Chapter 4  Chip

 

     Mel put the computer on a table in the living room.  He put it by the telephone.  Then he did something to the computer and a face came on the screen.

     It was a woman's face.  "Hi!" the wowan said.  "I'm Chip, talking to you from MegaMonster Movies in California.  I'm going to help you with your computer.  Type 'Help' on the keyboard and wait."

     "You're OK  now," said Mel.  "I'm going back to the Waldorf.  I'll ring you tomorrow to see how things are going." Then he left.

     I typed "Help" and waited.  Chip's face went away.  The computer made a noise.  It was like "Ping!" then Chip's face came back.

     "Hi!" Chip said with a big smile.  "I'm now inside your computer.  When you need help type 'Help'! I can help you use the computer, and help with your spelling and grammar.  And lots more things."

     "What things?" I typed.

     "Wait and see," Chip said.

     Chip was a very good teacher.  With Chip's help I learned to use the computer.  It was easy and it was fun!  I worked all afternoon and into the evening.  And I was happy to work with the computer.

     "why didn't I do this before?" I asked myself.  "Why did I write with a pen? Why was I afraid of computer? Writing like this is quick and easy."

     Then I heard the telephone.  It was Teresa.

     "I'm sorry, Frank," Teresa said.  "I'm still at work.  I'm not coming home tonight.  I'm going to stay in a hotel."

     "Teresa," I said.  "Listen, I want to tell you something.  We're going to be...."

     "I'm sorry, Frank," Teresa said.  "I can't talk now.  Tell me tomorrow.  Goodbye."

     Teresa didn't want to talk.  She was still angry with me.  So I didn't tell her about MegaMonster Movies, the computer and Chip.  I worked on the computer until midnight.  I didn't have anything to eat or drink.

     The next day Mel Parks telephoned.

      "How are you, Frank?" he said.  "Everything OK?"

      "Fine, thank you, Mel," I answered.  "It's a very good computer.  I'm learning to use it."

      "Great," Mel said.  "I'm leaving for California now.  Send me the book by e-mail this week."

       I put down the telephone and started work.  Every Morning was a story about Joe, a young newspaper man in London and the people he knew.

      Fist I typed in the first half of the story from my notebook.  I worked and worked.  I din't think about Chip.  Then the computer went "Ping"! and there was Chip on the screen.

      "Well, Frank," Chip said.  She didn't smile.  "Don't you want me to help? You're not asking for help."

      I wanted to be nice to Chip.  So I typed, "Sorry, Chip.  Please help with spelling."

      The computer made a noise.  Then Chip came back.  "C-o-l-o-r not c-o-l-o-u-r," it said on the screen.

      "No, Chip," I typed.  "C-o-l-o-u-r is British English.  C-o-l-o-r is American."

      "I know what is right," Chip replied.  "The spelling is c-o-l-o-r."

      "Ok," I typed.  Chip went away.  I wasn't happy with the spelling.  "But the movie is American," I thought, "so it's OK to have American spelling."

      An hour later there was a "Ping!" and Chip came back.

      "Frank," she said.  "Let me help you.  Let me help with your story."

      "How can you help?" I asked.

      "Well," Chip replied.  "I don't like Joe's name.  Let's call him Red."

      "But red's a  colour," I typed.

      "C-o-l-o-r," replied Chip.  "Red's a good name."

      "I don't think so," I typed.  "And it's my book."

      "I know best," Chip answered.

     I tried to change Chip's changes, but I couldn't do anything.  So I started work again.  I worked all morning.  I didn't have any breakfast.  I wrote and wrote.  Sometimes Chip came on the screen with more "help".

     I was very thirsty.  Then I heard something in the kitchen.  It was a loud noise.  There was someone in the kitchen! I got up and walked slowly to the kitchen door.  I opened the door quickly.  There was no one there.  But in the microwave there was a cup of hot coffee.  Wow! I wanted a cup of coffee, but I was afraid.  Was there someone else in the flat?  I looked in all the rooms.  I was the only person there.  I took the coffee and went back to the computer.  I typed "Help"! There was a "Ping" and Chip came on the screen.

     "Can I help?" she asked.

     "This cup of coffee," I typed.  "Where did it come from?"

     Chip said nothing.

     "Come on," I typed.  "Tell me."

      Drink the coffee and get back t work," Chip said.

      I wanted to finish the story so I did what Chip said.  At two in the afternoon I heard another noise in the kitchen.  I got up and ran into the kitchen.  There was no one there.  I slowly opened the microwave door.  In the microwave there was a hot meal — spaghetti.  I love spaghetti.  I sat down at the table and ate it.  This time I didn't look in all the rooms.

      I went back to the computer and typed "Help"! When Chip came on the screen I typed "Thank you".  She said, "I hope it was a nice lunch."

      "It was great," I said with a smile.

      I worked all the afternoon.  Then Chip came on the screen.

      "Let's set the book in New York," she said.  "Red now lives in New York, not London.  New York's much better than London."

      "No," I typed.  But when I looked at the screen I saw the book was not set in New York.

      I wasn't happy but I needed to finish the story.  I wrote and wrote.  Then I heard a noise.  There was someone at the door.  I opened the door.  There were two men in white coats with a big television.

      "I'm sorry," I said.  "That's not for me."

      "Mr. Wormold?" one of the men asked.

      "Yes," I said.

      "This is your television," the man said.  "Look."  He had a paper in his hand with my name on it.

      "OK," I said.  "Come in."

      The men put the television in the living room and left.  It was a satellite television with television from all over the world.

      I put the television on.  There was  American football on the television.  I sat down in front of the television and watched football.

     There was a "Ping" from the computer.  Chip was there.  "Come on, Frank," she said.  "Let's do some more work."

      I wanted to watch more television, but Chip was right.  I needed to work.  I turned the television off and went back to the computer.