By: Tom Ball

     Michael C. was a brilliant interior decorator who was in demand. He preferred to do the modern style which involved sexual paintings and plush interiors in black and white. But he also liked the elite style of moving picture paintings on all the walls and rooms which slowly grew bigger or smaller according to how many people were in the room or were just randomly changed. He also liked to decorate air cars and typically they had cool vaguely aerodynamic designs which he had drawn for them. But power was in abundance with solar power especially in deserts and wind and nuclear power everywhere, so the air cars didn’t need to be all that aerodynamic. And the interior of the cars, were covered in android cyber art lining the walls. And Michael was also addicted to cocaine and was a manic depressive. He lived in the fast lane and said, “It was better to burn out than fade away.”

       I told him, “Better to take panacea drugs like most others do, for the sake of your sanity. Cocaine leads to manic depression.” He said, “But it takes me so high and allows me to do my work well.”

      And I told him, “I live in my air car like so many others, but I have decorated with frozen, naked androids, side by side and even on the ceiling. I need only touch one to bring them to life and they all have limited memories, but all remember loving me. I love them 3 or 4 at a time.” He said “I’ve heard of similar decors but most of my clients have androids awake throughout the journeys. They like to be surrounded by loves all the time.”

      And he said, “Most art these days is sexual, and most interior designers like to draw pictures of very clever looking humans.” I said, “Maybe it is holograms or androids they are drawing; it’s hard to tell. But many people these days have many faces, for each of their clones, and put brand new faces on their androids or holograms lovers. They give them all the look they desire. Everyone these days can draw at least somewhat well.”

     And Michael told me, “And it is becoming fashionable to decorate the outside of air cars, too. There is, as you know, several new code symbol systems and people put the symbols on their air car, and they can automatically identify like-minded/ interesting people and can ask to dock with the interesting air car.”

     I said, “They say your air car is who you are, it is the ultimate personal expression. But some have no decorations and are an enigma or just plain boring, it’s hard to tell.”

     Michael said, “Some say, you can’t judge an air car by its exterior. Some I guess want to be left alone and live alone with their androids.”

     I said, “Anyway air cars have made the human race more mobile. Just like in our hunter-gatherer roots!” Michael said, “Yes, it is the day of free air cars. And now the newest models can go to Space.”

     And I said, “Soon houses and skyscrapers will disappear, and everyone will be mobile in their air cars. And everyone will be a transient. And people will dock air cars and form temporary villages.” He said, “This will be true especially in Space where cities will be formed almost instantly and then disappear soon afterwards.”

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Tom is currently a senior editor at “FLEAS ON THE DOG”