jchien@leland.stanford.edu



     The telnet window
        "36.21.0.69"
     login: jchien
     password: ********
     DSO Login
        Last login: Fri Mar 20 00:04:11

     I called my friend the other night.
        ring ring ring
     "Hello?"   yes?  eager --
        "I'm not in right now,
     but if you leave a message,
     I'll get back to you as
     soon as I can."
        Ten days later, no sound,
     not even a message on my machine.

        > mail michael:     
     "Just thought to say 'hi'.
     Where are you?  I haven't seen you
     in days.  Write me back, ok?"
        New mail has arrived ...
     From: Mail Delivery Subsystem
     Returned Mail: User unknown

        "Spring break," I said with anticipation,
     "I'll be staying on campus."
        Curious glances.  "What for?"
     "Peace and quiet.  I'll paint a mural
     on my wall, sit on Lake Lag shore,
     bake in the sun, write poetry.  I
     have a few friends who live around
     here."
        The clouds gathered gray today.
        Looked like rain.

        karin has logged on ttyp5 from Tresidder-LaIR
     > write karin:
        "Maybe we can spend some time
     together, shopping or something
     now that finals are over?"
        EOF
     Message from karin@leland.stanford.edu on ttyp5 ...
        "Oh, I forgot to tell you
     I'm going to Washington for two weeks."
     EOF

        knock knock
     Open the door to see
        "Michael!" hug
     "Um," he says, "I came to talk
     about our relationship.  I'll
     be busy for the next six weeks,
     thesis and all.  Since we don't
     see each other that often, I
     would feel better if we
     were just friends."
        "Oh."
     Close the door behind us.

        > rn -t
     *** 1024 unread in alt.personals? [ynq]
        n
     *** 1 unread in rec.arts.poems? [ynq]
        y
     From: n1234@cray.com (Joe Blow)
     Re: "jchien@leland.stanford.edu"
        Quite frankly, your poetry sucks.
     Learn to write or take a class
     to save us the trouble of reading
     your work.  Thank you.
     _End of article_ [npq]
        q

     An often-inserted key
        slips smoothly into doorlock;
     white macintoshes deck the tables
        the corner one my favorite.
     Doubleclick the MacIP icon
        call up the telnet program.

     > logout


     
     --jennifer crystal chien