Solomon's Private File #109
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 18 in this story, in the Fall of 2044.
Solomon's Private File #109 "A Day at the Office"
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I released some of my duets with Chad. Sold well, for charity. Some
of our people wanted to write and publish stories with pen names.
Novels, mostly. I took over Chad's work in that, but with a new label.
I added some things of my own. Good sales. Then I wrote some textbooks
under my own name, from primary to graduate level, in different
subjects, and in different languages. Good reviews. Some great. Selling
well in most states. Not just because I undercut the usual prices. Some
publishers and authors complained about that. I was asked to comment. I
said, "Some people have complained that my textbook prices are too low.
I think they are priced fairly. If people want to pay more for them, I
have no problem with that. If other people who publish textbooks feel
that I'm undercutting their prices, it may be so, but not deliberately,
and that's their problem, not mine. I don't believe in price-fixing,
and it's against the law, too. They can lower their own prices if they
wish to. Education costs too much already. I will NOT make it more
expensive than it already is, or has to be." I said to Mom, "I really
miss Chad's comments about my announcements, more than I expected." We
hugged with love. Most people liked what I said. Most publishers wisely
didn't argue with it.
The Islamic spy, who I had handed off to the bathroom bomber, came
back to see me. He said, "I don't know how to thank you enough!" I
said, "That's very annoying. I hear that a lot, and it's just plain
wrong! All anybody has to do to thank me is to be a good person and
help others. What could be simpler?" He grinned and said, "I have to
agree. I'll try to pass the word." I said, "Better not. Too many words
get passed, and not enough get listened to. People stop listening to
big noises. Some things they just have to discover on their own." He
said, "There is more in what you said than I first thought. Oh, you
hear that a lot, too." I said morosely, "So true." He laughed.
He said, "I have been asked to work as an analyst here and in the
CIA. Your opinion of my possible choice?" I said, "Have you asked
others?" He said, "Yes. Here, mostly." I said, "Why me?" He said, "They
all, every one of them, said I should ask you, that you know the most
here about the CIA." I said, "I wish I didn't." He said, "That's my
answer. Thank you. Would you explain?" I said, "Psychological
conflicts. They have to do seriously unethical things for good reasons.
Changes them. They can't trust anybody, not even those who work with
them. Not even respect, sometimes. Here, we're more like a family." He
said, "I've seen that, even toward me, and that's amazing, when they
know why I first came here." I said, "Did my friend tell you his
story?" He said in awe, "He did! Incredible!" I said, "I have to agree
a little. I said this elsewhere, that when I read reports about what
I've done, I think, 'Oh, I really want to meet that guy.' Then I see
how others might see what happened that I thought was just normal. It's
actually the same for all of us. What we are involved in at the time
isn't anything like what it is to somebody else after it happens.
Second hand telling makes it much more adventurous and amazing, while
at the time it was far from that." I said with a smile, "And that's not
taking into account that stories somehow get bigger and more
interesting with each telling." He grinned and laughed. He said, "Good
try, but you will not convince me to think less of you." I let out a
big sigh, and said, "So little respect these days." He laughed again.
He said, "There is a rumor about who you might be, other than you
seem." I said, "I am here as I am, a psychologist and head of this
Department, and something of a martial artist. Just like everybody
else, I'm different in other places. Rumors get stronger, I leave." He
said, "I heard that, too." I said, "That's already caused serious
problems. People have been harmed. Worse, and it WILL stop. No, I can't
tell you the specifics, for their privacy." He said, "Thank you. I'll
pass that on." I said, "More rumors." He nodded. I said, "I NEED to be
who I'm supposed to be here, for ME. Do you understand?" He looked
surprised, and then he had some tears. He said with concern, "Now I do
understand! I'm very sorry I didn't before." I said, "Don't worry. It's
unusual. Most often, it's the usual we should really worry about." He
tried to smile, and said, "True. I should go now. Please accept my love
and friendship." I said, "You know you already have mine." He left with
some really mixed emotions.
An applicant came into my office. I looked at her file. I said, "A
police detective, and a crime scene specialist! Impressive. Why
change?" She said, "I'd rather not say." I said, "And I'd rather not
hear what troubles you, but that doesn't change what I am supposed to
do. First, let's get these tests out of the way." We did. I said, "Do
you think I know more about the reason now?" She thought a little, and
said, "Yes. You're better than my old department psychologist." I said,
"Er, thanks. Want to go privileged?" She said, "Please. I was raped by
a fellow officer. He wasn't punished." I said, "So you quit?" She said,
"I felt I had to. They all knew about it, and blamed ME for it. I had
no backup. It was unsafe. I couldn't do my job. I thought I should quit
before my work problems resulted in a bad reference." I said, "Fair
reasoning. But you know it was more than that." She said, "Yes. I still
have bad feelings about the incident, and about the job." I said, "A
new job is not considered actual therapy, you know." She almost smiled,
and said, "I know." I said, "If a man moved to stand close to you, how
would you feel?" She was surprised, and said, "You're right! I really
do have a problem. You're VERY good." I said, "What do you think could
help you reduce your problems?" She said, "That man should have his,
er, he should be punished for his crime." I said, "Thanks for the er,
restraint." She did crack a smile.
I said, "The FBI investigates applicants who are selected for
possible positions. Sometimes crimes are uncovered and then
investigated, too. Get my drift?" She said, "I do. Interesting. I'm not
opposed to that." I said, "So understated! Practice that a lot?" She
had to laugh. I said, "When was the last time you laughed for real?"
She looked surprised again, and said, "Thank you!" I said, "We have
different ways to do this. We DO investigate police departments. Well,
who else could?" She nodded. I said, "There is also an outside er,
person, who likes to help with these specific issues, but there may be
some conflicts with the legal system with that. Her methods are
unusual. No, she doesn't punish them physically, but sometimes they
would rather have that, than other things. Also, that way the police
department itself isn't changed, where if the FBI does it, and
succeeds, it would be. Comments?" She said, "You won't tell me who she
is?" I said, "You know if I would have, I already would have." She
said, "Tough choice. I think I should go with standard practice." I
said, "We'll do that. Let's go to Personnel, first." We did.
I said to the Department head, "Again!" She said, "But I didn't know
this time. I'm innocent! For a change." I said, "Well, I suppose." The
applicant was looking back and forth with some amusement. I said, "WELL
qualified applicant needs past employment investigated for a crime. My
requirement before hiring." She said, "Bad?" I said, "In my opinion,
yes. Individual and culture. Police department." She said, "Need
support vouchers?" I asked the applicant, "How are you fixed for
living?" She said in amazement, "I can do fine for a few months." I
said, "We have a witness support program. No shame in it. If you need
it, ask." She nodded, close to tears. I said to the Head, "Recommend
next step?" She said, "Wait. I'll make some calls." She did. While she
was on the phone, but after the other party hung up, I said in her ear,
"Only you hear this. Violent rape on the job. Wasn't offender's first
time. Culture supports it. May be hard to get real evidence. Sting
might work." She wiggled a finger in acknowledgment, and called again.
Then she said to the applicant, "Take this and go to the room listed.
Give your statement. Yes, there will be a woman taking it. They'll
start the investigation. We can't let them get away with hurting our
people! Er, applicants." They hugged.
I escorted her there, and gave the agent some support documentation,
including info on past victims. I said to the applicant, "Any problems,
come see Personnel or me. We care. Also, if any of your former
coworkers show up at your home, call the duty officer here, with the
case number you'll be given, immediately. You are NOT to take any other
action yourself! We want extra witnesses who can finger each other. If
you shoot them full of holes, we all get into trouble." She said, "Just
a little hole?" I said, "Old saying; before you go out to take revenge,
dig TWO graves." She nodded and said, "I understand. Thank you." I left
them. Mom said in contact, "You used me. Good start to therapy. Mind if
I watch and assist on the sly?" I said, "I was hoping." We exchanged
love.
In my Department, the receptionist asked, "She in trouble?" I said,
"You know I can't talk about those things, but no, not at the moment. I
can't say that for her previous coworkers." She said, "I like her. I
hope she's keeps well." I said, "I hope so, too. In progress. Next
victim?" She smiled, and indicated a man. I motioned him to come with
me into the office. I said, "Investment banker. We need that here?" He
said, "I hope so. Maybe in investigating fraud." I said, "You didn't
tell Personnel why you left your previous job. Let's fix that now." He
sighed and said, "Whistleblower. Nobody in the industry will hire me
now." I said, "Ironic they trust every crook they work with, but not
the lone honest man." He looked at me strangely, and said, "Well said!"
I said, "Bitter?" He said, "No, she would bite back." I groaned loudly.
I said, "Ha! The REAL reason you were let go! Horrible puns." He
grinned and said, "A fault, I know." I said, "One I share. Your mother
like it?" He said, "No. Got slapped. Yours?" I said, "We compete." He
said, "Jealous." I said, "Sorry. Good one, though." He grinned. We went
through the tests.
I said, "Plan to sue?" He said, "Haven't decided." I said, "If you're
working here then, it could carry some weight." He said, "That thought
did cross my mind." I said, "People in your situation sometimes write
books." He said, "Working on it." I said, "Publishing problems, let me
know. They do anything more bad to you, we might not take that nicely.
We really like honest and courageous people." He almost had a tear when
he said, "Thank you!" I said, "Please take this back with you to
personnel. I wish you good luck, I really do." He left, feeling
uplifted.
A man came in. I looked at his file. No issues. I examined his brain
as usual, and was surprised. A full sociopath. I didn't know why such a
condition wasn't healed. I scanned his body. Signs of injuries that
would have been gone after a healing. We did the tests. Then I said to
him, "If you are approved here, and further considered for the job, you
would have to have a physical. In that, they would know if you had
refused healing. Our health insurance won't cover those people, so we
can't hire them." He said, "You can tell that from your tests?" I said,
"I can tell from them that you're concealing something besides your
emotional issues." He said, "I don't have any emotional issues." I
said, "That's true, and that's a problem. Mentally healthy people DO
have issues with their emotions at times. And there is a small scar
under your chin." He was getting angry.
I said, "Accept a healing, you can come back." He said, "It messes
with people's minds!" I said, "In a way, it does for some. Those with
brain malfunctions. Does it make them less able to commit crimes?
Obviously not, or we wouldn't still be in business. And we wouldn't
have such horrible politicians running this country into the ground."
He said, anger subsiding, "You have a point there. My parents believed
it was devil's work." I said, "They're entitled to their opinion. In my
own opinion, I don't think the devil exists. I think it's just an
excuse for people to blame their own selfish faults on some other
cause, so they won't have to take responsibility for them." He said,
thoughtfully, "As a psychologist, you would know about that better than
average people." I said, "Well, it's my job. Would you like me to hold
your application as pending?" He said, "Yes, please. I haven't decided
yet, but I might do it." I said, "There are other psychologists here.
Try them out if you want." He said, "Thank you for your offer, but I
don't think I need to. Your reasons were logical." I said, "Tests show
you are very logical, yourself." He smiled and said, "Thanks." He left.
A woman walked in. I looked at her file. I said, "Do you have a
said, "I can smell it." She said, "I won't be accepted?" I said, "Would
YOU approve of a job applicant for law enforcement who had to break the
law for the Bureau right in the middle of applying?" She said, "I see
what you mean. I screwed up." I said, "Better for both of us that it
happened now, than when you're on the job." She nodded and said, "Thank
you." She left.
I went out to reception. I gave the sec two files. I said, "This one
is incomplete. He might come back. This one is a disapproval. Who's
next?" She indicated a man. I said, "Guards and agent. He just took a
picture of me with his phone. This is just not my lucky day." She
nodded in sympathy. She made the call. The agent came in with two
guards. He nodded to me. So did the very big guard. I nodded back to
them both. The agent went up to the applicant and said, "Your phone
please." He said, "Why?" Agent said, "You were observed taking a
picture here with it, unauthorized, in violation of the law." He said,
"I didn't!" He said, "Give me the phone, or we will take it from you."
He reluctantly handed it over. Agent said, "If you give me the access
code, you can prove there are no unauthorized pictures on it." He said,
with a sigh, "Can't I just delete it?" Agent said, "No. It could be
recovered. We can hold you until you give us the code, however long
that takes. There are notices all over, and you signed for knowledge of
them." He gave the code. The agent used it. He found the picture, and
other significant ones. He checked the settings and saw that pictures
automatically went to the cloud, but only using wifi, which he wasn't
logged into here. He said to the applicant, "You've committed a
security crime in a Federal Security Zone. We can detain you and
proceed with a criminal complaint. Your phone is evidence. Instead, you
may go. If you go public with this, we will have to go through with the
suspended criminal proceedings. Do you understand?"
He yelled, "But it's a free country!" Agent said, "It is, for
responsible people. Our personnel, when exposed to the public, are
vulnerable to attack. That's happened. Some have died. Do you want to
be responsible for that?" He said, "No, but the public has a right to
know!" Agent said, "To know what?" Silence. Agent said, "You don't
actually care, do you. People like you disgust me. We risk our lives to
protect YOU, and you want to increase that risk for PROFIT." He said to
the guards, "Please escort this man out of the building." They grabbed
him, and dragged him out. I said, "Wait! He's still a citizen. Go
easy." They nodded, and left. Agent said to me, "After you?" I said,
"Tabloid. No particular reason. Committed a crime, though.
Justification for action. He won't talk or do it again." He nodded, and
said, "Think they were going to rough them up?" I said, "I don't know,
but I thought it was wise to try to reduce the er, temptation. You were
more right than I think you may know." He said, "One of the guards
attacked you before. More?" I said, "He was just angry, then. Had one
specifically target me, based on some rumors." He said, "You must have
turned him." I said, "Shhh!" He grinned. So did everybody else.
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Grant
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