PART TWO --------- Finding the True Monopole was going to cost time and money, thought Cackle as he walked back down the steps.
Was he still in his haint dream? Cackle mindlessly walked straight across the middle yard on one of the crossing walks and stopped at a sidewalk intersection to look around. A young student was walking toward him. She noted Cackle's searching and paused before him. "Are you looking for something, sir?" "I suppose I'm looking for building 73." "Right in front of you." She smiled, pointed, and walked on. There it was, in plain sight, a "73 - Outservices", black on a white sign, and if he'd kept walking on without pause, he would have tripped over it. Cackle walked over and through the door into 73. A pretty woman who looked as young as the students, was doing something clerical behind the long counter that divided the room in half. The door closed behind him and rang a chime somewhere in the office. After a pause she looked up. "May I help you?" She spoke brightly, and with a smile. "I'd like to subscribe to the technical library." "I'll be here to help you with that on Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 8:30 to noon, or you can go online to www.oldulibraryservices.edu and fill out the form." She again spoke brightly and still with a smile. "Would it be possible to have that dealt with today? It's only 1 pm. I have quite a drive home from here, and I would like to spend the afternoon in the library since I set aside the time to get here. I don't want to lose the weekend." Cackle felt a whiney pleading edge creeping into his voice. "No sir, quite sorry. We've had budget cuts and we do have procedures. Those books have been closed for the day." still brightly and with a smile. "Shall I see you here Monday?" Cackle let out a breath. "I don't know. Thank you," resolved to remain polite in spite of growing perturbance." Cackle turned and walked toward the door, without thought mumbling under his breath, "Cheshire Cat." "Wrong dream." retorted the bright voice. Cackle shuddered involuntarily, surpressing an urge to run, not walk. ---- Cackle sat in front of his computer, having typed www.oldulibraryservices.e into the URL line on his browser. His finger tapped nervously on the "d" key without depressing it. Suddenly he tapped the key too hard and he was staring at www.oldulibraryservices.ed on the URL line. Cackle jerked his hands back like he had been slapped. I've spent all day, he thought, trying to do some research on the True Monopole. He sighed out loud. No. I'm trying to research "monopole" and get the True Definition. No, no, no, get a scientific definition of a monopole. I'm looking for the proper definition of monopole. He found himself reliving the dream and Elmer Wills repeating "True Monopole" over and over again, as if the words were meant to torture. "What AM I doing?" Cackle spoke aloud, jumping up from the desk. "Why do I care anything about a monopole. This is all crazy. STUPID DREAM!" Cackle immediately felt dread and foreboding, as if he had done something so evil as curse God. He was surely going insane. True Monopole. He sat back down and typed "u", then "enter". The Old U page came up and flashed through some ads on extension classes, then a drill down menu of services and departments. Cackle clicked on "Library". Then on "Community Library Subscriptions". Briefly a picture flashed of the Technical Library building, and then a popup page: To enter data to Library Services pages, please log on. If you do not have an account, please register. Cackle's sense of foreboding was returning. He clicked on the "Register" button. He filled out all the entry fields and clicked the submit button. A window popped up telling him he should shortly receive an email, and please follow the instructions to complete your registration. In a scant 30 seconds Cackle had a new email in his inbox. It contained a URL to click to verify that he was the one who had made the request. Cackle clicked on the link, which brought up a browser. A little bit of relief began to set in, and then dissipated as the browser displayed a window. It read: Thank You, Cackle Fersus, for registering for Old U Library Services. The administrator will process your request and set up your account where you may arrange for services and payment, and use Library online facilities. Due to budget cuts, these applications are only handled Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8:30 AM to 12:00 Noon. Thank you for your patience. -- Old U Outservices. "Handled by the Cheshire Cat," growled Cackle. He was thinking about his recurring dream where he parks his car somewhere, and it's not there when he comes back, and he can never find it. ---- Cackle was sitting up in his bed, dreading going to sleep. "This is crazy," speaking aloud to no one else in the room. "None of this makes sense. None of this is worth losing sleep." Cackle laid back on his pillow and reached up to turn off his reading light, plunging the room into darkness. He fell asleep almost instantly. Elmer Wills was holding up an Ipad for him to view, displaying a web page. Pointing to it Elmer said, "Not a mon-o-pole. Five pole," in the voice of Jacob Marley. Cackle was wondering to himself, how did Elmer get an Ipad? -- To be continued -- ---------------- 73, Guy. _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
