Sunday, August 19, 2007

What to do when...

Today a beggar asked me for money.

I kindly slowed down and explained to him that I already give to charity in the form of computer-idle-time cancer research.

I described how when I’m not using my computer, a screen-saver-like program auto-loads after a user-programmed period of time and connects to master server via the internet -- which for me is a high-speed cable connection-- to link up with other computers across the country in a giant hive-mind network to compute complex mathematical formulas that aid scientists at UC Berkeley understand cancer cell growth.

I further explained that I am often unaware of the good deeds I do, because I generally forget to turn my off my computer. After I finished, I was filled with warmth when I saw a deep appreciation develop in the homeless man's eyes, like sharp daggers of compassion, and the unabashed joy manifest in his clenched teeth and fists.

Seeing his jovial mood I couldn't help but joke that I should be asking him for money to buy me a new laptop.

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