eman : ewoman
A short story by jimm@carma.com.au (alias J.R. Macnamara)

sama (pronounced sam a for non-netizens) met hank.shaw the night he got the zee.dot virus.

whata nite.

c:/ drive crashed & burned when he logged on.
you know what its like when you get infected with a trojan horse.
sama was gonna give up & go punch some zees when bill in birmingham mailed him a fix.

the net's like that - lots of people helping each other out.
he was back up bangin away in a chat session in no time flat.
then HE came ol – that's on line for the technophobes - saying he had the zee.dot nasty 2 & thankin bill 4 the fix & saying hi to sama.

he sounded interesting – not 2 nerdy or geeky.

SOUNDED - that's a strange word in this context isn't it? you can't really tell how anyone sounds on the net. they just sound like kjasklfljhlksfjflk – key strokes flashin up on the screen from cyberspace.

but somehow people sound a certain way even when your talkin to them electronically.
that's how sama got the idea that started off the whole thing.
itsa wonder someone didn't get killed.
he was gettin ready to gota bed & fired off a final message to bill -

    To: bills@msn.com

    tks for ya help re the zee.dot virus. tried the download and it worked which is great cos I'm off to la nex wk and wanna be on air. c ya. sam :-)

he was about to log off & shutdown when HE came back:

    To: sama@virtual.world.com

    sounds like you're a roadie with all that travelin. seems fascinatin. Tell me bout yaself.

the sender signed off hank.shaw@bignet.com
sama pictured a big yank– maybe a black basketballer with 3 balls & size 14 shoes.

but it turned out hank was from new zealand. Nu zillin as they say there. aussies like sama call it nzed.
sama and hank.shaw chatted 4 a while – & then sama did it.
when the kiwi asked him 4 some bio details

sama told him his real world name was samantha … samantha ashcroft.
he said he was 32, 5:4 and described ally mcbeal a few pounds heavier.
sama's mate andy said he was nuts when he told him about it later.
andy said it was unethical - he reckon it must be against net protocol or something.

but there's no rules, sam told him.
and how could hank ever know?
how could hank ever tell that the netwoman he was talkin 2 was really a man –
that he was sam azzura, 30, a 5 foot 9 insurance assessor for a big 3 firm livin in the burbs in sydney - 
in kellytown -  a new place with new houses, a mall, 196 cul-de-sacs and 5,000 hectares of nature strips.

> why ya wanna be a woman? andy asked over a longneck at the local.

> it's just a bit of fun, sama said. is no big deal. its just a way to be somebody else. don't ya ever wanna be someone else?

> nope.

> you got no imagination – that's your trouble. this is the eve of the new millennium. things are different. besides.

> besides what?

> besides i'm sicka just being a bloke from the burbs and coppin shit. being a human dart board for bloody sociologists and newspaper journos and feminists. they think we're all morons out here. they talk like it's a wilderness west a glebe.

sama tells andy - & anyone else who'll listen - that he's sick of the fuckin trendies living in inner city squalor feelin' superior.
so godalmighty up themselves they can't see daylight.

 

> we're not SUB-urban. whata bloody putdown – like we're less than urban. sub-human. it's better out here - it's super urban. we got space. we got trees. we got no graffitti everywhere & traffic lights @ every corner & no fuckin speed humps every hundred metres. no speed humps thank christ. no druggies ripping off ya bloody car or climbin through ya window while you're sleeping to take ya sony or your bloody idiot box. the only thing we havent got is a voice.

> they reckon they're comin.

> who's comin?

> speed humps. councils lookin at em - and 50 kay speed limits.

> fuckem. anyway i'm also sicka bein in the shit just cos ima man. every time you open ya mouth someones dumpin on ya, calling you a chauvenist pig or a macho jerk or somethin. on the net, ima woman & no one knows the difference. doesn't that tell ya somethin?

that was sama's logic. a painless sex change with a few keystrokes & a silicon chip.
i'm a virtual woman, he told andy whose morality wasn't programmed for cyberspace and was still tryin to take it all in.

> funny thing is, when i say the same things that i would as a man, it's ok.

> what sorta stuff?

> well, like saying i like to drive fast & go out on the piss with me friends. if i said that as a man, my car'd be a fuckin phallic symbol and I'd be a yobbo.

> i guess.

> and i can be a tart and no 1 minds. i told hank i screw round a bit.

> you told him you screw around! what was his reaction?

> he didn't care. that's the thing with blokes. he said he'd been looking 4 a woman like me for ages. said all the women he knew just wanted 2 fall in love & get married. he said i sounded interesting.

> any guy would. so what did you do?

> played along. told him i like 2 wear really short skirts with splits. said i had big tits & like to show em off.

> what did he say?

> said he'd like 2 look at em  – & lick em … & a few other places as well.

> shit sam - you're getting' in deep mate. what if this guy turns up on your doorstep 1 day and he's 6 foot 4 & built like a brick shithouse?

> he can't. how can he find me? ima virtual woman – & proud of it. ha ha. maybe i'll start virtual women's liberation.

but that wasn't the half of it. not by far.
on the far sida the tasman, sama's netman was taking off her make-up 2 go 2 bed after a long chat session.
the netman - hank.shaw@bignet.com

– was actually hannah kershaw, a 26 year old blonde livin in wellington, new zealand. 
if she said wellington you could believe it – no one would make that up.

hanna told her secret to her best friend emma after the first few e-mails pretendin to be a man.
she felt naughtie doin it – like it was not quite right. but it had the magnetic attraction of the slightly wicked. it was innocent fun, she rationalised.
emma agreed. emma didn't use the net cept @ work, but  she was was right into it and em was always on for a bit of fun.
in fact, it was emma who sent the first sexy e-mail.

>  look what he said to me. hanna showed emma samas first slightly flirty mail.

> wow. have you replied?

> no. i don't think I should.

> why not? go on. its just e-mail. go on. i'll do it. here.

emma typed out a mesage.

> EMMA! you cant send that … my god MR … giggles – and hank.shaw@bignet.com's reply sped off over a tangled network of copper cables & twisted pairs. we're a twisted pair, she thought guiltily, but with her pulse racing.

after that things just seemed to escalate.
every night she was a man, roaming the streets of cyberspace.
pervin in browsers & hangin out in chat groups.

> whaaaart! her sister anabel said in caps when hanna told her about it 1 nite. anabels younger than hanna but shes 20 goin on 40.

> how can you do that? Why do you wanna pretend you're a man?

> well, you know, people treat you a certain way when you're a woman. so i decided 2 become a man. i'm no femmo, but I'm sick of all the shit that gets dished out jus cos ima woman - buyin a car ... guys always whistling & comin on 2 ya. i always wondered what it would be like 2 be a man – for a day, or a week. then i thought why not be a man all the time – in cyberspace ya can.

> god hanna. god.

> god had nothin to do with it - then i got  the idea 2 experiment.

> what sort of experimentin?

> you know - chattin' up & that.

> you been chattin up guys on the net?

> no you dill. women. i have to stay in character. they think ima guy, so i hafta do guy stuff & sound guy.

when ya dig a hole, you keep going down.
hank.shaw's experiment became a journey into the erotic over the next few months cos 1 thing lead to another, as it does.
another intel chip upgrade came & went.
bill gates launched another version a windows with more bugs than the last. hank.shaw@bignet.com &
sama@virtual.world.com became close and talked almost every nite.
they became friends.

> how's ya eman experiment goin? anabel asked after 4 months of the cyber-shenanigans.

> great … well it's interesting.

> what do youse talk about?

> all sorts of stuff. computers …  books … films .... life. she's really into politics & social stuff – like the environment and nuclear testing in the pacific – did you know that pacific actually means peace? she's great. lately we've ar … we've also bin talkin bout sex.

> SEX! your talkin 2 a nother woman about sex: what sorta things ya saying?

> jus stuff like what do ya look like & have ya got big boobs.

> you asked her if she had big boobs?

> yeah - i gotta be authentic. that's what blokes would ask. but we got into some really hot talk 1 night late. i was sendin her lots of ;-)s & stuff & said i was having fantasies about her & … no you don't wanna know.

> yes I do. what did you say?

> i said … i said I'd like 2 c a picture of her naked & i cant remember what else – i'd been out havin a few vinos with emma – & then she came back with I'd like 2 :-o your cock. so I said i would like 2 :--  her … ya know. i think she was a bit pissed that nite 2.

> jees, hanna - you're not saying that stuff 2 her are you? hanna you're talkin 2 another WOMAN. that's like ….like …

> you mean lesbian?

> yeah, i guess – no its not – but it's like it, saying intimate sexy stuff 2 another woman. how do you feel about that?

> its jus fun. don't you ever wanna xplore?

anabel ignored her and asked:

> whata ya gonna do if she wants 2 meet ya?

>  i don't think that'll happen - she lives in sydney.

> yeah, but didn't you say she travels a lot?

> uh uh. but we just won't meet. no way. i wouldn't agree.

> what if she turns up on your door.

> how can she? no one knows 4 sure who anyone is on the net & no one knows where ya live unless you tell 'em - & even if she turned up, i'd just clear out – leave town.

> yeah, but that guy in america got caught 4 makin the melissa virus. they knew where he was. they say they know where everyone is.

> so THEY know where THEY are. who the fucks they?

> ar … you know what i mean – & you know i'm right.

hanna frowned, her thoughts movin on from intoxicated carnal fantasies 2 a reality that was startin 2 force its way into her virtual world.
she was startin 2 feel the joke had gone 2 far.
she never intended things to get to this point.
but how could she get out?
easy in the e-world.
she would just hafta disappear.

but jus when she was plannin her disappearance in cyberspace
an e-mail came from a guy called andyj@bigpond.com –  the au showed he was in oz.
he said he was a friend of
sama@virtual.world.com & had a wild proposition.
he wanted hank.shaw 2 go to orstralia 2 meet the lovely sama.

andy hatched the idea after gettin really pissed off at sam 4 his techno-transvestism.
he decided sam needed 2 be taught a lesson.
he felt a bit guilty when he sent the e-mail 2 hank.shaw
but he decided the time had come 2 blow the whistle.

sama of course had 2 be carefully coerced as he would never agree 2 expose his fraud to his netman.
but that was easy.
andy set up a rendezvous @ bondi beach on a satdey morning on the pretence of meetin some of his mates for a beer.
sama was happy to join in even though he didn't know the friends of andy's.
any excuse for a beer.

sama's netman took a little more persuadin.
andy had 2 send 4 e-mails sayin how sama really wanted 2 meet him but was afraid 2 ask him 2 come over.
at first, hank.shaw said no - no no no for a million reasons
no money.
too much on @ work.
crook mum.
going 2 europe for 3 months.
but then emma took up the case.

> i think you should go.

> why?

> cos you said you were close friends with a lot in common - & you always wanted 2 go 2 orstralia.

> 1 small detail darling – you forgot about the fact that the netman is actually a woman. when samatha finds out i'm a woman she'll be shocked – she might even go ballastic. what if she's a big bitch inta karate or something?

> o yes silly me … of course i haven't forgotten that you twit. but don't you think you owe sama something? plenty of people make friends on the net. some people even find permanent partners & get married & everything.

the crazy emma had a point – hank.shaw was comin to a crossroads.
she had 2 either disappear into cyberspace or fess up.
she couldn't keep going the way she was.
she was hesitant - terrified actually.
going 2 orstralia 2 meet sama was an insane idea.

> besides, if you HAVE got lesbian tendencies as anabel says, you'd better find out.

> EMMA!

> well I jus think you should go. after all, you said you genuinely had a lot in common even though you lied about who you are. she'll understand - women do. you'll have 2 apologise of course - but you'll probably be laughin about it after 5 minutes.

> i'll think about it – okay.

    To: andyj@bigpond.com.au

    OK I'll come. how will I no ya?

    by the way, there's some things we'll hafta straighten out when I get there. can we talk before i meet sama?

    hank 

andy replied that he had bright red hair & would stand on the esplanade next 2 the main steps wearin a kangaroos jersey.
ya won't be able 2 miss me, he told the twitchy hank.shaw.
he reckon the kangaroos rugby jumper would ginger up a kiwi all black.
bloody lyin sam won't know what hit im.

the day dawned clear & sunny.
ansett flight 1519 landed just after 8 and a 40 minute taxi ride saw hank.shaw @ sydney's famous bondi beach.
sam was impatiently walkin up & down lookin @ the surf & the women in g strings & topless on the sand.

andy was waitin - nervous with anticipation
expecting a big kiwi called hank who he would probably hafta pull off sam –
when a petite blonde woman walked directly up 2 him and said –

>  hi, you're andy?

andy stared @ the stranger blinking. it was sundey mornin & the brain was still a little fuzzy.
an old girlfriend that he'd dumped or stood up?
someone from uni he'd forgotten?
a pregnant 1 night stand?

>  i'm hank, the stranger said.

>  HANK! andy squeaked with sudden stress-induced laryngitis. ha … ha … haan …

>  you're andy?

>  ah, er … yeah -  i'm andy - but …

> i know. i know. I'M hank.shaw - actually i'm hannah kershaw. it's a long story. i couldn't explain by mail. i thought i had just better come & face the truth. i feel terrible. i really feel terrible about the deception.

sam, whose been gazing out 2 sea watchin the surfers & boogy boarders, noticed the blonde walk up & start talkin 2 andy.
andy was never good @ pickin up chicks

so he was curious.

> nice 2 meet you. so where's sama - samantha?

> samantha? O … SAMANTHA. shit - andy raised his eyebrows, completely 4getting about sam's net alias, his whole plot fallin apart b4 his eyes.

Sam heard the name samantha and b4 andy's dazed brain could catch up 2 his mouth he walked over & asked –

> who are you?

> i'm hank.shaw@ …

> farkin ell.

> who are you?

> i'm samanta.

> fuck!

> thats a nice thing ta say?

> whataya expect?

lots more was said – more in looks than words.
andy decided he better drag them off 2 the beer garden & get everyone a drink to ease the stress.
they sat sippin drinks for an hour, tryin to recova & make conversation.
after the initial shock, sam admitted he liked hank.shaw.

> there4 you like ME – and i like you, hanna said.

> yeah, but you're not who i thought you were.

> bullshit. i'm me. would ya prefer I was a man?

> no.

> then lets take each other as we are. anyway, if i'm not me, nor are you you.

sam didn't have an answer to that.

slowly the tension eased & they relaxed a little. sentences grew longer. laughs got less nervous.

we have 2 be big about this, sam proposed.
hanna agreed - after all, they liked each other more than 4 months.
sam decided 2 make an effort & hanna seem to be tryin 2.
great … great ...
remember that time …
this is bizarre …
what about ….

despite the calming powers of brokenwood cricket pitch chardonnay & andy's embarrassed peacemakin
hanna said she didn't feel much like stayin on 4 a holiday after her comin out & would fly home the next day.
sam had to admit it was a big day.
maybe next time she'd spend more time.
yeah, next time.

they did all the usual stuff – promisin 2 keep in touch & agreein 2 give it a go –
b4 hank.shaw RIP flew out mondey mornin on an air new zealin-ansett-singapore airlines flight with 3 different flight numbers & a flock of confused post-deregulation pax. open skies they call it when ya can go anywhere with 1 airline ticket.

or with a PC!

> keep in touch ya hear.

> yeah, keep in touch. it was fun.

> yeah, it was fun.

the next afternoon @ work, sama@virtual.world.com tapped out a message to hank.shaw@bignet.com & clicked send.
she musta not been logged on that day.
Or perhaps she took a few days off.
Maybe the net was down.

the following Satdey he sent off a longer message.
he told her he enjoyed meetin her.
he apologised again 4 his false identity
& said he felt bad about some of the stuff he'd said.
funny how people write things in e-mail that they wouldn't say or write in snail mail.
sam did feel bad – 4 both of them.
maybe if she forgave him
he could forgive himself – & her.

@ 4.10 pm on the sundey his e-mail bounced back.

    To: sama@virtual.world.com

    System Administrator: Undeliverable message.

    Message failed. Recipient not known.