Daily Half Life (cont'd) Picking up the receiver, he inserted a quarter into the machine, and dialed the number from memory. After five rings, as he was about to replace the receiver, Suzanne answered. "Hello?" "Hi. It’s Marty." "Hey. How’s it going? Where are you? I can hear traffic." "I was just out for a walk and I thought of you. How are you?" "I’m alright. Could be better. But I feel like I haven’t talked to you face-to-face for ages." "I know. The telephone can be a bit trying." "I can barely hear you over the cars." _ "Sorry, I was just saying that the telephone isn’t really the same as seeing each other..." "So d’you want to come over? I can make us dinner." "I can’t. Actually, I thought I might today, but I haven’t been feel- ing that well. Though I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong, exactly..." "Oh. Well, alright. If you don’t feel up to it, that’s fine. But we should get together this week, ‘cause I’m not starting work ‘till Thursday." "Yeah, that’d be good. What’ve you been doing lately?" "Not much. Nicholas is back from his trip, so I saw him yester- day. Apart from that I’ve just been trying to clean up my apartment. You know, nothing exciting." "Yeah, I know. Believe me. Haven’t been doing much myself. But I can’t shake this odd feeling I’ve had all day. I can’t figure it out. It’s prob- ably nothing though. Listen, I should head. I'll call you tomorrow, OK?" "Sure, talk to you then." "Yeah, see ya." Marty put the phone back and turned to walk home. After a minute, he realized he didn’t feel quite like going home just yet. So he turned and walked down the nearest street that led away from his house. As he was walking, he remembered that there was no food in his kitchen. He doubted he could stomach Fruit Loops again, so he decided to head for the supermarket. He just wanted to pick up some instant noodles, maybe, or a microwave dinner. The proper shopping could be done anoth- er day. The walk eased his mind, and by the time he was approaching his house with a Safeway bag in one hand, he hardly remembered that there had been anything bothering him. The sky had shed its brightness by then, and was slowly assuming the mass of night. But a low, even ceiling of cloud had rolled into place like a screen which gave the illusion of translucency. He entered into the uncomfortable stillness of the empty house, and hastened to disperse the unsettling gloom of dusk from his room. He flipped the light switch and went into the kitchen. He prepared his food, and after he’d eaten, Marty realized he was relatively tired. Shuffling to his room, the floor squeaked and groaned in the usual places. Marty undressed among the piles of clothing. He’d have to do the washing soon. And the proper shopping too. As he lay down, he wondered at his own exhaustion. He couldn’t quite figure out what it was that had made him so tired. He had walked most of the day, that was true. Even as he was trying to fall asleep, he frowned. When he thought about his day, he couldn’t quite think of anything concrete he had accomplished. There wasn’t a single thing he had done except waste time by walking around. He vaguely remembered feeling anxiety when he had woken, but he couldn’t remember why. After all, that’s why he’d gone out in the first place. But after that, not a single important thing had hap- pened all day. It had been a day of nothing. Marty wondered if was possible that he had really wasted the whole day. Marty fell asleep quickly after that. He slept without interruption until the morning, when he woke to the shrill whine of his alarm. The clouds which had rolled across the sky the night before had thickened, and they- made him: think they Marty’s left eye showed him a looked like a blanket pulled different scene from the right. The clouds | | over the head of the city. of the previous evening were completely | | Marty became abruptly gone. As soon as he realized the condition | | aware that he saw this only in of his vision, he was paralyzed with confu- | | his right eye. Suddenly he sion and acute light-headedness. His | | felt like pulling a blanket vision swam as it tried to reconcile the | | over his own head. What had image in his left eye with that in his right. happened to his eyes? Why Marty groaned. could he not see normally? Marty groaned. length hair and very well kept fingernails. He asked to speak to his grand- mother, and a period of silence ensued. Finally, a thin voice spoke a hello into the receiver. "Hi. It’s Marty." "Marty! How nice of you to call." "I was just out for a walk and I thought of you. How are you?" "?’m much better, thank you. Your mother was just here. I wish you could come visit me Marty." "I know. The telephone can be a bit trying." "Pardon me Marty? You'll have to speak up." "Sorry, I was just saying that the telephone isn’t really the same as seeing each other..." "Yes I know. Say, have you been trying to find a new job like you said?" "I can’t. Actually, I thought I might today, but I haven’t been feel- ing that well. Though I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong, exactly..." "You’ve probably caught cold, dear. It’s all that rain in Vancouver. You should make yourself some chicken broth." "Yeah, that’d be good. Is it snowing yet in Montreal?" "Good heavens, no! Not yet, anyway. It’s been quite mild this year, I must say. But itll come. I’m hoping to go home before that. I do hate being on the roads when it snows." "Yeah, I know, grandma. Listen, I’m going to go. I think I’ll make that chicken broth. Then maybe I’ll feel better." "You do that, dear. And call your mother too. She says she hasn’t heard from you in a month." "I will. Take care, grandma. I’ll see you this Christmas." "Alright dear. Bye bye." Marty stood up, and realized he was hungry. Despite what he’d said, he was- n’t feeling unwell. There was just something in the back of his mind, both- ering him. But even that was fading. He made himself some rice and fried a few pieces of carrot and broccoli. Having eaten, he picked up a book and read until he realized he was squinting to see the text, because the room had grown so dark. The sky hadn’t cleared entirely all day, but now it was begun to rain, the drops sounding dull on the roof. Marty got up to make a cup of tea, and realized he felt quite tired. Thinking back on his day, he didn’t quite remember what it was that had been bothering him. While Marty drank his tea, the rain picked up, clattering away at the roof. He sat and let the room go steadily darker, listening to the occa- sional hiss of a passing car outside. Finally making his mind up to go to bed, Marty went to his bedroom. The floor was clear, and cut across by the orange streetlight coming in from outside. Sighing, Marty sat on edge of his bed and reached for the blurry red glow of his alarm clock, the digital display gleaming weakly from his bed-side table. Grasping the small clock-radio, he set the alarm to ring at seven the next morning. It was dark, but he pressed the correct buttons by habit. Laying in bed and staring at the ceiling, Marty thought about his day. Despite the anxiety he’d woken with, he managed to enjoy his long walk. I don’t do that enough, he thought to himself. But something occurred to him: he couldn’t remember what the anxiety was all about. It hadn’t seemed worth questioning. He knew it was the reason he’d gone walking in the first place, though. But what bothered him now was that, in essence, he hadn’t done anything all day. It was a day of nothing. Nothing happened, nothing of consequence occurred. There wasn’t a single significant event he could speak of. Marty wondered if was possible that he had really wasted the whole day. Marty fell asleep quickly after that. The rain beat ceaselessly dur- ing the night, coming in waves of intensity. When he woke up in the morn- : ing, the window showed a leaden sky through water- streaked glass. The rain was still falling. Marty realized that his vision was _ split between his eyes. He sat up in shock, his head spinning. He was perceiving two distinctly different scenes. Trying to understand what was hap- pening, he sat still and tried to stay calm. He couldn’t. Marty groaned. In his left eye, Marty saw a different picture. The rain was no longer falling, but the air drifting in through the slightly open window was heavy with the smell of wet soil and pavement. The split in his vision suddenly made the world slide sideways and brought on a wave of nau- sea. He felt fear creep into his body. Marty groaned. influx « Magazine April 1999 23 Daily Half Life tcont’d) Picking up the reccher, be sered a quarter io the machine and dialed the mimber from memory. After fie ring, ashe was about to replace the reciver, Suzanne answered “Helo “HH Ife Mars.” Hey. How's going? Where are you? can hear trafic” “Iwas au ot fora walk snd I thought of you. How ae you” “Vm alight, Could be beter. But fel ike Tver talked to you “Lino The telephone canbe a bit rying” "ean barely hea you over the ears” = Sorry was just saying that the telephone isnt really the same as seeing each oer "So dyo want to come ove? I can make ws dinner.” "Tean't Actually T thought I might today, but T haven't ben el {ng that well Though [eat put my Ginger on whats wrong, exactly ‘Ob. Wel alright. If you don't feel up to it that's fine. But we should get together this wee, crus I'm not staring work Thursday” "Yeah that be good. What've you been ding lacy?" "Not much, Nichols is back om his trip, 0 T saw him yster: ay. Apart from that I've just been trying t clean up my apartment. You Snow, nothing excising” Yeah, know. Believe me. Haven't been doing much myself, Bu 1 can’t shake this od feeling I've ad all ay. ean igure it out Is prob ably nothing though. Listen should head. I'l ell you tomorrow, OK? “Sure, alk to you then" “Yeah see ya" [Mary put the phone back and turned to walk home. Aer a minute he realized he dia’ fel quite lke going home just yet. So he ‘red and walked down the nearest tec tha led away from his house ‘Ashe was walking, he remembered that there was no fod in his] kitchen. He doubted he could stomach Fruit Loops again, so he decide t| -nea for the supermarket. He urt wanted to pick up some instant noodles, maybe, ofa microwave dinner. The prope shopping could be done anoth-| day. “The walk eased his mind, and by the time he was approaching his house with Safeway bagin one hand, he hardly remembered that ther ad been anything bothering him. The shy had shed is brightness by then, and sea slowly assuming the mass of aight. But low, even cling of cloud had rolled int place ikea screen which gave the illusion of tansceney He entered ito the uncomfortable stillness of the empry hows, and hastened to disper the unseting ploom of disk fom his rom. He| flipped the light switch and went into the kitchen. He prepared his food an after he'd eaten, Marty realized he was eelativey ted huffing this room, the floor squeaked and groaned inthe tual places. Marty undresed among the piles of clothing. Het have to do| the washing soon. And the proper shopping too, "Ashe lay down he wondered at his own exhaustion. He coulda wie gure out what its that had made im so ized. He had walked mest tthe diy, that was tru, Even ase was trying to fll sleep he frowned ‘When he thought about is day, he coulda’t quite think of anything concrete hela accomplished There wasn a single thing he had done excep waste time by walking around, He vaguely remembered feling anxiety when he had woken, bot he couldn't remember why. After al, that's why he'd gone jut inthe fist place But ater that, not a single important thing had hap-| pened allay Ithad been «dey of nothing. Marty wondered if wes posse that he had call wasted the whole day. Marty fel anleep quick ar that. He let without interruption ‘until the morning, wen he woke tothe shel whine of his alarm. ‘The clouds which had rolled across the sky the night before ha thickened and| ‘hey made Bim think they Marty's let eye showed him a] | looked like a blankee pale Aiferen scene fom the right. The clouds || over the head of the city fof the previous evening were completely || Marty became _abropiy lgone. Ar son ashe realized the condition | | aware hate saw this only in ‘this wsion, he was paralyzed with confu- || his right eye. Suddenly he fom and acute lightheadedness. His || fl ike pulling a blanket vision swam ai tied to reconcile th || ver his own head. What ha image in his left ee with tha in his ight | | Bappened to is eyes? Why Marty groaned could he not sce normal ‘Marty groaned, length hair and very well pt fingernails He asked to speak to his grand- other, anda period of silence ensued. Finals a thin voice spoke a hello into the receiver HL Tes Mary =Marty! How nice of you to call” “Iwas just out fora walk and I thought of you. How are you?" Tm much ewer, thank you. Your modhee was just here. wish you could come visit me Marty" “Tow The telephone can be abit ying” Pardon me Marty? You'll have to speak up.” Sorry, [was just saying that the telephone nt relly the same as seeing each other "Yes I know Say, have you been tying to ind aes job ke you sia” "can’t Actually thought I might today, but Then een eel {ng that well-Though I can't put my Ringer on what's wrong, exact." "You've probably aught cold dear. t's hat ai in Vancouver ‘You should make yourself some chicken broth” "Yea that'd be good. Ist snowing yet in Montreal” "Good heavens no! Not yet, anyway. Ie’ been quite mild this year Imus say: But il come I'm hoping go home before that. do hate ‘being om the rads hen it snow.” "Yeah Fhnow, grandma Listen, Pm going to go. think I make ‘that chicken broth. Then mate Tl fel beter: "You do that dear And call your mother 10, She say she hasn't ard from you in a month" "will Take ear, grandma, I'l se you this Christmas." "Alig dear. Bye bye” “Marty stood up and resized was hungry. Despite what he'd sid he was- ‘a Teling untell There was jus something in the back of his mind, bo ‘ring him. But even dat was fading ‘He made himeelf some rice and fred few pieces of carrot and broccoli. Having eaten, he picked up a book and read until he realized he ‘was squinting ose the text, because the room had grown so dark The sky hada’ cleared emily all day, But now it was begun to rin, the drops Sounding dll onthe roof. Marty got up to make a cup of te, and raid he fle quite ied. Thinking back on his day, he didn’ quite remember what itwas that had been bothering him, ‘While Marty drank his tea, the rain picked up latering away at the roof. He sat and le the room go steadily darker, istening t0 the oosa- sional hss ofa passing car outside. Finally making his mind upto got bed, “Marty went fo his bedroom. The floor was clear, and cut across By the orange stretght coming in fom ouside. ‘Sighing, Mary sat on edge of is bed and reached for the blurry red glow of his alam clock, the digital display gleaming weakly from his bedside table. Grasping the smal cloc-radio, he set the alarm to ing at teven the next moraing, It wes rk but he pecaed the correct buttons by habit Laying in bed and staring atthe ceiling, Marty thought about his day. Despite the ansiety he'd woken with he managed to enjoy his long valk don't do that enough he thought to himself. But something occurred to him: he couldn't remember what the aniety was all about It hada’t seemed worth questioning. He ke it as the reason he gone walking ia the first place, though. But what bothered im now was tat, in essences he hada’t done anything ll da. It was a day of nothing. Nothing happened, nothing af consequence oecurred, There wasn'ta single significant event he ‘ould speak of. Marty wondered if was posible that he had rally wasted the whol dy. Mare fell asleep quichy afer thatThe ran beat ceaselessly dur- ing the aight coming in waves of ntensity, When he woke up in the Moed- ing, the window showed 2 leaden sky through water streaked glass The rin was Stil falling. Marty realized between his ees. He sat up in shock, his head spinning. He vas perceiving two distinctly Aliferent scenes. Trying to tunderstand what was hap- pening, he st still and ied to stay calm. He couldn’. Marty groaned, Tn his left eye, Marty saw a diferent picture. The rain. was no longer fling, bat the air diting in through the slighty open window was heavy with the smell of wet Vision suddenly made the world side sideways and brought ona wave of nav Sea. He fel fear creep into his body. Marty groaned