"How is everyone feeling today?" The instructor didn't wait for a response. "You are all here for instructions on what to say and what not to say."
The crowded room stirred. I looked all around me and saw people who were mostly my age, but not all.
"It is the year 2107. You have all been in cryo- sleep. I won't go into how many years, for your counselor will discuss this with you. A lot has changed since you entered cryo-sleep. The most important thing you need to know is what to say and what not to say. Saying the wrong thing in this new century will mean your immediate death.
"There are many eyes in the sky now. I know you're familiar with CCTV, surveillance cameras, etc. Now they're literally floating inanimate eyes in the sky, everywhere. They are not, however, in your personal domiciles.
It is it is a good idea though, to continue to speak as instructed even in your personal homes or you might slip when you're out in public.
"Big brother, as you knew the overseeing government from a book, is in charge of everything in this age.
"We are not going to go over what cannot be said for that is more than what can be said. I will simply give you a list of words that are allowed in society. If you say any words other than what is on the list you will be killed."
----------------
"I was very nervous! I was known as quite the talker in the early 21st-century. What was I going to do?" I looked around the room again and caught the instructor's eye. I raised my hand.
"Sir?"
"Yes, Madame?"
"Are we free to ask questions here, today?" He was already nodding.
"Yes, yes! Today, now, we can all discuss things, nothing medical though!" He laughed.
"Could you give us some examples of what is going on, out there?"
"I will go ahead and show the latest video from earlier today. It brings the point to clarity.
A video began that was quite clear, too clear. A woman is walking across a footbridge... she bumps into a citizen... she is heard to say, "I'm sorry!"
An overhead "eye" comes into view immediately. A drone the appears and the woman looks up. She is then decapitated.
The whole room gasped.
"You see, in this time, "I'm sorry!" means "I am guilty" in a court of law and execution is carried out immediately."
I had to do it. I bit my tongue and swore never to speak again if I could just say one more silly thing.
"Gee! I thought it was bad when I confused rednecks with white trash!" I laughed and looked around at my contemporaries. A titter went through the room and the it broke out in laughter.
The instructor just looked around and shook his head.
"Sir?"
"Yes, Madame?"
"Are we free to ask questions here, today?" He was already nodding.
"Yes, yes! Today, now, we can all discuss things, nothing medical though!" He laughed.
"Could you give us some examples of what is going on, out there?"
"I will go ahead and show the latest video from earlier today. It brings the point to clarity.
A video began that was quite clear, too clear. A woman is walking across a footbridge... she bumps into a citizen... she is heard to say, "I'm sorry!"
An overhead "eye" comes into view immediately. A drone the appears and the woman looks up. She is then decapitated.
The whole room gasped.
"You see, in this time, "I'm sorry!" means "I am guilty" in a court of law and execution is carried out immediately."
I had to do it. I bit my tongue and swore never to speak again if I could just say one more silly thing.
"Gee! I thought it was bad when I confused rednecks with white trash!" I laughed and looked around at my contemporaries. A titter went through the room and the it broke out in laughter.
The instructor just looked around and shook his head.
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