RJ--if there are--joining the

Sophie saw the class in the adult education section of the University of Colorado's outreach program. Introduction to the Internet. Specifically designed for those of you who have never touched a computer. Classes will be held in Norlin Library

"That's me. I'm signing up." Sophie told Amy about it the next day. "Got to figure out what these power hungry monstrosities are really like."

She was the first to show up that morning and waited, leaning back against the doorway to the computer lab. She watched as a man with wild white hair charged up the stairs, pens and papers flying. "Late again, I guess," he said as he reached her "Or maybe not so late. You here for the oldtimer's internet class? You the only one so far? Guess so. I'm Bill. I'm teaching this."He put down his books on the computer lab front desk and ran his thick fingers through his hair.

"So far," she said. "I'm Sophie. I want to know what these electronic contraption things do. How do they keep all that information on them? They keep track of everything you buy in the grocery store, you know. Every single item. They know more about you than you do yourself, according to those magazine articles. And then they sell the information to anyone who wants it, even to those stalkers who kill those kids." Sophie kept on harping about the evils of the modern age as Bill bustled about the room, turning on lights and power strips and pressing the start buttons on a row of Power Macs.

"They aren't all bad. I been doing computers for 40 years. Since before the mainframes. Before punch cards. All this internet stuff is just fancy. Just fancy." Bill muttered.

Bill busied himself with making sure the computers were on and that Netscape was running on all of them. Others began to come in:

A woman in a bright purple cape and tennis shoes who swept into a chair with regal grace.
A short, bustling woman with long white braids down her back, who quietly took the seat nearest the exit, ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble.
An elderly man with a baseball cap pulled down over his eyes who shuffled quietly to the corner computer.
A balding, wiry blue-jeaned man who began to reach out his hand to touch the mouse--recoiling several times as if it were an unfriendly rattlesnake.

"Not too big a crowd today. Guess Saturday morning is a little too early to wake up to these things. But I'm glad you are here--the internet is a fascinating place to connect, to see what is going on out there." Bill started in.

joining the / river's flow / is the only / way to / welcome in / anything beyond / our skin

if there are / other waters / we can not / know them / all we see / in rivers / is their presence