shortened story: disconnexus ii

Shortened Story: DISCONNEXUS II

The vidphone rang - again, lurblingly, it burbled and the line was lost. Cursing, he flung down the keyboard. It was his oldest friend - or was it? They had all

been comparing notes recently - some

childhood memories did not agree. Only on certain points - the presence of another friend, and then

who? it was i fought when the Duster (still

hung up with the farm gear, indestructible, ugly, and

torn by my foolishness but with who? Surely not with Scott Shoemaker - despite his

small size and my brags i was very afraid of him that night - a black belt from Greg

is no joke at all, although

he was small - i thought it was with dan i fought - but apparently

Dan was to fight Scott and so then I thought

i intervened to entertain as was my wont but no! it was

a conflict twixt another third i had not known was there and Dan - for Dan  was

rude, and crazier perhaps than anyone - he

wore our clothes and we stole his - he modelled

himself after us and we fantasy hung

him in a tree - later, events intervened but

then one day in a Toronto street -

so it was. They had found it out. There was no door, no mirror, no trick - but no way

to tell who you were really talking to,

these days. Memories differ...examine

all your friends closely in the screen

lest they be

alien to you - and you to them and both recoil

as at insects.

2010.