I met him on the subway, which is, I suppose, a ridiculous place to meet someone.  But then again, the truth rarely makes sense.  To be honest, my work could not have been farther from my mind at that moment.  My sister and her family were in town for the day on business, and I was on my way catch the latest play with them at the theater.  It would be good to catch up with her, and I even had a little gift for my nephew.  I always got the feeling my brother-in-law didn’t like me much, but I knew it wasn’t anything personal.  He was just used to being around more interesting people.  I smiled to myself as I sat down.  Oh well.  I still had a few good stories left from my younger days.

I was so lost in thought that I completely forgot to shake hands with the man next to me.  He looked up and made that awkward half-motion with his arm — as a polite reminder of my social blunder.  I apologized, mumbling my wish that I he have a pleasant day.  As common and impersonal as these greetings were, it always amazed me how offended people became — how offended I became — when they were neglected.  I let go of his hand, but as I did, I noticed a curious bulge underneath his cuff.  It was the right shape, so I couldn’t help but to ask him what it was.  “This?” he carefully rolled up his sleeve.  “I don’t really know exactly.  I think it’s dead or sick.  I found it lying on the street, and was trying to keep it warm.”

These days, nobody wears a watch.  They haven’t as long as anyone can remember.  In fact, the only reason the word exists anymore is as a term of derision.  As I’m sure you know, a “watch” or a “clock” is a particularly complacent and dim-witted machine which seems unable or unwilling to think for itself.  I actually have heard stories that primitive devices like the “global positioning satellite phone” implants are still produced as cosmetics in some of the less developed parts of the world.  But, the fact is that even this implanted jewelry demonstrates a basic collective intelligence comparable to that of an insect colony.  All species of the “true watch” or “clock proper” (machines which are fundamentally incapable of conscious thought) are thought to have become extinct some time around the evolution of the first silicon cell.

Being something of an authority in ancient artifacts, I actually have in my possession the remains of two of the first true watches known to have been contacted by early humans:  First, the now-famous “Palm,” which I discovered almost perfectly preserved in the sands of the Great Northern Desert.  As I’m sure you remember from your biology instruction, the inscription and human information recovered from the device’s belly prove that our ancestors attempted to relate to their machines long before reciprocation was possible.  The other of my true clocks is a device which was found wrapped around the wrist of ancient human remains.  While the almost ludicrous simplicity of it’s semiconductor-metal body certainly prevented conscious thought, the device seems to have been capable of primitive emotion, as evidenced by its attempt to “hold hands” with its dying master.

In an age where the solar year is no more relevant than the time of day, I’m sure you’re getting a little bored by all of this talk of the past.  But, first, this story is about today.  And, last, I’m not interested in entertaining you.  I just want us to think about who we really are, to feel what it is to — well, you’ll just have to keep reading to find out.