Sleep Dealer Page #2

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That's why I'm here.

Our turn.

Hey!

What's up?

Careful with the injector.

It says 120, but it's running at 140.

Good luck, kid.

Have a seat.

And the coyotek?

You're looking at her.

You?

You want a node job, right?

If I do it, it'll be done right.

Where did you learn to do all this?

My boyfriend was a coyotek.

He installed my nodes so

we could connect.

He taught me.

Your boyfriend?

Ex-boyfriend.

The technology was

more interesting than him.

Take off your shirt.

Give me your hand.

You ticklish?

A little.

These nodes are the best

you can get on the street.

But there's still a risk.

If there's a virus or a short circuit...

electricity will pour into your body

through the nodes.

When you connect to the other side...

your body hooks into a machine.

It's a two-way connection.

Sometimes you control the machine.

And sometimes the machine controls you.

Breathe in. It'll ease the pain.

Finally...

I could connect my nervous system...

to the other system.

The global economy.

Near the place where I was living...

on the outskirts of the city...

stood the networked factories -

the "sleep dealers".

This is the American Dream.

We give the United States what

they've always wanted...

all the work - without the workers.

Jos is in a slaughterhouse in lowa.

Maria is a nanny for a little girl

in Washington.

You three will be on a big job

in San Diego.

Hey kid -

Plug in.

Your future starts today.

HOWTO CONNECT A NODE

OXYGEN KEEPS YOU ALER

THIS EQUIPMENT PAYS YOUR SALARY -

TAKE CARE OF IT!

Spanish.

Yes.

How's it going?

I guess you made it.

I got a job. I think it's in California.

Look.

Looks like you finally found

a way to get out of here.

What's that supposed to mean?

You want me to feel worse

than I already do?

I'm just saying,

it's what you always wanted.

To get away from this place.

Bro, I didn't call to fight with you.

Congratulations! You sent money!

You sent $270.

Minus taxes, fees, and surcharges...

they received $ 180!

Dude, this is a lot of money.

Mom won't believe it.

Can you send more?

Sorry I'm late.

Don't worry, I just got here.

Well, how did it go?

I still don't know how to thank you.

Photos?

Take home a memory of

this beautiful evening.

No thanks.

I think we should.

I see who wears the pants here.

C'mon, kid.

That's it!

So? You must've left two

or three back home...

Zero.

Really?

Most of the men I knowwant

as many girlfriends as possible.

I have a theory:

They learn it from their fathers.

Didn't yours teach you that?

I don't feel like talking

about my family right now.

I understand.

My folks think I'm nuts.

Being here,

trying to make it as a writer.

Why?

Girl's not married, living on her own,

something must be wrong.

Last night I conducted

a follow-up interview, and...

Please tell the truth.

I'm trying to maintain

my distance so that...

Focus on simple,

easy to remember details.

The truth is...

I didn't expect to feel anything.

He told me...

he eats every Sunday night

in the central market.

It reminds him of home.

His eyes...

This is stupid.

End of transcription.

Problems with the story?

I wish it were a story.

All I do is talk about my feelings.

Well, that's how it works, right?

You can't hide anything.

Maybe that's the problem.

I'm telling the truth to a machine -

but lying to him.

Wait - he doesn't know?

Well, I'm sure he's happy to have

someone to talk to.

I feel like he needs someone.

He told me his father died.

This is one of my favorite places.

Want to go for a swim?

What are you thinking about?

There was a river near my house.

I used to go for water with my old man.

Want to sit?

Tell me about him...

There's not that much to tell.

Well... what did he do?

Nothing too special.

He grew corn and beans.

He had a milpa?

Yeah.

I read that the beans

wrap around the corn...

and the two plants help

each other grow, right?

Yeah.

What was it like to work

with something so...

real?

I guess I never really thought about it.

Lie down.

Close your eyes.

They need to rest.

The more time I spend connected...

the harder it is to see.

You have long eyelashes.

You'll be alright.

Help me disconnect him!

You OK?

What happened to him?

Just pick him up!

Let's go!

Where are we taking him?

This little guy weighs a ton.

Put him down for a sec.

Code approved. You may exit.

I've got it now. Back to work!

You OK?

You don't look so good.

Are you eating well?

Sure, Ma. Don't worry.

Everything's great here.

I don't know how

we'd survive without you.

No one is allowed anywhere

near the dam now.

We have to go into town for water.

Memo...

I'm scared.

How could I tell her the truth?

I was just figuring it out myself.

My energy was being drained...

sent far away.

What happened to the river,

was happening to me.

I don't knowwhat I'm doing.

I work in a place I'll never see.

I can see my family,

but I can't touch them.

And, well, the only place I feel...

connected...

is here...

with you.

There's something I need to tell you.

I want you to knowwhat I'm doing.

Open "Home".

Open "Archive".

This is embarrassing.

Why?

Because I'm still new at this.

Open "Maricela".

I told you about my ex-boyfriend,

right?

That's him.

Nice hair-do.

And that's Maricela.

We hooked her up...

we became friends

and she took me to her village.

Going there felt like time travel.

Like entering a totally newworld...

I wanted to share what I'd seen...

so I uploaded the memory -

and it sold.

I share stories about the people I meet.

That's what I wanted to tell you.

She invited you to her home...

and you sold the memories?

Is that bad?

No. It's just...

weird.

I guess it is a little weird...

Going there - for me - was like

crossing an invisible border.

But... I don't know.

I had to go.

I hate that there's so much

distance between people.

The only thing nodes are good for...

is to destroy that distance...

to connect us...

to let us see.

I want you to see me...

inside.

Can you see?

It's incredible.

You've never seen it?

This is where the border wall ends.

I guess they built it to keep out

terrorist surfers.

A song for the couple?

No thanks.

Something for the heart?

Try someone over there.

Your loss.

Nodes? Cables?

No, really.

Those guys are always here.

Always the same routine.

You OK?

I've been thinking...

about what I'm doing here.

About my dad.

How he died.

I told her everything.

What kind of a guy he was.

I didn't knowwhat to say to him.

But I do know...

this has to be the final memory

in this series.

You asked why Memo left his village.

Now you know.

- How's it going?

- Good.

Hey, Luz isn't home,

but I can let you in.

Go on in.

There's been activity in your account.

A MIGRAN:

A RE-ENCOUNTER

HIS EYES:

One.

What do you want to do

with memory one?

Play memory.

At first I didn't think much of him.

He seemed like all the others.

I've asked many times,

but he won't show me where he lives.

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