The Story of My Telepathic Life

Benny Johnson's Story

I had a great life.

I was 27 years old, and worked at the Help Center. I used to live with Aunt Clara, but after Aunt Clara Went Away, Vernon got me an apartment right next to the Help Center. Vernon was my Main Man. I really liked Vernon. He was the best black friend I ever had. Noel was my black friend too, but not nearly as nice as Vernon.

I had a great life. By day I rode in the hover van and delivered meals to old people. By night I walked home to my little apartment (which was right next to the Help Center... did I mention that?) and I nuked a stasis dinner and watched Rustabunny. There were exactly 212 episodes of Rustabunny and I had seen each episode an average of 14 times. Some episodes I had seen as few as 12 times; but there was one episode, the one where Rustabunny goes to the planet of the Amazons, which I had seen more than 20 times.

I loved delivering food to old people. The voices inside of them were full of joy and thankfulness. It washed over my like water in the shower. They were so nice, so grateful! And Vernon My Main Man was always thanking me too. The voices inside of him kept saying what a nice guy I was, and how glad he was that he could watch over me like Aunt Clara used to.

Sometimes I helped in other ways. One night I helped get everything set up for White Lesbian Bingo Night at the Help Center and someone forgot to set up the holoprojector. I knew how to set it up because Vernon My Main Man taught me. Noel helped me set it up. Noel was my second favorite black friend at the Help Center. I liked him but he couldn't be my Main Man because Vernon was My Main Man. As we set it up I saw Mr. Anderson coming towards us. I said to Noel, "We'll need the wheelchair for Mrs. Tish at table 14, and the special reader for Mrs. Johnstone at table 16." And then Mr. Anderson came up to me and said, "Benny, can you bring the wheelchair to table 14, and the high mag reader for table 16?"

"Of course, Mr. Anderson," I said.

Noel did something funny with his mouth as Mr. Anderson left us. "Benny, how you know that?"

"How I know what?" I asked.

"About what Mr. Anderson was gonna say? He ever say that to you before?"

I shrugged. "Sometimes. Always different tables, though."

"Benny, how did you know which tables he was going to say this time?"

"It was the voice," I said, as I pulled the neck up on the holoprojector. It was stuck. It was always getting stuck!

"What voice?" Noel asked.

"The voice inside him," I said.

**********

The next day, Noel came up to me at lunchtime and asked me if I'd like to meet a special friend of his.

"All right, where is he?" I asked, looking around.

"He's not here, Benny," said Noel. "He's across town."

"I can't walk that far," I said. Kenny drove the hover van which delivered food to old people, and I got out at every address and made the delivery, but I didn't drive myself. I started to move away, but Noel grabbed my arm. "Wait, Benny. I can drive you, in my grav car."

"When?"

"Around 6. Right after work."

"I don't know. Rustabunny is on at 7."

"I'll have you back in plenty of time for Rustabunny."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

*********

We drove to a place I had never been before. It was called the Happy Fun Entertainment Center. It sounded like a nice place. It was filled with fancy round tables and funny lights and bright carpets. Noel took me to a back office where a big man sat behind a desk. The little voice inside of him said his name was Mario Carlo, and the little voice asked if I could really be the one that Noel had been talking about.

"He the one?" said Carlo.

"Yes, sir," said Noel.

"What's your name, son?"

"Benny. Benny Johnson," I said.

"Benny, can you read minds?" Carlo asked.

I looked confused. "I can read holobooks, sir."

Is he for real?

Carlo's inside voice asked.

"He, he can do it, sir," said Noel. "Benny, I'm going to think of a number. I'm thinking of it now. Can you tell me what number I'm thinking of?"

"No."

Carlo's eyebrows started to come together. It was an odd look. His little voice started to talk about people named Vito and Carmine hurting Noel. I didn't like hearing that kind of talk!

"Benny-"

"I don't know what you're thinking Noel," I said.

What an odd question!

"But the little voice inside of you is shouting three, over and over-"

"That's it! Three, that was it!"

Carlo did that thing with his eyebrows again. "Let me try it," he said. "All right Benny, I'm going to think of a number, and I want you to tell me what the little voice inside me is-"

"Twenty three," I said promptly.

Carlo's eyebrows shot up. He looked much happier that way.

*********

Carlo offered me a job at the Happy Fun Entertainment Center.

"But I already have a job!" I protested.

This was a

different

job, for the evening. All he wanted me to do was to tell him what people's little voices were saying. What a silly job! "Why can't you just listen to them?" I asked.

Carlo put an arm around me. "Because I like it when

you

tell me what they say, Benny."

That was nice! Carlo was being friendly now.

"And it pays five credits an hour."

Five credits!

I made three at the Help Center.

I would be rich!

But still... I was used to working for Vernon My Main Man. I had never worked for anyone else. I really wasn't sure about this....

Carlo snapped his fingers. "Savannah."

A woman with bright yellow hair wearing a dress with showed her Big Floppy Things came walking over. She didn't just walk over, she kind of

swam over

. "Benny, this is Savannah. You two will be working closely together."

"Hello, Benny," she said, with a big smile.

I was floored! Savannah was so beautiful. And her Big Floppy Things were just almost hanging out there, waiting for anyone to see! I loved Big Floppy Things. I polished my armor to thoughts of Big Floppy Things. And now they wanted to give me a job... where I could see Big Floppy Things all the time?

I was all ready to say yes, when I realized....

There was still one problem.

Rustabunny.

Rustabunny came on at 7. I told Carlo my problem. He was really nice about it. He said Vito or Carmine could pick me up at 7:30. And they would have me home by bedtime! Aunt Clara told me I had to get to bed by 10, but Vernon My Main Man told me I was a man now and could stay up until 11. So we were all set!

********

Carmine picked me up early. Savannah was with him. They told me they were going to take me shopping first. Shopping? I already bought ham and cheese and bread. What did I need to go shopping for?

"We're going to buy you a suit, Benny," said Savannah.

I already

had

a suit, a black one I wore when Aunt Clara Went Away. But Savannah told me they were going to buy me an even nicer suit. Was that really possible?

The salesman at the store was very nice. Savannah whispered something to him and he picked a suit out for right away. I tried it on and it looked really good. I know that because Savannah told me so! But I realized I couldn't afford it. It was 300 credits! Savannah told me not to worry, that Carlo was paying for it, because he really liked me.

I was starting to really like Carlo at this point, and if I didn't already have a Main Man I might have seriously considered Carlo for the position.

We entered the Happy Fun Entertainment Center that evening and all the tables were crowded. But Carlo had set aside a table just for us! It was right next to a table where people were playing something their little voices inside called "atomic poker". Carmine went to the table and sat down and started playing.

Savannah asked if I wanted anything to drink and I told her yes ma'am, I'd like a glass of water. She went up to get it. She still walked like she was swimming underwater. I liked the look of it, her backside wiggled and all. And her front! She was wearing another one of those dresses which showed off her Big Floppy Things. I had a feeling I would have to polish the armor really good tonight before I'd be able to fall asleep.

Savannah came back with my water and a green drink for herself. She told me that she wanted me to look into the little voices inside the people at the next table and tell me what kind of cards they had. Savannah showed me holographic cards and told me about the numbers and the letters.

I frowned. It was all so complicated. "Can't we just do Bingo?"

"No, Benny."

"I'm much better at Bingo."

"Let's try this and see how it goes, hm?"

Carmine was playing with two other people. Savannah wanted me to tell her what was on the little holographic cards the other people had. I couldn't see the cards, of course, but the voices in their minds were talking about them constantly. It was hard to miss.

"The guy on the left, the one who looks like a walrus, he has a black four, a red seven, a red ten, a black nine, and a j."

"What color j?"

"A.. a red one."

"And the other player?"

The other player had a tall neck, like a giraffe man. He has a black two, a red two, a red q, a black jay and..."

"And what, Benny?"

"The letter A."

When I said that, Carmine seemed to smile. He seemed to hear everything I said even though he was sitting a table away. Maybe Carmine could hear the little voices inside me like I could him.

This went on for some time. The first game ended and Carmine felt very happy.

"Did he win?" I asked Savannah.

"He did, Benny. Thank you!"

"For what?" I said.

Savannah pinched my cheek and smiled at me. She had me listen to peoples' little voices for the next hour or two. It got boring after a while and I found myself distracted by her Big Floppy Things. Then I checked my chrono. "Savannah, I have to get to bed now!"

"Soon, Benny. What cards do the other people have?"

"Savannah, Vernon My Main Man says I have to get to bed by 11, and it's 10:30 now!"

"Benny, just tell us the cards."

Suddenly Carmine groaned, and shook his head in disgust as someone cheered next to him. Savannah sighed and looked away for a moment.

Carlo came by my table. "I hear you did pretty well tonight, Benny." He turned to Savannah. "How many was it, seven hands in a row?"

"Eight," said Savannah.

"Eight," said Carlo. "Very good, Benny."

"I have to get home now, I have to be in bed by 11," I said. Why wouldn't anyone listen?

"Of course, Benny," said Carlo. "Savannah will drive you home."

********

As Savannah drove me she said, "You did well today, Benny. I'm sure you'll do even better tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

He's so simple.

"What does simple mean?" Benny asked.

Savannah looked startled. "It means... it means we'll be together tomorrow."

"Will I get to look at your Big Floppy Things again?"

Savannah's face turned red. "Yes, Benny, you can look at my Big Floppy Things all you like."

********

And that's what I did. Every evening I talked to Savannah and looked at her Big Floppy Things. She kept telling me to pay attention to the little voices inside the people at the other table, and sometimes I forgot and she got angry with me, but most times she was happy with what I was doing.

And I was happy too. Every time I got home I would polish my armor, thinking about Savannah's Big Floppy Things. I found that I could polish my armor a lot more

efficiently

while thinking about her Big Floppy Things.

One day Carlo was so happy that I was telling Savannah all about the numbers and letters people had in their hands that he gave me a great big hug and asked if I wanted anything.

"Anything?" I asked.

"Sure kid."

I paused. "I'd like an electronic candle."

"An electronic candle?"

"I used to light it to remember Aunt Clara, but I lost mine. Can you get me an electronic candle?"

"Sure, kid. I'll get you ten electronic candles. Savannah, see to it."

**********

Vernon My Main Man saw me yawning at work and asked me why I was so tired. I told him it was because of my second job at the Happy Fun Entertainment Center. When I told Vernon what I was doing there he looked upset.

"Vernon, what does 'taking advantage of' mean?" I asked.

He looked really mad. "It means you shouldn't be working there, Benny."

"Why not?"

"Just because. Your Aunt Clara wouldn't want you to be working at a place like that."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

When Savannah came to pick me up that night, I told her that I couldn't go. She asked why not. I told her that Vernon My Main Man told me that Aunt Clara wouldn't want me to be going to a place like that. Savannah told me that it was all right to go there, and I asked how she knew that, and Savannah told me that Aunt Clara had told her so.

"Aunt Clara told you it was all right if I worked at the Happy Fun Entertainment Center?"

"She definitely did, Benny. She thought it would be a good thing if you worked there."

"Really? A good thing? She said that?"

"She really did."

"Oh." That changed things. I started to get into the grav car, but Savannah asked me to change into my suit first.

*********

Carlo was very happy with me tonight. Carmine gave a big yell at one point and threw his arms in the air. He looked like me at my 24th birthday party. That was the party where Vernon got me a new backpack. It was a backpack with Rustabunny on it and I raised my arms into the air and yelled just like Carmine. I wondered if Carmine liked Rustabunny too.

Carlo came out and hugged me. "Do you realize what you just did, kid? Do you?"

"I was listening to their inner voices," I said. "Did I do well, Carlo?"|

"Did you!" He actually grabbed my cheeks and pinched them. Ow! I thought he was

happy

.

"Is there anything else you want, kid? Another candle, anything?"

"Thanks, Carlo, but Savannah bought me a bunch of candles. I have enough for a while now."

"Is there nothing you want?" he asked.

I thought furiously. "I could go home and catch a Rustabunny episode. They normally air at 7 but there are repeats at 11. But Vernon My Main Man says that I have to go to bed by 11."

"Stay up tonight, kid, treat yourself." He turned to Savannah. "Sav, come over here for a moment. I'd like a word with you."

And so when I got home that night, I treated myself to an extra episode of Rustabunny. Of course, I had seen it before, but to watch two repeats in one day... I felt like I had done something special.

Really special.

*********

The next day Savannah came over to my apartment. I thought she was coming to pick me up but she said no, the casino was closed today, in honor of World Government Submission Day. I heard the little voice inside her.

Carlo wants me to give him the job. But it is the right thing to do?

"You're going to give me a job?" I asked.

Her eyes grew really big. "You... you knew I was thinking that?"

"No," I said. "That's just what the little voice inside you was saying. What kind of job are you going to give me, Savannah? I already have two. I'm not sure I can handle a third one."

He's so simple!

That's the second time she called me that. I had asked Vernon My Main Man what simple meant, and he told me it meant easy. That didn't make any sense to me, until I realize that all Savannah and I did was talk to each other at the Happy Fun Entertainment Center, and she must be thinking that I'm easy to talk to. What a nice thing to say!

"It's.. it's not that kind of job, Benny," she said. "Can we sit down and I'll explain?"

*********

Savannah started rubbing my arm. "You're very handsome, has anyone ever told you that, Benny?"

"Yes," I said immediately. "Mrs. Fishbien said so."

"Who is Mrs. Fishbien?"

"She plays White Lesbian Bingo on Thursdays. I push her around in her wheelchair."

"That's so romantic, Benny," Savannah said.

I was about to ask her what she meant by

romantic

, when her hand moved lower. Suddenly, she was polishing my armor! I mean, she was doing it through my pants, not as well as

I

could do it, but it was still plenty exciting! I've never had a woman do that for me before, even through my pants! I get the feeling that Momma used to polish Dada's armor, but Aunt Clara told me that a good boy didn't think about such things.

"Have you ever been with a woman, Benny?"

"Sure," I said. "There was Momma, though I don't remember much of that. And there was Aunt Clara, which I do remember-"

Suddenly she pressed her lips against mine. She was kissing me,

exactly like

the pink and blue Rustabunnies! I suddenly felt odd. "Savannah... I'm not sure I can do this job."

"Oh, trust me, Benny, you can. Come." She pulled me up from the couch, towards the bedroom. Was she feeling sleepy? She got me so excited, I was sure I couldn't sleep a wink.

*********

What happened next was incredible. Savannah took off all of my clothes. Then she took off all of hers. I was surprised to see that her Big Floppy Things had red circles at the end of them. I had seen Big Floppy Things on women but never the red circles. I wondered if Savannah had some kind of skin irritation, and if she had seen a dermatologist.

Father down she was even more confusing. Of course, I knew that Savannah being a girl wouldn't have any armor to polish, but I expected her to have

something

down there. Instead, all I saw was hair. Was she missing some important part?

She kissed me, and I did my best to kiss her back, like the blue Rustabunny did to the pink one. I hope I did it right. Savannah thought,

pathetic

, at one point, and I didn't know what that meant, but she kept kissing me so I guess it meant something good.

My armor got stiff, very stiff, which made me kind of embarrassed because Aunt Clara said that women shouldn't see men with their armor up. Only she used another word for it which I forgot.

And then Savannah raised my armor in her hand, and she talked to God. She really did! Her little voice inside of her said,

God, should I really be doing this?

I didn't hear what God told her, but God

must

have put in a good word for me, because the next thing I knew I was sliding inside of Savannah.

Inside

her! I didn't know there

was

an inside of Savannah! I looked down but all I saw was her hairy triangle. Could my armor be plowing right through it? What was happening down there? I desperately wanted to see better, but Savannah kept kissing me.

And then I gasped as I felt

my armor being polished by Savannah's insides

. I didn't know that such a thing was possible! Savannah made little grunting noises, like she was running around hard. She rubbed against me and got me really excited. And then, a few seconds later, I was the one to cry out as she finished polishing my armor. I cried out with alarm; I had never polished my armor inside a woman before. I didn't really know that was possible. I knew that my milk-which-Aunt-Clara-told-me-never-to-drink was now inside of her. I hoped Savannah wasn't angry with me about that. Had she been expecting that? How would she get it out of herself?

Savannah moved upwards and my armor, which had disappeared for a good two minutes, reappeared, looking all wet and worn.

She smiled at me. "Did you like that, Benny?"

"Yeah," I said. "I didn't know you polished armor, Savannah!"

She gave me a confused look and her inner voice said,

Where's my panties? I need to get the fuck out of here and get a stiffie.

"I have a stiffie right here, Savannah," I said, pointing to my armor. "I mean, it was stiff, just a few moments ago. If you give me a few minutes, it will be hard enough for you to polish again."

She just smiled at me and reached for her clothes. She seemed in a hurry to leave. I told her, "Rustabunny is coming on in a few minutes. Would you like to stay and watch it with me? Vernon My Main Man used to watch it with me, before he got too busy-"