Ever worked in an call centre? or in retail? How about gone shopping in the middle of the day? Sat down after a busy day just wanting to relax?
what do all these things have in common. How you seemingly know you won't be able to relax, even if there is a Lull, It Spontaneously gets Busy, as if everyone gets the same Idea to do the SAME thing right at the same time. be at the same place as you at the same time, or know that you're no longer busy at the same time and decide to call you/visit you/ask for your help.
there has to be something linking all these people, because there is no particular reason for it from an outside influence -- Adam in Darwin
Telepathy is difficult to accomplish naturally. Sub-telepathy, on the other hand, is easier than one might think. Pack-bonding species tend to develop it as yet another survival instinct. Of course, it can backfire spectacularly.
In a survival situation, it's beneficial to the pack to get the feeling that one's pack-mate is experiencing extended trouble. Help can arrive in shorter order and the pack functions better as a whole. The feeling of Packmate Needs Me is subtle and can be mistranslated into the wrong action.
Which explains how Humans can have days that go entirely sideways, and simultaneously backwards through a bramble bush. Human Si was having such a day. It began, as such days generally do, with an anxiety-induced early morning. With a project of minor urgency decided on as something to get out of the way to make the day easier. It never works like this. Let's watch the sub-telepathic signal at work...
It starts with the children. It always starts with the children. They are more sensitive to their instincts and the Packmate Needs Me sensation translates directly into I Need Packmate because children are hard-wired to be sure of their own survival. All anecdotal evidence to the contrary is down to bad decisions and inexperience on the part of the child.
Smallest ones first, they wake. No matter how quiet Human Si was being, how careful they were being with what they were doing, or how soundly the children normally sleep. In this case, the Human Nests' toddler, Thain, emerged from their rest with a continuing grumbling whine that loosely translated to, "I don't know what's wrong, but something most definitely is, pay attention to me."
The quiet work had to go on hold as Human Si picked up the grumbling child and attempted to soothe them. Then, like a thousand dogs barking at the sound of one dog barking[1], the other children rose to find out what the fuss was, ending up being fussy themselves.
The end result is one of those early mornings that end up taking longer to do literally everything because everyone is miserable. Breakfast is started, and then so is an argument. The argument is settled, but breakfast is ruined because one of the key steps was interrupted in the resultant chaos.
Bedmates roused and only exacerbated the problem.
By then, the Packmate Needs Me signal had spread out to non-family members. Which manifested in completely the wrong directions. Which meant that every single person who could call Si did so. Usually when Si was up to their elbows in important, yet menial tasks.
By lunch, they had already had enough shenanigans to last them the week. So when they were finally able to take a rest break, and the next caller called, the conversation went thusly:
"Good passage of time to you, Mx Human Si, you may have already won a free--"
"I am no longer participating in today. Thank you for whatever this is. I am no longer capable of rational cogniscent thought, so I am no longer participating."
"...luxury trip to-- pardon?"
"I am no longer participating in today. Thank you."
The caller may have ended the communication simply out of sheer confusion, but Human Si had definitely created a very useful phrase.
[1] "One dog barks at the moon, and a thousand dogs bark at the sound of one dog barking," -- Confucius, allegedly.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / bbbar]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends!
Send me a prompt [91 remaining prompts!]
