Enumerated

He was many numbers. 412-43-8516. 220-203-4895. 2397 (4B). 45000. He lived

in a world of numbers. Ever morning he awoke at 7 and left by 8, left 2397 (4B)

driving A1U4-E56 along I-95 to 6571 on 6th. By 9 he had taken the elevator to 10

and started. He sold numbers. 220-297-1315 wants 3000 of 8643 by the 23rd for

15000, 3rd sale today then lunch at 1. 5.95 for 2 double cheeseburgers at the

corner of 5th and 14th. Back to work by 2 after narrowly avoiding the 32nd

westbound. More sales. 471-938-4133 needs 1500 5921s for the 18th: 11500. Punch

it in the pad, where 5s and 8s become 1s and 0s. 100101000101110. He was 1s and

0s. He was many numbers. The industrial average dropped too low, 35000 laid off.

25.00 to fill A1U4-E56 before driving from 6571 to 2397 (4B) at 4:30, early out

on the last day. Last day #3. Tell wife #2, tell kid #1. Pulled over driving, in

the system. 80 in a 65, A1U4-E56, that’s 150. 150 after last day #3. Last day #3

because the average was too low, the stock down 15% from the numbers projected

for the quarter, off 25% from the 52 week high. Projections were imaginary

numbers. All numbers were imaginary, sort of. But he was real, and he was

numbers; he was many numbers. Numbers like imaginary-that-is, not imaginary-

that-might-be. Not like projections. Sometimes he felt less real, being made of

so much imaginary. 100101000101110. He was 0s and 1s. What is a 0? Nothing. What

is a 1? Not nothing. He was nothings and not nothings and sometimes he felt less

real being made of so much nothing. He was being calculated out of existence. He

was manufactured, shipped, sold, bought, stocked, inventoried, obsoleted,

resold, rebought, restocked, reinventoried, reobsoleted. How many times?

Numerous. Enumerated. Numbered. Calculated. 100101000101110. What’s in a number?

A rose by any other name is 6 for 12. What is a 0? Nothing. What is a 1? Almost-

nothing. He was nothings and almost-nothings and sometimes he felt less real

because he was being calculated out of existence.