That is all for my orientation for today. Tomorrow
I will learn of some of the ‘technological innovations’ the Center has made in
the past that ‘helps transportation, and industry, and government operate more efficiently.’
And I will also attend a ‘real life session’ with a ‘real life test case’ on
how the Center ‘uses the collective intelligence and creativity of all its
employees to develop new innovations and strategies’. Whatever happens now cannot
be as bad as today. But still, why am I surprised at what happens? Maybe I
missed a very important meeting early on in life. Nobody ‘has talked to me.’
I get back out through the main entrance just as
the workers who were up on the wall painting are walking by. Some seem to have
a pleased look. The supervisor is walking behind them saying thing like ‘I have
tried to help you men’ and ‘this is how you thank me’ and ‘no more, no more.’
His clothing looks like it has had paint splashed on it several times.
***
So I can get a house now that I have a job. Maybe.
But not those ones. On my way to the Center this morning I passed by one of the
new Jonisterie ‘Family Starter Home’
block of houses. I hadn’t seen one yet, only heard of them. So they actually
did that. The latest big idea from the Cockh Jonisterie ‘Megabig’ stores. These are not quite houses yet. What
you buy is a foundation with plumbing
and electricity to connect to. You can
see the pipes and the tubes with electrical wires sticking up out of the
foundations. The new buyer puts up a tent over the foundation and moves in. As
the buyer can afford it he goes to his local Jonisterie and buys a section of a house. This can be as small as
an entrance door and hallway, or a section of flooring, to as much as an entire
small bathroom or kitchen. Larger rooms come in sections. There is a choice of
architectural styles and the imaginative buyer can mix them all together. I
wonder what some of these will turn out to look like! And of course paint and
brushes are also available at the Jonisterie.
I see that some foundations have added sections of houses next to the
tents. Some more than others but most are still tents with one or two sections
and none is a complete house yet.
The day has left me some time. Now that I know I
will have an income soon I can use some of what I still have to buy everyday
supplies. And that will be all for the royalty from LoneStar. So as much as I
do not want to I am going to have to go out to the edge of the city to the Jonisterie.
[We
understand the Jonisterie to be a very
large store that attempts to carry everything from hard goods to food stuffs.
Reading between the lines of the descriptions we have studied in several
transcriptions there is more than some question of the quality of the goods
carried. Some items come only in odd quantities. For example the customer cannot
buy only one ‘notebook’. These only come in packages of five. Items come in odd
sizes. If you need three ounces of a preparation you have to buy a 12 ounce
container. Editors.]
It is good to have a lot of time to spend when you
come to this store. As they say We’re
Here; Because Most Times that’s All You Need. I see a large truck by the
exit, the kind you see transporting houses. I walk in and pick up an umbrella from
a stand next to the door. Sometimes clouds form and it will rain inside. I walk
by a young man and women together happily waking towards the pay stations with a
section of their starter house on top of one of the larger shopping carts. I
see a new shift of the ‘Shopping Police’ also entering. One sparks his electric
rod on the door frame as he walks in. They don’t call themselves ‘Shopping
Police’. The lettering on the back of their shirts says Shopping Counselor.
So I will find the men’s clothing isle that is
next to pet food isle next to electronics appliances isle next to hardware and
tools isle next to prepared foods and produce isle next to the cat clothing
isle next to lumber and building materials isle next to women’s and children’s
clothing isle next to plants and fertilizer isle next to paint and varnish isle
next to office supplies isle next to medical and first aid supplies isle next
to cars. I might want to get a new car so I will see what they have. The car
section is quite large, but does not have big cars yet. Just small two person
cars and trucks, mostly trucks. People come here for the trucks. I have always
wanted a truck. They have the trucks stacked on shelves four high. There is
special lift that takes a truck down from the shelf and places it on your
shopping cart. You have to get one of the large shopping carts. They have
someone help you wheel the cart with the truck on top to the checkout line. When
you get outside another lift takes it off the cart and puts it on the ground. Then
several of the clerks take the rest of the wrapping off and wash the
windshield, give you the keys and you drive it off. If you brought your old car
to trade for part of the cost another lift take it in puts it into the cruncher
behind the store. On busy days you can hear the crunchers chopping up the old
cars people bring to trade. I don’t like any of the colors on the trucks so I
think I will hold off on that for a while. I don’t have enough money yet
anyway.
For today I first stopped by the medical section
to have my blood pressure and other stuff I have going on inside me checked. It
is a wonder after this morning that I am not sick or something. The medical
people are disappointed that I do not take anything from the medicines shelf. I
next walked by the isle with the line waiting to see the ‘Shopping Chaplain.’ A
shorter line waits to see the ‘Shopping Philosopher.’ I know what I need, socks
and underclothing that do not have holes in them. Bath towels that do not have
holes in them. Blankets for a bed for when I get a bed. I spend some time at the
isle with the cookies. And I get the smaller16 ounce jar of peanut butter and
just the half bushel bag of potato chips. I pass the isle with the house
sections on my way to the pay stations.
There is a white line drawn on the path about half
way between the pay stations and the exits. There are Shopping Counselors
watching the line. If any of the stuff you bought stops working or falls apart
before you get to the line the store will give you some money back according to
how far you have made it towards the line. After that, as one of their signs says,
You bought it now you own it. As I go
out I see several Shopping Counselors
have stopped and are questioning a woman who is trying to leave the store
without buying anything.
There is enough daylight left so if I hurry I can
go for a hike in the Black Mountains.
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(To
be
Continued)
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