to the outside forest- a guest bathroom, and, a moderately sized master bedroom- with a a walk-in shower.

“How quaint.” Jess remarked.

I sat on the rocking chair, kicking my feet on the ottoman, closed my eyes and relished my newly found slice of heaven.

There was an extended silence for about a minute.

“Now what?” Jess looked at me eagerly.

“Books! We needs books! And lots of them. Let's go to the bookstore.”

I grabbed a selection of my favorite books. On the shelf were classics, such as Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, and 1984. In the discount section was a VHS player. I grabbed it with the intention of purchasing it. With this I could further delve into the past and watch my childhood favorite's like The Lion King.

At the checkout. There were a group of children on their phones. Speaking in broken english one said to his coterie, “Look at my new phone! It has facial recognition and thumbprint scan!”

I walked up to them and said, “Hey Siri, could you record everything I say and make personal adverts tailored just for me?” I answered myself, “Already on it.” I said mimicking a computerized voice.

The kids stared on, “Old people are weird.”

“What was that about?” Jess asked.

“Just having some fun.” I smiled.

It was a Frday, two months had past. Isolated from the world in our humble abode perched upon a mountain. Wolves ululated in the distance. It was a reminder that we were away from the dark, truculent world. When you gazed up there was no confusion to as if you were looking at stars, or, satellites. This thought lazered an idea within me. I need to go to the store, and, quick.

I had a little surprise for when Jess returned from shopping. I heard the closing of her Kia Sorrento and rushed to the driveway. I took the bags off her hand and placed them down.

“Come out back I have something to show you.”

She remained reticent and obeyed. I took her hand and led her through the house. The cat blocked my path. “Move Lexie, stupid cat.” Jess hit me lightly. My heart was thumping ever so loud. Positioned at the back door: I covered her eyes, and let her outside. “No peeking,” I said jubilantly. “Is something burning?” She inquired, halting abruptly, she contiuued: “That's it! The isolation has turned my husband into a murderer that wants to burn me at the stake.” She threw her hands up melodramatically in defeat.

I chuckled, “The only thing burning is my love for you-my desire to make you happy.” was my honest repartee.

To this response she replied, “Alright let me see Romeo, or should I say Mr. Axe M...” Mid thought I removed my hands, as her face became resplendent and joy-filled, “You can look now,” I whispered.

“My God. How? Why?”

Answering her second question first: “Because I love you, and I did some shopping of my own while you were gone.”

A bonfire with marshmellows on pokers lay next a telescope. “I know it's not much. I figured a break from the monotonous day-to-day life is what you needed.”

“There's more,” I pointed fifty yards in the distance.

“Is that...” she sprinted over like a kid on Christmas. “You... did... not!”

A tent lay zipped open with the roof ajar, inside was a sleeping bag. “Why go camping when you can bring the outdoors to you?' I grabbed the telescope “Lets see if we can find Orion's belt, or Leo.”

Her eyes twinkled. “Lets.”

In the sleeping bag, a blanket of stars lay overhead. Alone, isolated, unplugged next to the love of my life-nestled in our personal oasis-the only place I wanted to be-not caught up in what to post, not thinking about the future, the past a mere echo. I could live like this for the entirety of my life.

“There's something I want to tell you,” she started, “I want to stay.” she radiated through the darkness, “If anyone asks what I did with my life, I could say I spent it with you, away from the confines of society.”

I embraced her tightly, “It can't get better than this.” I whispered, as fireflies danced in the air.

I kissed her and dozed off.

I heard a rustle among the trees. Then, quietly exiting the tent, looking up, a bright light hovered above me, blinding me. whoosh whoosh. The prevaling winds had extinguished our fire; a helicopter flew off, A sick feeling manifested within me. It can't be. A drone skittered across the skyline. I looked at our bonfire, ashes were all that remained. The drone must be with the local police department, along with the helo, probably searching for some bandit. In the distance, an owl screeched, whoo.

Jess rose from her slumber, “What was that?”

“Nothing, let's go to sleep.” I positioned the industial sized marshmellow bag beneath us.

The next week, I walked into the living room to discover a DVD player in place of the VHS player.

“It broke so I got an upgrade.” The word echoed in my head like an annoying jingle.

I shrugged and smiled.

A month went by, we would spend every friday outside. I had never felt more free in my life.The next morning, I received a knock on the door. There was a package left at the doorstep. I opened it, my eyes glowered as I saw the words personal computer. My inner voice told me throw the damn thing in the road and run over it repeatedly.

Jess walked through the door, I placed the box on the table “What's this?”

“A computer.” She said pedantly.

“I know that... I thought we had an understanding.”

“I got it to check my emails, I haven't heard from my family in months, and, I'm worried.”

“This is the only new technology I'm allowing.”

Later that evening I heard laughing, I went the bedroom and saw Jess on the computer.”

“Are you watching... A video?”

“Yeah, look at the cat,” she turned the screen, “Isn't it adorable.”

Walking away, Lex hissed, “I hate it too.” I patted her and shrugged.

Days turned to weeks, weeks to months. There was an upgrade every time I turned, a new device to loathe. We both now carried touch screen cell phones. I looked at a cord that lay coiled up resemblling a snake. I was living a lurid lucid dream. The horrors of technology had slithered back: latching around our newly found lifestayle-constricting us at every second. The future I had envisioned was starting. Every upgrade my smile, and, soul slowly withered. The final upgrade was soon to take place. I was having trouble sleeping again, I took to Ambien for a remedy. I slipped on my VR goggles and drifted into my dreams-the ones virtual reality fiends to replicate.

Jess stirred, immediately hearing a notification. “Frank it's here!” she rejoiced, “Try it out!” She taps me no response, she shrugs.