Starry eyed

Heart of Ajs An'hlj

I: Hello Mrs C, thank you for this opportunity.

Voices of little children playing interspaced with laughter set a comfortable ambience.

This is perfect.

Mrs C gave a kind smile: I'm more than happy.

Her voice trembles with age.

I: Can you tell me how it happened?

Mrs C shifts position. Her frail frame chasing comfort in the cushioning of an old chair: Well, you know, I was young and you could say I was stupid. I knew everything that could happen...I needed money. I was browsing the internet and this...this ad caught my eye.

Mrs C pauses.

Mrs C: You should know that I do NOT click random ads on the net. But this one. It struck a chord. I have forgotten what the ad had said...

But this I know...If you show me that ad again today at this moment, I could spot it in a second. That...that obnoxious pink.

Whatever the words were, it mentioned something like I'd get money just to click on it. So I thought Sure! What the hell...I clicked on it. First time I went to that site I don't think I understood anything more than 'enhance your life' and 'live your best life scientifically!'

I left it at that. Found there was no point reading about it. Heavens! I even forgot about it.

Mrs C pauses. This time I suspect it was more for effect. She looks at me right into my eyes. Five seconds later I'm really uncomfortable.

Mrs C continues, eyes wide open: Fifteen days later I found 7 dollars credited to my account. I looked into where it came from. It was the same name from that site. An'hlj and Ajs Co.

So I went back. Determined to read everything.

Now, don't you expect me to remember the exact words. I carefully read everything.

Twice. Thrice.

What it said, what I understood was that... they would deliver this kit to my doorstep. It had all sorts of non-invasive medical recording devices. They had this wristband that I had to wear at all times. Then there were some things like B.P and Blood Sugar recording devices, thermometer and other medical appliances. All those things that I could measure for myself. Everything that I went through like my mood for the day and any form of beverage I  had had had to be input on the site itself along with my other readings. And of course! the guy who came to deliver had to collect a spit sample. Some sort of gene testing.

It explicitly mentioned that I could discontinue anytime I wanted. The catch was every time I input a minor detail I'd get paid.

I shouldn't need to tell this. I was far from quitting. I tried to put in every bit of information I had on that site. Those that were required and especially those that were not. The payment was instant. The gratification was instant. It was a little log book of my life. Half of those ten-fifteen years was spent surfing that site. The other half was on doing things that I would later input. I even daydreamed about the face of that site and the feel of my fingers on the keyboard as I went about my daily life.

Mrs C stopped talking.

I got up to make some tea.

Fifteen minutes of silence and clinking. The children playing outside had gone home.

After a while, Mrs C smirked: You know I even got more of those medical appliances off the internet with the money I earned from that site. Some upgrade...