Wednesday, November 26, 2014

The Library at Emmetsville (FF)




The Library at Emmetsville had been the center of this small New England town since the 18th Century.  Folks from far and wide congregated there to read, learn, and discuss ideas.

But in the early 21st Century most people stayed home, glued to the Internet. And after a number of cutbacks, it was decided the library would close.

Then a massive virus struck the Internet, wiping out half of all the books ever written, over 80% of existing cat videos, and dinner reservations at Olive Gardens nationwide.

Confidence in the Internet extinguished, people turned back to books and the Library once more became the center of Emmetsville.  And the Internet, well, there would always need to be a home for cat videos.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So a computer virus saves the books of the world. Great!  But most importantly, if you have a reservation at Olive Garden anywhere in the United States, it also saves you!

That's the story today according to my Friday Fictioneers response to the prompt above.  The responses of the many other Fictioneers are available by clicking here, so please click away and then how about we meet over at the Library at Emmetsville to discuss them? 

AND NO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR CAT VIDEOS! 

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Three cheers for the Emmetsville Library Revival!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the beginning of a cyberpunk novel- invaluable knowledge getting lost in a place where you're supposed to be able to find anything. There's some fantastic dramatic irony in that.

Sandra Crook said...

Hey, don't knock the cat videos. They're often the cream of the output on internet. :) Good one Perry.

Dawn said...

I'm with Randy! Hip hip horay!

Unknown said...

Love it. If only, if only.

draliman said...

Nooo, not the poor car videos :-)
Funny story, but it could happen... a cautionary tale to all those who want to close our libraries down.

brudberg said...

I think one might even start to enjoy the real cats.. I think the printed word will always be needed..

margirene said...

I wonder if that virus originated in the Emmetsville Library. Who knows what latent talents the memberrs of the Tuesday Morning Book Club might have? Great story.

Dawn Q. said...

Whatever it takes... save the libraries!

Perry Block said...

And three cheers for that virus too!

Perry Block said...

Good suggestion! Cyberpunk be me! And thanks for writing.

Perry Block said...

Thanks,Sandra. That's the sad thing - they are often the cream of the internet. Hold the cream for me!

Perry Block said...

Thank you and Randy! Wish I were hip hip too.

Perry Block said...

Sometimes I wish the internet would go away and things return to the way they used to be. But I certainly wouldn't want to go back to typewriters.

Perry Block said...

Yep, keep the libraries open, cut down on the cat videos, and all's well.

Perry Block said...

True. I just hope the printed word will be somewhere other than on the side of my Coco Krispies box.

Perry Block said...

Never thought of that. Great job, Madame or Mr. Librarian!

Perry Block said...

You got it, Dawn. I'm on it!

Anonymous said...

Cat Videos ... Internet ... Cat Videos ... Internet

Hey, I thought they were one in the same.

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said...

Dear Perry,

Don't forget the puppy videos to go with the cat videos. Oh, and then there are fifty Thanksgiving turkey, green bean casserole and pumpkin pie snapshots. (I live for those).

There's no substitute for the library. Good job.

shalom,

Rochelle

Douglas MacIlroy said...

Dear Perry,

Your dystopian future is closer to reality than you think. Funny and prescient do not often go together but this week, in The Library at Emmetsville, they do. Well done.

Aloha,

Doug

Rochelle Wisoff-Fields said...

Oy, did I say fifty...I meant fifty thousand on Facebook.

Perry Block said...

They are, Mike. And everyone who posts a cat video assumes that you and I love their cats every bit as much as they do. Which of course we do!

Perry Block said...

Maybe I just blocked out the turkey snapshots. Thanks heavens for the Friday Fictioneers or there'd be nothing of substance around here!

Perry Block said...

Thank you, Doug. Meet you there by the vending machine. If they have one.

Anonymous said...

The Emmetsville Public Library is wonderful - they did it! Now all they need is a cape and some masks for their members. This is so flippin funny Perry! You made me laugh again! I like the cat videos but, I've never made reservations at Olive Garden online. Good story and finally relief for our pent up hostility toward cats (personally, I like doggies better, but they are so dumb! Have a good week oh, and there are 4 vending machines in the break room. Nan :)

Russell said...

You just like the library because that's where all the spinsters hang out that you hit on. I can just hear your pick-up line, "Hey baby, wanna get together and write our own romance novel?"

Anonymous said...

Isn't the internet the only reason people go to the library anymore? LOL

Fun stuff here, Perry. What would we do without all those darling kitty vids?

Cheers!
Marie Gail

Unknown said...

Lovely write ... and hopefully we don't need to wipe out Internet to keep our books ... :-/