A Hidden World

Thinking Ahead

"Kathy, I am going to need computers and a welcome to Shangri La map. I think I need a tech, so I can figure out how to do it all very quickly."

"Jake will be at Orenda's. He's in his twenties, but don't let that fool you. He's a good teacher and a top notch geek. Do you understand computers?"

"They were my hobby. I was our school's IT department. I am into hardware and speed. In my house, I had two servers on separate networks and a few routers. Eight home built systems connected to them the school, cell phones, tablets, smart TVs and Blu-ray players. What I see here is beyond my knowledge."

Kathy jerks her head for me to follow. We move through her living room and hallway to her first left doorway. A divider about halfway to her window splits this room into two large bays. Each bay has a computer chair. The bay closest to us has three large monitors, keyboards, headsets, and mice on one side, one combination against her wall with a giant monitor, and another three running up a back side. Her second bay looks identical. "Holy shit, Kathy!"

She smiles. "This side's for work and until yesterday, mostly mail. The other section is for fun. I spent hours every day in here until you came along. That's how I met Gerry for the first time.

"My husband worked for an electronics store. We bought a computer on a company purchase plan. At that time, I'm housebound with two little boys. One is just starting school and the other is several years away. My husband dragged Gerry over to set up our new computer.

"Perspective, so you understand how long ago that is. We set up a huge forty pound monster with a twenty pound top of the line fourteen inch colour monitor. Gerry treated me with total respect, answered all my questions, and showed us how it went together. Finally, we fired up our four eighty six, sixty six megahertz, DX two computer.

"For a few hours, he teaches us simple DOS commands, how to get Windows going and what Windows can do. Getting late, Gerry tells me this machine does something I'd love. He hooks up our twenty four hundred baud modem to our phone line. He explains we can type and chat with people. A few seconds later, he types 'Hi Mabear, I'm at a friend's house. Can you chat with them on their new computer?'

"By the end of that week, we had two phone lines. Instead of climbing walls, I'd be in text chat with Mabear, Mayor, Jammer, PJ, Kitty, Sparkle and several hundred others on the largest private family bulletin board system in our city. Kids could type chat freely with no issues. Most people chatting with them are other parents whose kids are also online. To make a long story short, he saved my sanity. No one used real names, everyone used handles, and mine is Shortcake. Gerry is Jammer. Twelve year old Rick is PJ. This is before anyone heard of the internet. I've never been away from computers since that day, Gerry's curse on me."

I smile at her. "My dad thought he broke his computer. He set it out by the trash, cables, case, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. He goes to buy a new one so I drag my new tinker toys downstairs. An hour later, his old Pentium One is running before he gets back with a new one.

"I have my own phone line, but I never speak on it. I am too busy going all over on my 'broken' computer. My parents thought I was tinkering with it for parts. It had no covers on it.

My parents find out his old beast is still running when a couple of FBI agents show up. I get into a library mainframe and find addresses for some neat looking places. Going from BBS to BBS, I not so accidentally make my way to MIT.

"When FBI agents burst into my room, I am reading a great MIT article on future computers. Adult foolishness caused mayhem. FBI agents panicked and immediately call MIT, concerned I hacked into sensitive areas. I end up on a phone call with MIT for a couple of hours explaining how I got in and past their firewalls. They want to know what I was reading there. Higher ups at MIT are impressed. They give me a toll free direct link, my own login and drop all charges. It took them five months to track me down." I wink at her, "I was twelve."

With twinkling eyes she grins, "Jake will get along fine with you. Do me a favour and play dumb blonde for at least five minutes."

A knock comes from her door. Tiana enters with a huge smile on her face. She turns to Kathy, "Hi Grandma. My parents claim you're a bad influence on me. I told them I learned more about great people last night than in a year. Hi Tammy."

Kathy asks, "Tiana, do you have a dress uniform here?"

"Yes. Why are you wearing your general's uniform? Tammy, you're a major!"

"Quick, go get it on. That's an order from an active general."

Tiana appears a minute later wearing a white shirt and black pants. Kathy smiles, "Many things happened today, far too many things to explain all at once. You're joining us for a special dinner tonight. Dress uniforms are mandatory."

Kathy leads her out on our balcony past my suite. "I've a request of you until then. Help these officers set up our Captain's new quarters."

Sharon and Clair heard us coming. They drag a very shocked young woman into their world. "I'll get a call tonight for sure. They won't believe her unless we end up in a news clip, which we might."