The screen was showing white noise, blaring and hissing at the balding man who sat in front of it. He watched the black and white pulses with fascination, occasionally scribbling down notes. It seemed to Nell Conrad that he took his job very seriously--whatever it was.
"What do you need me for?" she asked him, speaking loudly over the buzzing idiotbox.
"I need a better television."
"All respect sir, you probably don't need me for that."
"Actually, I do. Television networks of the future broadcast in strange ways. The farther ahead I look, the more difficult it is to get reception. And it's not me! Heavens no, it isn't my fault. I think it's the goddamn three dimensional stuff that they're using nowadays.
"I need you to make me a television that is at least thirty years ahead of what modern TVs are like. I need to get future programs."
"You see the future, then?" she asked.
"Not particularly. I see future television programs and use them to look ahead. Can you make me the television?"
She inhaled and considered. "I can't make any promises. I can probably do twenty years ahead. I can do three-dee screens, but It would almost be easier to build a three-dee hologram projector that can project shows right on your wall or in the middle of the room."
"You can do that?"
"Oh, yes, I can make almost anything." Nell mused for a moment. "The device will be relatively large. Is it alright with you if I just work in here?"
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Author's Note: Space is left at the bottom of most pages so that I can go back and edit errors and add things in. All pages are originally typed without indentation using paragraph breaks between paragraphs, and then indents are added and the spaces are removed, so different pages have different amounts of 'extra space.' Some pages may appear to have no space because I have added new text since first "publishing" them. Furthermore, I am constantly rereading my work and fixing typos and other problems in my writing. Sometimes I add as much as a paragraph. I apologize if this inconveniences you.
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"What do you need me for?" she asked him, speaking loudly over the buzzing idiotbox.
"I need a better television."
"All respect sir, you probably don't need me for that."
"Actually, I do. Television networks of the future broadcast in strange ways. The farther ahead I look, the more difficult it is to get reception. And it's not me! Heavens no, it isn't my fault. I think it's the goddamn three dimensional stuff that they're using nowadays.
"I need you to make me a television that is at least thirty years ahead of what modern TVs are like. I need to get future programs."
"You see the future, then?" she asked.
"Not particularly. I see future television programs and use them to look ahead. Can you make me the television?"
She inhaled and considered. "I can't make any promises. I can probably do twenty years ahead. I can do three-dee screens, but It would almost be easier to build a three-dee hologram projector that can project shows right on your wall or in the middle of the room."
"You can do that?"
"Oh, yes, I can make almost anything." Nell mused for a moment. "The device will be relatively large. Is it alright with you if I just work in here?"
==========
Author's Note: Space is left at the bottom of most pages so that I can go back and edit errors and add things in. All pages are originally typed without indentation using paragraph breaks between paragraphs, and then indents are added and the spaces are removed, so different pages have different amounts of 'extra space.' Some pages may appear to have no space because I have added new text since first "publishing" them. Furthermore, I am constantly rereading my work and fixing typos and other problems in my writing. Sometimes I add as much as a paragraph. I apologize if this inconveniences you.
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