If you ask me why I did it, I’d say because it seemed like a good idea at the time. The old guy fell right in front of me on the street, and out of his coat pocket flew all these IPhones. I’ve wanted one for a long time, but things have been a little tight lately, which is probably the same for everyone else, so I can’t really make excuses, so I’m not going to. My wife wasn’t keen on my spending a wad for a phone, and I wanted one, and then I saw one and, well I thought, why not? Why not, indeed.
When I saw the old guy fall, and that he seemed ok, I thought it would be ok to take one. He had so many. How many phones does one guy need? He probably stole some of them, anyway. I’m not making excuse; I’m just saying.
Anyway, I got mine. Millions of people screw billions of other people, and they don’t even go to jail. I take one stupid smart phone, and now…I’m stranded. That’s they best way to say it. Not on some island, but right here in the same town that my family lives in. Not that it helps; in fact, I wish I was on some island.
Since opening the phone, I’ve been changing. At first, it was on the outside only. I walked into my house and my wife screamed as did the boy. I didn’t know what was going on until the cops came. My wife was really weird around me, and so was Tommy. She didn’t let me touch her or him. Then I heard the sirens, and she told me she called them and that I better leave. “What the hell?” I asked her why, but she didn’t say anything, just that I should leave, which I did. I ran before they could catch me. I already have some things on my record that I don’t really want to talk about, and I can’t afford another.
I thought I’d go back home after work, but I got the same weird reactions there, too. No one recognizes me. I’m not who I was before I took the old guy’s phone. I’m John, now. I live on the other side of town. I have another family and a big house, which is cool, except that I miss my wife and the boy. I like the big house, but I don’t love the new family.
I can’t remember my old name, or else, I’d tell you. And I haven’t figured out my new last name, either. It’s nowhere here on the phone, which means that, basically, I don’t have a last name because if it’s not on my phone, I don’t have it. Why this John guy had his home address programmed into the phone and no mention of his last name is kind of odd, don’ you think? Unless, the old man planned it that way.
Jesus. He probably did. What an A_hole.
Look I’m still the same old me on the inside. Each day, I forget more and more and remember things about John. I still look like the old guy and not John, I think. Honestly, I’m forgetting things about the old me and each day when I open up my phone, I’m not sure if it’s a dream or if I’m me or if I’m John. I wish there was an app to help me figure this out. Someone needs to make an app for confusion.
