Year-end Accounting

I was slamming some logic into my cyberslab when the intercom on my desk buzzed. Most of the visits to my office began this way, but I could tell from the urgency of the buzz that something was amiss. Indeed, minutes later, Bruce stormed into my office, bringing some of the current winter2.0 storm with him. Snow++ dripped off his coat and boots onto my hardwood flooring, and I hoped it wouldn’t cause any damage before I got a chance to vacuum it up.

“I can’t believe you’ve done this,” he said.

I opened a can of sardines to snack on while he spoke. I wasn’t sure how long this would take.

“BDQ,” he said. “It’s gotten completely out of control.”

BDQ, or Bruce Delo Quorum, was the blockchain system I’d designed for him to automate his business decisions. Having decentralized the tokens over the GRIDD using an incentive mechanism integrated with PlasmaLYNE directly, I had devised a way for him to focus on comic book creation while the blockchain took care of all the administrative hassle. Obviously, it was working as designed.

“BDQ is infallible,” I said. “What decisions do you have a problem with?”

“THIS one says I have to set up a complicated backup system for all my comics involving a fireproof safe and a very small wireless computer.”

“I think you’d better do what it says regarding data integrity,” I said, enjoying the crunch of a sardine spine between my teeth. “What else?”

“It wants me to learn Go and listen only to Amiga .MOD files for music.”

“Hmm,” I said. “Seems like a good idea also. I think this blockchain might be onto something.”

“Christian,” he said, “did you buy up a controlling stake in the native BDQ token, $BDQ?”

I watched his eyes dart to my cyberslab. Could he see my token balance from that far away? Surely not without his K-Visions on.

“Preposterous,” I said. “I quit gambling on tokens six weeks ago.”

His watch chimed, and as he looked at the display, his eyes narrowed. “BDQ says I should ‘buy a bunch of copper just to hold sometimes.’”

“Now that’s just a solid idea right there,” I said. “Well! Good to see you, Bruce. Thanks for stopping by the office.” I ushered him out to the hallway and closed the door, after giving him one of my business cards. It was a new design and I’d added more wolf iconography.

From the window I watched as he walked away down the snow++y street, and cursed when he passed right by the copper store.

I needed to buy more $BDQ.

- Christian