New Session

@anewsession.com

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The world's foremost telnet literary magazine. Submissions for issue 3 (Summer, 2025) are open: https://anewsession.com/issue3

A story from new session on a black and white screen, on a grey laptop with a trackball
An Old Man's Story by June Martin It's a secret number, you just punch it in. My grand-dad taught it to me, got it from his. Tommy Watson. Don't fall for that Thomas shit, no one who knew him would say that. Inventor of the phone, you know. The real one. Bell barely did anything. No listen to me. Listen to me. Bell got people on the line. But it's not for that. It's a weapon. Yeah, a weapon. Oh look it's a crazy old drunk, oh he's deluded. I got a perfect mind of glass. Don't you worry about that, friends. Phones make a network. You get them to build a network. Back then it was just wires, that was bad enough. Now it's signals. Can't throw a hatchet on your back and go protect your town like ol grand-dad. Look I'll show you. Give me your phone. Because I don't carry one, that's why. Too dangerous. You'll see. You, what's your phone number? Thanks kid, love your attitude. So you just pop the right stuff in, then the phone number of the recipient and hey, there you go. Stop trying, he's not gonna wake up. I called him off this mortal coil. And be quiet. Thank you. Christ. back (index) next An Old Man's Story by June Martin, page 1
I sat dumbfounded for a moment and wondered about asking another question; I was a bit of an outsider having only been at these classes three weeks under this after-school plan. and I had been trying to "fit in" by hiding as much as possible and being on board the Jesus train! My family had been religious in almost no way other than the holidays and beyond coloring eggs for Easter and of course Christmas cheer (and quite a outsized portion of that) I knew almost nothing of the Bible or Jesus post-birth. I knew as much or more about other religions though. For reasons...