Most of my stories were written to entertain. The Policy is an exception. It was my first serious piece. Appropriately, it was published in a college literary journal, The MacGuffin.
No artwork for this one.
The Policy
E-mail - Monday, March 11
From: SusieK@work.com
To: DannyJ@writersupply.com
Subject: Ring Ring
I've been phoning all morning. And, no Danny! You tied up in meetings again? Now THAT'S a funny picture. Reminds me of when we were kids - the neighborhood bullies roped you and I had to come to little brother's rescue. Anyway, E-mail rules! When I can't get you on the phone, I can always reach you this way. Last Monday's writing group was so much fun. Thanks again for making me join. It feels good to get out again. And, I CANNOT believe that George actually put THAT in his story. Gross!
I do like your latest. I wanted to discuss it at this evening's meeting, but I haven't been feeling well and the doctor can squeeze me in tonight. Tell the gang I said "Hi" and that I'll be there next week.
Oops, almost forgot. Here's our latest stationery order. Please invoice us, as usual.
Susie
___________________________________
From: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
To: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
Subject: E-mail Policy
Gary: I'm getting complaints again that some employees are E-mailing lewd and pornographic material. This stops now. Legal tells me that we're at risk for harassment and hostile environment suits - and you know our financial situation. Please re-distribute our internal E-mail Policy - Today. And - start to monitor this stuff - Yesterday.
___________________________________
From: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
To: All Personnel
Subject: E-mail Policy
This is a reminder that our E-mail system is intended for business purposes only. Employees using E-mail to distribute personal or inappropriate material are subject to disciplinary action, including termination.
Please be aware that we have software that allows us to monitor and to record all Internet site visits and all E-mail messages and we reserve the right to do so. According to firm policy, which you have all signed, employees have no right of personal privacy concerning information created, stored or sent using Firm technology.
___________________________________
From: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
To: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
Subject: Sweeper
It's time to use our new toy. If the Network Sweeper isn't in place, get it installed tonight. We'll meet first thing tomorrow morning and discuss the best way to use it to search everyone's E-mail for sexual references. Should be fun!
__________________________________
From: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
To: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
Subject: Re: Sweeper
Mr. Park,
The Network Sweeper has been ready to go since first of the year, but I've been reluctant to use it. Looking through other people's E-mail seems like steaming open letters. Are you sure this is OK to do?
___________________________________
From: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
To: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
Subject: Re: Sweeper
Listen, we're the good guys on this one. We're looking for pornographers. And if we read innocent E-mail, what's the harm? Do It!
___________________________________
E-mail - Tuesday, March 12
From: DannyJ@writersupply.com
To: SusieK@work.com
Subject: Writers Group
Hey Susie,
We missed you last night! And the cookies you always bring!!! George was in rare form. Sex sex sex. If he's not thinking about it, he's writing about it. He toned it down the last couple of meetings because you're still new to the group - but with you gone...
Anyway, how are you feeling? Nothing too bad, I hope?
We'll get that stationery right out to you - you're our favorite customer you know - even if you are my big sister!
And, could you please, please, please check with your Accounting department. They haven't paid us in months.
Danny
__________________________________
From: SusieK@work.com
To: DannyJ@writersupply.com
Subject: Long Night
Hi Danny,
I'm so GLAD you E-mailed this morning. I didn't want to bother you, but I need to talk. I was up all night - shaking - I couldn't decide whether to call you or not. God, I wish Carl was still alive. He would have held me and listened and talked. And in the morning I would have been OK. I miss him so much. But, I still have you. Listen, I've had a low grade fever for a while and now a rash. The doctor poked and prodded and took lots of blood tests, and Oh, Danny, I'm scared. There was that one guy a couple of months ago - you know - well I was just STUPID. Oh God! Making love should be something beautiful, not something dangerous. I know that the doctor was just being cautious, but he talked about some frightening things.
Call or E-mail as soon as you can.
PLEASE
Susie
___________________________________
From: DannyJ@writersupply.com
To: SusieK@work.com
Subject: Don't Worry
Hey Susie,
Let's meet right after work and talk. I'm sure everything will be OK. You're due for some good luck. I know that this past year has been tough. See you later.
Danny
__________________________________
E-mail - Wednesday, March 13
From: DannyJ@writersupply.com
To: SusieK@work.com
Subject: Morning After
Hey Susie,
How do things look this morning? Went for a drive after leaving your place last night. Far and fast. Got home about 2 am. My turn not to sleep - thinking about you. Reminded me of the night when we were kids and you and dad were driving home from Wisconsin. The wind whipped out of the north and that blizzard roared in. Mom and I sat in the kitchen and talked and waited ... and prayed. Funny, I can still taste the hot chocolate. It burnt my tongue. I can still feel mom's flannel nightgown against my cheek as she held me. The radio blared the weather warnings every fifteen minutes. At one point Mom and I put on our dark winter coats and went outside to watch for you. Two dots in a whirl of white. You and dad eventually got home OK then - and I'm sure that everything will be OK now.
I've had such a charmed life compared to you. First Carl dying, then your breakdown, and now this, just as you're getting back on your feet.
I needed to do something positive while I was up, so I did some research on the Net. Man, there are lots of sites on HIV and AIDs - and you know what - the odds are against you having it. I've attached some links, in case you want to look at them...
love ya
Danny
__________________________________
From: SusieK@work.com
To: DannyJ@writersupply.com
Subject: You're Great
THANKS so much for yesterday, Danny. SORRY to be such a bother. I'll do my best to keep busy and wait for the test results - the doctor said it'll take about a week. Thank heaven for work - it keeps the darkness away. Not sure that I can look at those HIV links right now.
Love you too, Susie
___________________________________
From: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
To: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
Subject: E-mail Sweep
Gary: It's midweek, find anything yet?
___________________________________
From: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
To: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Human Resources wants results. Found anything yet with that expensive toy of yours? "No" equals nothing at bonus time.
___________________________________
From: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
To: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Mr. Park,
I did find some E-mail with the sexual words you asked me to search for, but I don't think the porno culprits wrote these.
___________________________________
From: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
To: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Don't think, just send what you've found to Ellen Marsh in Human Resources.
___________________________________
E-mail - Thursday Morning, March 14
From: SusieK@home.com
To: DannyJ@home.com
Subject: It's 4 in the morning...
...and I just had a dream about Carl. We were all kids again and I was sitting at the kitchen table writing poetry. I SO wanted to be a poet when I grew up. The sun was filtering through the kitchen blinds and flickering on my writing paper. You and Carl tumbled through the kitchen door and fell at my feet, laughing. Carl had an extra mitt.
"C'mon Susie," he said. "Play catch with us". And he smiled THAT smile, you know.
I started to rise from my chair. Then stopped, my face in shadow. "No", I said. "I'm writing important stuff."
Carl hesitated, placed his mitt on the table, then floated over to me. He bent and kissed me on the lips. A whisper of a kiss. He picked up his mitt and as he ran into the sunshine, he called to me. "Susie, you don't know what you're missing," he said.
Oh Danny, I do now, I do now.
As soon as I get to work, I'm calling the doctor. I can't stand this.
Love,
Susie
___________________________________
From: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
To: W. Austin Wood, CEO@work.com
Subject: Financial Risk
Austin: Last evening, I reviewed the E-mail report from Gary Park and discovered a "situation." As you know, with the aging of the firm's workforce, our self-insured medical plan has taken some big "hits" this year. There is now the possibility that one of our lower level managers has contracted AIDS. If this is true, the firm can expect large, long-term medical expenditures. Given our shaky financial status, how would you like me to proceed?
___________________________________
From: W. Austin Wood, CEO@work.com
To: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
Subject: Re: Financial Risk
The firm comes first. Confirm and eliminate.
___________________________________
From: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
To: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Paul: Reviewed the E-mail you forwarded. Regarding SusieK's - please send all to me. And, Paul - Good work!
___________________________________
From: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
To: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Ms. Marsh,
Respectfully, I don't believe that SusieK's E-mail has anything to do with the pornography Mr. Park told me to search for.
___________________________________
From: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
To: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Paul: I have information that you're not privy to. Please forward all of SusieK's E-mail. Now.
___________________________________
From: SusieK@work.com
To: DannyJ@writersupply.com
Subject: Scared
Danny, I couldn't stand the waiting. Called the doctor. No results yet, but he said that based on my symptoms, he's sure I'm HIV positive. help, me
___________________________________
From: DannyJ@writersupply.com
To: SusieK@work.com
Subject: It's OK
Susie,
I'm on my way over. Let's walk and talk. We really don't know anything yet. I have to visit a client, but I'll do that after I see you.
Danny
___________________________________
From: Paul Cho, E-mail Admin@work.com
To: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Ms. Marsh,
I've attached all of SusieK's E-mail, including two from this morning.
___________________________________
E-mail - Thursday Afternoon, March 14
From: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
To: W. Austin Wood, CEO@work.com
Subject: Re: Financial Risk
Austin: I've reviewed the situation. On my way to eliminate the problem.
___________________________________
From: SusieK@home.com
To: DannyJ@writersupply.com
Subject:
oh danny oh danny oh danny
where are you?
what a mess I've made of everything
carl hiv job too
got back from walking with you
they were waiting
"sorry, susie, business bad"
"sorry, susie, job eliminated"
"Sorry Susie"- that's me
oh danny oh danny
the dark is closing in again
i just can't anymore
carl's in the sunshine
this time i'm joining him
good bye danny
good bye
i love u
___________________________________
From: DannyJ@writersupply.com
To: SusieK@home.com
Subject: SUSIE - DON'T I'M ON MY WAY
___________________________________
E-mail - Friday, March 15
From: Ellen Marsh, HR Director@work.com
To: Gary Park, Tech Manager@work.com
Subject: Re: E-mail Sweep
Gary: Just heard. Have Paul Cho delete E-mail trails. Don't forget this one.
___________________________________
E-mail - Three Months Later
From: DannyJ@home.com
To: AuntMinnie@aol.com
Subject: Susie
Hi Aunt Minnie,
So, you finally got a computer! Welcome to E-mail!
Good news here! Susie's on the mend.
Every day I thank God that I checked E-mail when I did - and found her in time. She's staying with me now. I gave her the sunniest room in the house. There are times when she just sits and stares out the window, but there are times, wonderful times, when we talk and write together. She's sitting at the kitchen table making poetry now. She does have important things to say.
Carl can wait.
I haven't told her, but thanks to a kid named Paul Cho, I've been able to piece together what happened. Paul just showed up at my door one day - don't know how he found me - with a folder full of E-mail. Good kid, Paul.
I talked to a lawyer, but - seems there are no privacy laws when it comes to E-mail. So, I've put my word processor to work and started a new story, "The Policy". It's completely fiction, of course. Here's how it starts:
E-mail - Monday, March 11
From: SusieK@work.com
To: DannyJ@writersupply.com
Subject: Ring Ring
I've been phoning all morning. And, no Danny! You tied up in meetings again? Now THAT'S a funny picture....
I think you'll like this story, Aunt Minnie. It has a happy ending.
Love, Danny
p.s. The doctor was wrong. I told her.
