Adoption - Can It All Be So Simple?

The auto-Uber pulls up to the curb at Central Plaza and kicks into idle. I tap my pocket to make sure I am not leaving my keys behind and open the door. As is typical, the auto-Uber begins to roll away before I get a chance to close the door behind me. My corneal display flashes 0.0002 sats drained for the ride. I stare at the auto-Uber as it picks up speed on the way to the next fare with its door still slightly open. Those things are going to kill someone one day, I think to myself. Well, they already have. Just last week I downloaded news on 3 dead in an auto-Uber accident. Glitch in the navigation system, the article said.

I turn towards Central Plaza and think of what I want to listen to for the walk to Starbucks. Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx queues up on command from my media wallet. It may be 40 years old at this point, but the album still bangs and the NFTs are getting more rare by the day. Ghostface’s machine gun vocabulary guides me past a couple of ‘versers sitting motionless outside on benches. Are they so ‘versed out that they can’t even feel how hot it is out here? There’s an air-conditioned world beneath us and they choose to ‘verse here? Scientists have been saying for years that it’s getting unsafe to stay outside for long periods of time, but I guess they are getting a little Vitamin D.

My display dims when I step into the LED lights of the underground plaza and my body immediately tenses up to the latest notification. “brah, u got a couple sats to spare? Mike’s been hounding me for rent”. It could only be Benny. I told him to get his pay in sats long ago. He’s still on Digidollars but he’s had problems minting them ever since he got a little more vocal online about social issues. I’m not sure why he still trusts that stuff after the Fed cut the illegal immigrants off from earning a wage. Laziness. It’s definitely his laziness. I send him a few sats to get him by, with the message “no next time Benny”. Knowing Benny, there will be a next time.

The Starbucks is half full and everyone is ‘versed out at their booths. Their slack jawed faces still creep me out but, after the last couple years of seeing ‘versers more out in the open, I’ve started to get used to it. I step up to the order kiosk and pause for a moment. Damn, D$400 for a coffee now? When did that happen? I paid half that for the ride over here! Reluctantly, I punch in my order and scan the payment QR with my retinal scanner. My corneal display flashes 0.0004 sats drained from my wallet. BTC price is low right now, I have to cut my spending, I remind myself. The Starbuck app on my cranial implant buzzes that my drink is ready as the auto-barista slides the tar filled cup towards me.

I take a seat with my back towards the ‘versers. I can feel their eyes on me, but I know they don’t see me. It’s better than facing them. I take a sip of my coffee (exactly to spec as usual) and start checking some of the missed notifications on my display. A skin from my NFT collection sold on the Fortnite:Redux market last night. I sold it at a loss, but not by that much. I’m eyeing up a low mint first gen Solid Snake skin anyway so it will be a worthwhile trade if I can afford it. My display interrupts my thought. “New Moons Distribution (Round 180)”, it reads and I hurriedly open the post. I’m getting 0.76 MOONs this round! Nice. That’s about D$24,000 at today’s prices. I sit back contently, thinking of blasting fools tonight as Snake and take the last drag of my drink. Benny is a chore, but it’s been a pretty good start to the day otherwise.