Today in Pray-Harrold, there was a used book sale. After getting our after-Audition coffee, before our outside-Quirk cigarette, Sid and I perused the literature. Lots of philosophy, some economics, lots of logic... and a BASIC programming book from 1978. Naturally, I bought it for $1.00. (Along with Marx Selections and Classic Essays in English.) To my surprise and delight, inside of the front cover of Basic BASIC: An Introduction To Computer Programming in BASIC Language's Second Edition by James S. Coan, there was a folded peice of notebook paper - now yellow with age. At first, I thought the paper was blank but upon closer inspection discovered faded handwriting in pencil, written and spaced very much like this:
"Karen
- Thanks for the book -
Sorry about missing the last bundle on the route yesterdays.
- I would like to start going out with you -
call me tonight if you have any time -
- Tim"
(The word "last" is written above the other words, as if Tim had put it in as an afterthought. And yes, it does say "yesterdays".)
Who's Karen? Who's Tim? What book is he referring to? Basic BASIC? Or is he giving her the BASIC book? Or is it some other book entirely? Did he ever even send Karen the note? Did they end up going out? What bundles? "The route yesterdays"?
I am incredibly intrigued.
There are, however, no more clues in the book. There is a similarly faded peice of blank scratch paper at the beginning of the chapter on Loops and Lists, but no annotations from Tim, Karen, or anyone else. Thus, it remains a mystery. I do hope everything turned out well for Tim and his Karen; Tim has inspired me with his bold note more than he will ever know - and assured me that there may be some hope for geeky love.
**Note: It was later suggested that Tim and Karen are actually employed doing some sort of delivery and Tim wants to start making deliveries with Karen. I still think that they are in love.
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