The Choice
“Well, it’s your turn now. It’s time for you to make your choice.”
Quaid sat in an armless wooden chair in the middle of a large office, the only unornamented part of his eloquent surroundings. Everything else in the room screamed of wealth and boasted of success. Two well groomed men in perfectly fitted business suits sat behind two desks, spaced just far enough apart so that each could be seen from the lowly chair with a simple turn of Quaid’s head. They were brothers, as amazingly identical in appearance as they were different in their opinions, yet both equally indispensable in the business operations.
“As you know,” explained the man on the right, “we’ve always had a strict policy of offering the latest and greatest company products first to our dedicated employees. From the top scientists and engineers to the janitorial workers and kitchen help, from those who have worked here for decades to those who started last week, everybody gets free access to our accomplishments before the product is released to the general public.”
“In your case,” added the man on the left with a snide tone, “it’s both the kitchen help and last week’s new hire.”
The two men stared at Quaid for a few moments until he responded with nervous uncertainty. “Um...I do appreciate the offer. My coworkers have told me that it’s the best part of the job.”
“Yes, despite the costs, it has been a policy that we feel has won a high level of loyalty from the company employees, thus helping us progress in the long run. But I will admit, there has been some disagreement between my brother and I about the offering of our latest breakthrough, since it is indeed a monumental achievement and is only available at great expense,” explained the man on the left.
“Of course,” injected the man on the right, “you always have the choice to decline the offer, if it doesn’t suit you. So far, this latest product has been declined by a good number of employees.”
“Which absolutely boggles my mind, considering the immensity of our generous offer in this case. Sure, it saves us money when somebody turns it down, but I’d advise you to take this offer while you’ve got the chance.”
Again the two men dropped into an awkward silence, waiting for some response from the figure in the center of the room. Quaid’s fingers drummed on the side of his legs, eyes shifting from one man to the other. Finally, he drew a deep breath and admitted, “I honestly don’t know what it is that you’re offering me. Nobody has told me about the product yet.”
Both men smiled and the one on the left muttered, “Of course...you’re not in a position to know much. We’ll have to explain. Or actually, I’ll allow my brother here explain.”
“Very well. This is definitely our biggest breakthrough ever, and will nearly give mankind what it has been seeking since the beginning of time. You see, Mr...” the man paused to look at a pile of notes on his desk, “Mr. Quaid Lancaster. We have approached the question of longevity, or even immortality, in a completely different way than it has ever been approached before. Where generations of the greatest minds have addressed the question of perfect health, mortal survival, or even invincibility from a medical or pharmaceutical standpoint, we have approached it in a very new way, with wonderful results. You see, we came to understand that sickness, hardship, suffering, stress, and even death itself is caused not so much by intrusive outside elements, but by ourselves, from within. It is our own choices that have consequences which lead to most ailments, trials, or death. So, rather than striving to treat the symptoms or the results of those choices along the way, we decided to approach the challenge from a programming standpoint. We could remove the causes of most suffering by changing the way people behave in the first place.”
“Look,” interrupted the man on the left. “The easiest way to explain is that we’ve got a software solution to man’s hardware problems. We can implant a simple, non-intrusive device that can make everything that ails you obsolete. You won’t even catch a common cold. We don’t know how long it will last, but we’re pretty sure it’s indefinite. You could live forever, or at least never experience so much as a mild case of depression. You’ll be happy, healthy, and as perfect as a human has ever been before. So, it‘s your call. Want it?”
After some thought, which seemed to make the man on the left shuffle impatiently, Quaid scratched his head and queried, “I don’t see how a piece of software could stop a person from becoming unhappy. I think I’m like most people out there, and I know that there are a lot of things in life that bring the ups and the downs. How can it take away the downs?”
The man on the left shook his head. “You wouldn’t understand the details. The science and intricate programming is way over your head. I’ll try to dumb it down for you. Let’s say that your marriage makes you unhappy. Well, that’s because you either chose a marriage partner with whom you couldn’t ultimately find compatibility. Or perhaps you are indulging in behavior which is not conducive to a happy marriage. The program knows these things, and from the moment the choice arrives, it insures that you make the choice that ultimately makes you happy. Maybe you don’t marry that woman, or you stop the behavior that’s putting a wedge between you. Or in another example, let’s say that you drink too much, and that causes you to come home and treat your children in a way that fosters disrespect and contempt. The device would understand the relationship between your bad habit and your bad relationship with your family, and would choose the path that takes you away from drinking.” The man paused to laugh, then added, “or away from your children.”
“And the common cold? How is that cured?” Quaid asked sincerely.
This time the man on the right answered succinctly, “The device would not let you come in contact with anything that could give you the virus. The possibility of catching the cold in the first place is removed. So, it’s not a question of a ’cure’ but a matter of avoiding the condition in the first place.”
“But how?”
“Come on man!” the man on the left nearly shouted. “I told you-- the ‘how’s” are beyond your comprehension. It just works! So take your chance to go through a long, satisfying life free of all worries, and we’ll go on with our business.”
“You said I have a choice, right?”
“Yes,” responded the man on the right patiently. “You have a choice...now. After the implant, your choices end, and your easy, carefree life begins.”
Quaid looked stunned. “Then, I would no longer have a choice?”
“No, you wouldn’t,” replied the man on the left. “You wouldn’t need to choose. The device would choose for you, for your own good. You wouldn’t make mistakes. In fact, we wouldn’t even be able to remove the program once it’s installed, because the program would know that it would cause you pain and wouldn’t allow us to do it. It’s permanent. But it’s worth it!”
“So, you’ll be taking the device?” Quaid asked, looked toward the man on the left.
“Of course not. But it’s different for me. I have to stay the way I am, out of necessity, for the good of the company, and for the good of everybody who chooses to receive the implant. I’m sure you understand.”
The man on the right again offered a quick explanation. “He won’t take the device because he wants to keep choosing his destiny, one way or another.”
The man on the left crunched his face as if insulted by the remark. “Look brother, it’s not like that. I’d use it if I could, but it just wouldn’t work. You know you couldn’t run this place alone. I’m needed the way I am.”
Quaid looked to his right long enough to see a slight grin and a wink. “And you sir?” he asked the man.
“I won’t be using the device either. I prefer to take life as it comes, complete with it’s miseries and trials. That’s my choice. It can be your choice as well.”
“And he’ll probably die of a heart attack tomorrow, or a disgruntled, bitter old man in another fifty years. But he will die. You, on the other hand, may not die. You can take this chance right now and you’ll be ultimately better off than my brother will ever be, because the device won’t allow you to take a path that would make your life as miserable as his.”
“I might be hit by a truck the moment I leave this office,” Quaid offered as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Or maybe I’ll get food poisoning working in the kitchen.”
“With the device, it would be highly unlikely. The dangers would be identified before you were even aware they were there, and the choice would be automatically made to prevent you from stepping in front of that car, or taking that nasty bite. I’m telling you, it’s all about prevention. We know this to be true.”
“It sounds too good to be true,” Quaid commented, mostly to himself.
“It’s very good!” proclaimed the man on the left. “And it’s very true!”
“Should I do it?” Quaid asked the man on the right, who still sat with a relaxed demeanor.
“The choice is entirely up to you. I want that to be clear. It’s a big decision, and shouldn’t be made lightly. If these kinds of choices trouble you, then perhaps the device is the kind of thing you need. Then there wouldn’t be a way for you to make the wrong one.”
“Is every choice necessarily right or wrong?”
“Yes,” answered the man on the left.
“No,” answered the man on the right. “Some choices are inconsequential, and maybe we’ll never know where one path or the other would have led. Some choices are just...different.”
“But why take the risk?” added the man on the left with a big smile. “Take the path of least resistance. That’s what I say. But yeah, it’s up to you.”
Quaid bowed his head and closed his eyes. He wanted to shut the two men and the fancy surroundings out of his mind. He wanted to understand clearly, which often could only be done when everything else was shut out. As he sat in that state of meditation, he could hear hands drumming on a wooden desk to his left. Then a voice from the same side whispered, “Who is next on the list? Hopefully somebody more clever than this fellow.”
“It’s Drummond, from engineering,” whispered a voice on the right. “He’s probably waiting outside.”
“Good. He’ll know what’s going on. I like smart people.”
Quaid opened his eyes and raised his head. “OK. I choose to stay the way I am. I’ll pass on the offer. But thanks for asking.” He stood from his chair and turned toward the door.
“Are you sure?” asked the man on the right.
“Figures,” grumbled the man on the left. “Simpleton.”
“Yes, I’m sure. I’ll return to my job now. It’s about time for the noon rush in the cafeteria, so I better hurry back.”
Quaid strode to the beautifully carved office door and stepped out, brushing past a few men and women who were waiting in the foyer just outside. He stopped at the receptionist desk where he was to report after his interview. A large woman asked his name.
“Quaid Lancaster.”
“Will you be staying or leaving us?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Are you taking the offer or not?”
“I’m not.”
“Then you’ll be staying with us,” she grinned. “Everybody who has taken the offer has refused to return to work after implementing the device. Nobody can convince them to stay with the company. But, since you declined the offer, I suppose you’ll be staying?”
“Yes, I need the work. Thank you.” Quaid flashed a smile back at the lady, but as he walked the long corridors back to the kitchen, a wave of dread overcame him. Had he made the best choice?