Dithers’ dilemma was not entirely the fault of poor business for real restaurants. Fast Food had steadily gone out of style with the advent of simutronics. The 5 minute burger was replaced with the 5 second download of a four course meal, the only calories being the fiber bar you were consuming while your mind was plugged in. Reluctant to plug into a simutronic system that wasn’t his old game, Dithers finally relented and downloaded some Chinese food while he unwrapped a bar for dinner. “It’s not a bad design for a restaurant, red walls and oriental patterns along the ceiling,” I thought. The food was served by a cute Chinese girl with a low-cut dress and breasts that were only real when the system was telling you so. Peking Duck cooked to perfection, steaming rice, and all the condiments you could imagine arrayed on the table. Still, I found myself missing Sea Serpent over an open fire. I found myself missing Kaylee. A voice chimed into the restaurant, “Sir, would you like to perform aerobics while you enjoy our excellent restaurant? Perhaps you’ve been feeling sore at work and a little Yoga would do you some good?” I nodded and without doing anything within the game affirmed a regular aerobics work-out for the real world. The duck practically melted in my mouth as I stared out the window of the restaurant onto a recreated Hong Kong. People were riding bikes, merchants shouted in Cantonese, and somewhere in the distance a dog was barking. I waved the waitress over and asked how large the program was. “Oh, very nice for walking. Two hundred meters total space, river encases all. There is a very nice bridge to your left. What season would you like it to be?” she asked. “Fall, a little on the cold side,” I answered.
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