{"type":"stories","id":"determinism","title":"Determinism","url":"/stories/determinism","summary":"A mysterious website offers vague prophecies about your future — and Morris discovers that knowing what's coming is entirely useless when you have no way to change it.","date":"2023-02-18","tags":["Fiction","Science Fiction","Humor","philosophical"],"categories":["writing"],"body":"Like many others later, I first encountered the website via someone I vaguely knew who sent me an overly enthusiastic “check this out” message.\n\nEnabling my VPN and using a private window for an assumed extra level of security, I clicked.\n\nIt was a simple page. A large headline in bold black text proclaimed, “It’s your right to know what will come to pass”. Beneath that was a large button that said, “Click me to learn more”.\n\n“Colour me intrigued,” I thought to myself and clicked.\n\nSmall italicised text appeared in place of the button. It read, “A diminutive figure will negatively influence your life.” I leaned back in my creaking office chair and tapped my fingers on the desk. What could I do with that? What did it mean? I considered refreshing the page for another proclamation when I heard someone clearing their throat behind me.\n\nIt was my boss. She was a small woman and made up for it by always wearing rather overly large heels to increase her height. I gulped, reflecting on what I had just read.\n\n“Morris, could I have a word?” She said impatiently.\n\n“Sure…“ I stuttered.\n\n“In private.” She said, gesturing in the direction of her office.\n\nI nodded and followed her reluctantly. Was this what the website was referring to? I wondered what use this information had been to me. It had said that “I had a right to know”, but what could I do with the information it had given me? How could I change anything? Avoid all short people?\n\nI closed the door of my boss's office behind me, and she gestured for me to sit down.\n\n“Morris. I am afraid I have some bad news. We need to make cutbacks, and well…”\n\nYou can guess the rest.\n\nThe next day, I was determined to figure out how to use the website to my advantage, so I opened the link again, clicked the button, and waited for its new prophecy.\n\n“Today will be the best day of your life. Make the most of it.”\n\nWhat? I mean, it was simultaneously precise and unhelpful. I was hoping for some sort of exact series of instructions.\n\nThe doorbell rang. Gainfully unemployed, I welcomed any distractions and shuffled to the door. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen greeted me. I was never much of a romantic or a believer in love at first sight or anything like that, but something hit me. There was a chemistry I didn’t understand between us, and she also stared agape at me. I sensed she felt the same.\n\nWe both stared at each other. She broke the silence. “Err. I think I have the wrong address. But… But… I know this sounds odd. Do you want to grab a coffee or something? If you’re not busy, I mean. And it’s not strange…” She laughed nervously.\n\nI nodded vigorously and thought better of making excuses or mentioning strange text on websites, and instead just followed her.\n\nWe clicked instantly. We had so much in common. I have never got on that well with anybody, let alone had much luck with dates or relationships, and here was this, I don’t know, soul mate, who had just appeared on my doorstep.\n\nWe stepped out of the cafe, and I seized the moment, suggesting she come back to my place. She agreed, and we crossed the street.\n\nThat was when the bus hit me.","links":[],"fields":{}}