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<h1>Replay</h1>
by
Robert Dawson
[[Begin->Page1]]"Why? It's clean."
"It doesn't really go with those pants."
[[Respond->Argument2a]]
She looks down at the device, and her upper lip curls in contempt. "Can't I even have a conversation with you without you editing it out of our lives? There's something wrong with you, do you know that?"
You press the button. ` [ `[[ ◄ ->Opening 3]]` ]`"Sorry, hon, but I don't have time to change." You glance at the clock. "In fact, maybe I should take the car today. It's getting late."
"You've got plenty of time to catch the bus," she says. "Remember your carbon footprint."
"For Christ's sake! I'm going to drive the car to work, ten lousy kilometers. Not burn down a forest."
"It's not just you, though. If everybody drives everywhere, that creates just as much C-O-Two as a forest fire."
[[Respond->Argument3]]
[[Take the car]]
[[Take your Replayer out of your pocket->Take Replayer from pocket]]"And what about that vacation you took in Australia with your sister? How much carbon did that put into the atmosphere?" You know instantly that you've gone too far, much too far. Mia's lips turn white with fury.
You feel in your pocket for your Replayer.
Her eyes follow your hand. "So now you think you're going to just erase this discussion?" she says through clenched teeth. "As if it never happened? Wouldn't it be polite at least to ask before editing my life? Who the fucking hell do you think you are, God Almighty?"
"Let's try this again," you say.
[[Try to apologize]]
Or just press the button.
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` [ `[[ ◄ ->Opening 3]]` ]`(transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 2s)["Honey, do you have time to put the organics bin onto the curb before you go to work?" Mia asks. "I can do it if you're running late."]
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>3s)[That familiar fading-dream feeling: you must just have used the Replayer. Something will go wrong again the next few minutes unless you're careful. You look at the clock. Maybe you were going to be late for work. "Think you could do it?"
"Okay - but take just a moment and change that shirt, okay?"
"Why? It's clean."
"It doesn't really go with those pants."
Hmm. She might have a point. You look at the clock. If you're really quick, there's time. "Thanks." You've got the magenta shirt off before you reach the bedroom, and you're already buttoning the blue one as you come back. "How's that?" you ask.
"//So// much better, darling." Mia pulls you towards her by the shoulders, puts her face up to kiss you. "Think you can make the bus, or will you need the car?"
"I can catch the eight-sixteen if I walk fast." It isn't always easy to be as responsible as Mia would like you to be, but it's worth it to see her smile. You kiss her back and [[leave the house.->Leave the house]]]]"I'm sorry, darling."
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>4s)[Eventually Mia calms down.]]
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>6s)[You glance at the timer on the stove, and when you see the time, it's all you can do not to reach for your Replayer again.
Instead, you grab your phone case, give Mia a hasty goodbye kiss, and head to the door.]]
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>8s)[As soon as the door closes, you sprint to the bus stop.]] (live:0.5s)[(if:time>9s)[Your usual bus has already left; you [[catch the next one.->late at work]]]] You walk briskly up the street, grateful for the Replayer, the most useful gadget ever invented. That second chance, used wisely, can get you out of anything from an argument to a car accident. And, afterwards, nobody else even knows you've used it: their timelines heal seamlessly, without even the half-memory that you retain.
Of course, there are the doomsayers, who say that with millions of people using Replayers, the cumulative effects might be much worse. All those little adjustments might trigger larger changes in reality, like some people say fracking triggers earthquakes. You hear that from Mia sometimes.
But it's just a theory: there's no evidence at all. And, beside, a reality in which quarrels and accidents don't happen is better than one where they do. Right?
There's your bus coming now. You reach into your pocket for your phone case with your [[bus pass->No pass.]]//Shit!// There's nothing there! Your phone case must still be on the kitchen counter, where you left it when you went to change.
[[Get onto bus]]
[[Walk back home]]
Or use your Replayer.
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` [ `[[ ◄ ->Wham!]]` ]`(transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 3s)[The transition is like a whole mouthful of wasabi, ] (transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 3.5s)[like a silent nuclear explosion. ] (transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 2s)[Has it always been like this? ] (transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 1.5s)
[Maybe it has. Replayings are slippery, hard to remember, fugitive as dreams. ] (transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 2.3s) [But there's your wallet on the counter. ] (transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 4s)[You pick it up, stuff it into your pocket, and grin. ](transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 3s) [No question of why you've Replayed this time. ](transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 2.8s)[You look at the clock... just time to catch the bus again if you hurry.]
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>5s)[You pause on the way out. [[Is there something else that you've forgotten? -> Wasn't there something else that you've forgotten?]]]]"You recognize me," you tell the bus driver. "You know I've got a pass, right? Only I left in a hurry this morning..."
"Sure you did." says the driver. "Only the rules say you gotta have a pass with you if you wanta ride the bus, right? Otherwise it's four bucks."
Your credit card's in your phone case too. You try to explain.
The driver cuts you off. "So use your goddamn Replayer and get it. Or walk, I don't care."
Get off the bus and [[walk back home->Walk back home]]
Or use your Replayer.
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` [ `[[ ◄ ->Wham!]]` ]`You walk back home. You enter, quietly, not wanting to admit to forgetting your phone. You can hear Mia doing something upstairs. You pick up the phone; there are the car keys, hanging by the fridge.
[[Take the car]]
[[Take the bus->Late bus]]You leave the house and get into the car. Mia isn't going to be pleased, but you're running late.
The radio comes on. "Traffic is running slowly all over town due to a number of car crashes. Police are asking people not to drive without their Replayers. Remember, folks: anybody can make a mistake, but you don't have to live with it."
You touch your pocket, feel the rectangular shape of your Replayer. You could still catch that bus... But Mia says the effect of so many people changing reality for every little thing is even worse than carbon dioxide.
[[Drive]]
You get out of the car and [[walk to the bus stop.->Late bus]]
You take out your Replayer and press the button.
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` [ `[[ ◄ ->Argument2b]]` ]`You get to work half an hour late. Your boss looks at you wearily. "So you've finally decided to show up? I'm going to give you five seconds to make this not have happened, and then I'm going to fire you.
"Yes, sir." You take your Replayer out and press the button.
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` [ `[[ ◄ ->Argument2b]]` ]`You have a vague thought, like a memory of a memory, that there's [[somebody you ought to be saying goodbye to before you leave.->END]]Five minutes later, traffic on Spruce Road slows to a halt. You've got no way to turn or get onto another road. Somewhere up ahead sirens wail and lights flicker. You'll be lucky if you get to work in an hour at this rate.
You decide to [[walk.->Walk]]
[[Keep waiting->late at work]]
You reach for your Replayer and press the button.
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` [ `[[ ◄ ->Argument2b]]` ]`You walk along the side of the highway.
(either: "Well, it's a change from driving.","Oh, look! An empty coffee cup!", "How long does it take to walk seventeen kilometers, anyway?","Was this a good idea?", "You are not wearing the right shoes for this.","Aah, the smell of diesel fumes in the morning.","Is the traffic starting to move?","Is that a blister coming on?","Why couldn't they have built a sidewalk?", "Ew! A dead skunk." )
[[Keep walking->Walk]]
Or you could use your Replayer.
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` [ `[[ ◄ ->Argument2b]]` ]`(transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 1s)[Mia is talking about your carbon footprint again. She doesn't sound pleased. And you've just Replayed something. Out of the frying pan into the fire....]
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>3s)["For Christ's sake!" you say. "I'm going to drive the car to work, ten lousy kilometers. Not burn down a forest."
"It's not just you, though. If everybody drives everywhere, that creates just as much C-O-Two as a forest fire."
[[Respond->Argument3]]
[[Take the car]]
[[Take your Replayer out of your pocket->Take Replayer from pocket]]]](transition:"pulse")+(transition-time: 1s)["Jeffrey, do you have time to put the organics bin onto the curb before you go to work?" Mia asks. "I can do it if you're running late."]
That familiar fading-dream feeling: you must just have used the Replayer. Whatever went wrong will probably happen again the next few minutes unless you're careful. Let's see if you can get it right this time.
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>3s)[ You look at the clock. Ah! You were going to be late for work. "Think you could do it?"
She sighs. "Okay - but take just a moment and change that shirt, okay?"]]
(live:0.5s)[(if:time>3s)[[[Respond->Argument1]]]]
"Honey, do you have time to put the organics bin onto the curb before you go to work?" Mia asks. "I can do it if you're running late."
Mia's so conscientious about the environment: it's one of the things you love about her. "I can do it," you say. You stand up, but your thigh bumps the table, and your coffee slops all over your tablet. You swear under your breath.
"Is it okay?" Mia asks.
"Dunno." You [[wipe the tablet off with a napkin and switch it on and off.->PostSpill]]
You [[take out your Replayer->Take out Replayer]]"Close call, but it looks like it's survived."
"Oh! Your pants."
"What about them?"
"You've spilled coffee on them, too, honey."
Damn, she's right. You glance at the clock: the bus leaves in a few minutes.
[[Go and change->Change]]
[[Take out Replayer]]You go upstairs and put on a clean pair of pants. By the time you leave the house, you're definitely running late.
[[Run to bus stop]]
[[Take the car]]
[[Take out Replayer->Take out Replayer A]] You take your Replayer out of your pocket. It looks like a black domino with a single blue button.
Mia looks nervous. "I wish you wouldn't do that. You know they say it might have side effects." She still refuses to get one.
"This time it's important," you say. "I can't be late today. We've got to get that quarterly sales report in."
She sighs, and you press the button.
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`[ `[[ ◄->Opening2]]` ]`As you approach the bus stop your bus pulls away without you. You take your Replayer out of your pochet. Your finger hesitates on the blue button. Should you use it? You know Mia worries about the cumulative effect of so many people changing reality.
You [[wait for the next bus->BusStop2]]
You press the button
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`[ `[[ ◄ ->Opening2]]` ]`You take the Replayer out of your pocket, a simple black box with one blue button. Adjusting reality is another of those things Mia thinks might have bad side effects, but you're short of time. You press the button.
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`[ `[[ ◄ ->Opening2]]` ]`You catch the next bus, flash your pass at the driver, and get to work half an hour late.
Your boss looks at you wearily. "So you've finally decided to show up? I'm going to give you five seconds to make this not have happened, and then I'm going to fire you."
"Yes, sir." You take your Replayer out of your pocket and press the button.
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`[ `[[ ◄ ->Opening2]]` ]`But that's crazy. You've lived alone since your junior year in university.
You put on your cape, seal the foredoor, and sprint for the monorail.
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THE END
[[Play again->Opening]]
<center><iframe src="/html/departureContent.html" style="width:150px;height:150px;padding:0;margin:0;display:block;border:none;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></center>
You catch the next bus, flash your pass at the driver, and sit there watching the minutes go past. You arrive [[late at work]].Double-click this passage to edit it.