The
      world
      ended
      today,
      and
      I
     
     
      n't
      give
      a
      damn.
     
    

    
     
      You
      might
      question
      how
      this
     
     
      could
      be.
      How
      could
      I
      not
      give
      a
      damn?
      It
     
     
      would
      be
      a
      difficult
      thing
      to
      be
      apathetic
     
     
      about,
      wouldn't
      it?
      It's
      not
      as
      if
      you
      could
     
     
      just
      ignore
      it,
      or
      flip
      the
      channel
      and
      see’
     
     
      what
      else
      is
      on,
      or
      change
      the
      radio
      station.
     
     
      Well,
      it
      was
      actually
      much
      easier
      than
      you
     
     
      might
      think.
      The
      reason
      I
      didn't
      care
      was
     
     
      because
      I
      was
      no
      longer
      there
      when
      it
     
     
      ended.
     
    

    
     
      It
      started
      ‘as
      a
      pretty
      routine
      day.
     
     
      People
      went
      to
      work,
      and
      the
      lines
      at
      the
     
     
      Tim
      Horton's
      drive-thrus
      grew
      longer
      by
      —
     
     
      the
      minute.
      Children
      got
      on
      the
      big
      yellow
     
     
      buses
      to
      go
      to
      school,
      where
      they
      would
     
     
      open
      their
      books
      and
      continue
      on
      from
     
     
      where
      they
      had
      left
      off
      the
      day
      before.
     
     
      University
      students
      hauled
      themselves
      out
     
     
      of
      bed
      and
      walked,
      ran,
      or
      drove
      to
      their
     
     
      first
      classes
      of
      the
      day.
      A
      pretty
      routine
      day
     
     
      indeed.
     
    

    
     
      I
      was
      wandering
      to
      my
      first
     
     
      English
      class
      of
      the
      day,
      and
      my
      thoughts
     
     
      were
      far
      from
      that
      subject.
      Instead,
      they
     
     
      were
      on
      Karen
      Dolworth.
      They
      had
      been
     
     
      _
      about
      her
      a
      lot
      lately,
      especially
      since
      she
     
     
      had
      phoned
      me
      up
      a
      week
      earlier
      and
     
     
      excitedly
      told
      me
      that
      she
      had
      met
      some-"
     
     
      ‘OnE
     
    

    
     
      "T'm
      so
      excited,
      Eric!"
      she
      had
     
     
      said,
      "I
      can't
      wait
      for
      you
      to
      meet
      him!"
     
    

    
     
      "Great..."
      was
      all
      I
      could
      say.
     
    

    
     
      "He's
      hilarious,
      and
      his
      sense
      of
     
     
      humour's
      right
      up
      your
      alley!"
     
    

    
     
      "Really
      ...2"
     
    

    
     
      "Yeah!
      Oh
      damn,
      I've
      got
      to
      go.
     
     
      Roommate
      needs
      the
      phone.
      I'll
      talk
      to
      you
     
     
      tomorrow,
      okay?"
     
    

    
     
      Then
      she
      had
      hung
      up,
      leaving
      me
     
     
      listening
      to
      the
      dial
      tone
      and
      wondering
     
     
      what
      I
      was
      supposed
      to
      do
      with
      myself.
     
     
      Now
      don't
      get
      me
      wrong.
      It
      wasn't
      as
      if
     
     
      she
      had
      been
      my
      girlfriend
      and
      then
     
     
      dumped
      me
      for
      some
      jerk
      who
      had
      my
     
     
      sense
      of
      humour.
      No,
      Karen
      was
      simply
      a
     
     
      friend
      of
      mine,
      or
      so
      she
      thought.
      I
      had
     
     
      thought
      so
      too,
      but
      lately
      my
      feelings
      had
     
     
      changed.
      ©
     
    

    
     
      _
      I
      had
      considered
      telling
      her
      how
      I
     
     
      felt.
      I
      would've,
      if
      the
      time
      had
      been
      right.
     
     
      But
      that
      time
      never
      came,
      or
      else
      I
      had
      just
     
     
      missed
      it.
     
    

    
     
      English
      class
      was
      useless,
      as
     
     
      usual.
      Reading
      some
      book
      about
      a
      guy
      and
     
     
      a
      white
      whale.
      Who
      the
      hell
      becomes
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Routine
     
    
   
   
    
     
      obsessed
      with
      harpooning
      a
      white
      whale
     
    
   
   
    
     
      anyway?
      It's
      not
      like
      I
      wanted
      that
      course.
      >
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      had
      to
      take
      something
      to
      go
      with
      my
     
     
      degree.
      It
      was
      either
      an
      English
      course
      or
     
     
      something
      even
      more
      horrid
      like
     
     
      Philosophy.
      If
      a
      tree
      falls
      in
      the
      woods
      and
     
     
      it
      doesn't
      make
      a
      sound,
      what's
      it
      matter?
     
     
      My
      friend
      Bill,
      who's
      into
      that
      kind
      of
     
     
      crap,
      once
      told
      me
      that
      Socrates
      was
      some
     
     
      guy
      who
      had
      been
      executed
      for
      corrupting
     
     
      kids
      or
      something.
      I
      think
      it
      was
      probably
     
     
      because
      he
      bored
      them
      to
      death.
     
    

    
     
      Bill
      found
      me
      later
      in
      the
      campus
     
     
      bar,
      nursing
      the
      same
      beer
      I
      had
      when
      he
     
     
      had
      left
      an
      hour
      and
      a
      half
      ago
      to
      go
      to
     
     
      some
      other
      class.
      He
      sat
      down
      beside
      me
     
     
      and
      adjusted
      his
      glasses
      for
      the
      hundredth
     
     
      time
      that
      day.
     
    

    
     
      "Cheer
      up,
      man,"
      he
      said,
      "At
     
     
      least
      she's
      still
      your
      friend."
     
    

    
     
      At
      least
      she
      was
      still
      my
      friend.
     
     
      At
      least
      I
      had
      that.
      I
      would
      hear
      the
      great
     
     
      stories
      of
      what's-his-face,
      the
      great
      jokes
     
     
      he
      told
      that
      day,
      the
      funny
      things
      he
      did...
     
    

    
     
      "Your
      other
      option,"
      Bill
      said,
      "is
     
     
      to
      tell
      her
      how
      you
      feel
      and
      take
      the
     
     
      chance.
      Don't
      leave
      things
      unsaid.
      You'll
     
     
      regret
      it."
     
    

    
     
      Gee,
      thanks,
      Mom.
     
    

    
     
      "At
      least
      meet
      the
      guy,"
      he
      said,
     
     
      "Maybe
      if
      he's
      half-decent
      you
      won't
      feel
     
     
      like
      you
      lost
      out
      so
      badly."
     
    

    
     
      "Fine."
      I
      sighed,
      too
      tired
      to
      care
     
     
      all
      of
      a
      sudden.
     
    

    
     
      "That's
      good,
      because
      she
      invited
     
     
      you,
      Tara,
      and
      me
      to
      supper
      with
      her
      and
     
     
      Robert."
     
    

    
     
      Robert.
      So
      that
      was
      his
      name.
     
     
      Wasn't
      a
      bad
      name.
      Didn't
      sound
      like
      a
     
     
      jerky
      name.
      Maybe
      it
      would
      work
      out.
      Or
     
     
      maybe,
      Robert
      would
      be
      hit
      by
      a
      bus
      on
     
     
      the
      street
      tonight
      and
      I
      would
      have
      to
      com-
     
     
      fort
      Karen.
      Maybe
      she
      would
      realize
      that
      I
     
     
      meant
      more
      to
      her
      than
      Robert,
      now
      noth-
     
     
      ing
      but
      a
      smear
      on
      the
      pavement.
      Maybe...
     
     
      Jesus,
      I
      was
      appalled
      at
      myself.
     
    

    
     
      "Okay,
      I'll
      come."
     
    

    
     
      "Good.
      Afterwards,
      maybe
      Tara
     
     
      and
      I
      will
      take
      you
      out
      for
      a
      drink
      or
      two.”
     
    

    
     
      He
      got
      up
      and
      walked
      out
      the
     
     
      door,
      leaving
      me
      to
      stare
      into
      my
      beer.
     
    

    
     
      We
      ended
      up
      going
      to
      a
      steak
     
     
      place
      that
      I
      had
      never
      been
      to
      before.
      We
     
     
      sat
      at
      a
      round
      table,
      with
      Karen
      at
      my
      right
     
     
      and
      Tara
      at
      my
      left.
      Robert
      was
      on
      the
     
     
      other
      side
      of
      Karen.
      He
      wore
      one
      of
      those,
     
     
      "I'm-trying-to-make-a-good-impression"
     
     
      faces.
      He
      shouldn't
      have
      worried.
      It
      wasn't
     
     
      me
      he
      was
      going
      to
      impress.
      I
      decided
      that
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      minute
      I
      saw
      him.
      Petty,
      I
      know,
      but
      I
     
     
      wasn't
      in
      the
      mood
      to
      be
      open-minded.
     
    

    
     
      We
      had
      our
      meals,
      and
      we
      chatted
     
     
      about
      classes,
      the
      new
      movies
      that
      week,
     
     
      who
      said
      what
      to
      whom.
      Silly
      superficial
     
     
      stuff.
      Finally
      Tara
      asked
      what
      I
      knew
      she
     
     
      would.
     
    

    
     
      "So,
      how
      did
      you
      and
      Robert
     
     
      meet?"
      she
      asked
      Karen,
      as
      if
      Robert
      was-
     
     
      n't
      sitting
      right
      next
      to
      her.
      Karen
      chuckled
     
     
      to
      herself.
     
    

    
     
      "It's
      kind
      of
      a
      funny
      story.
      You
     
     
      see,
      he
      and
      I
      were
      in
      the
      same
      class
      and...
     
    

    
     
      I
      didn't
      want
      to
      hear
      it.
      I
      didn't
     
     
      want
      to
      know
      if
      he
      had
      fallen
      out
      of
      the
     
     
      sky
      on
      top
      of
      her,
      or
      if
      he
      had
      saved
      her
     
     
      from
      giant
      rats.
      I
      just
      tuned
      it
      all
      out.
      I
     
     
      heard
      laughter,
      but
      I
      wasn't
      paying
      any
     
     
      attention.
      Suddenly
      knew
      I
      had
      to
      get
      out
     
     
      of
      there.
      ,
     
    

    
     
      "Well
      that's
      great,"
      I
      said,
      just
      as
     
     
      Robert
      opened
      his
      mouth
      to
      speak,
      "I'm
     
     
      going
      to
      step
      out
      for
      a
      second,
      all
      right?"
     
    

    
     
      They
      all
      nodded,
      and
      I
      headed
      to
     
     
      the
      front
      of
      the
      restaurant
      and
      out
      the
      door.
     
     
      I
      stood
      on
      the
      sidewalk
      for
      a
      moment
      and
     
     
      just
      watched
      the
      street.
      A
      couple
      walked
     
     
      slowly
      past
      me,
      so
      involved
      in
      each
      other
     
     
      that
      they
      didn't
      even
      acknowledge
      I
      was
     
     
      standing
      there.
      A
      few
      cars
      passed
      by.
     
     
      Somewhere,
      a
      dog
      barked.
     
    

    
     
      I
      wandered
      down
      the
      sidewalk
      for
     
     
      a
      moment
      before
      I
      turned
      down
      the
      alley
     
     
      beside
      the
      restaurant.
      I
      leaned
      back
      against
     
     
      the
      cold
      brick
      wall
      and
      stared
      up
      at
      the
     
     
      sky.
      Through
      the
      haze
      of
      the
      city
      sky
      I
     
     
      could
      see
      the
      stars.
      There
      were
      so
      many
      of
     
     
      them,
      yet
      each
      looked
      as
      lonely
      as
      I
      felt.
     
    

    
     
      Suddenly
      I
      had
      the
      sensation
      of
      a
     
     
      moving
      light
      off
      to
      my
      left.
     
    

    
     
      I
      looked
      over
      to
      see
      a
      ball
      of
     
     
      shimmering
      light,
      about
      the
      size
      of
      a
      bas-
     
     
      ketball,
      slowly
      coming
      down
      from
      the
      sky.
     
     
      It
      hovered
      over
      the
      alley
      for
      a
      moment
      as
     
     
      if
      it
      were
      searching
      for
      something,
      and
     
     
      then
      came
      down
      closer
      to
      me.
      I
      just
      stared
     
     
      at
      it,
      convinced
      that
      my
      feelings
      of
      gloom
     
     
      had
      given
      way
      to
      lunacy.
      The
      shimmering
     
     
      sphere
      moved
      toward
      me
      until
      it
      was
      only
     
     
      a
      few
      feet
      away.
      It
      was
      so
      bright
      that
      I
      had
     
     
      to
      shield
      my
      eyes
      to
      look
      at
      it.
     
    

    
     
      Greetings.
     
    

    
     
      The
      words
      were
      in
      my
      head.
      Oh
     
     
      great,
      voices
      in
      my
      head.
     
    

    
     
      "Hello?"
      I
      answered
      meekly.
     
    

    
     
      We
      are
      the
      Gatherers.
      We
      travel
     
     
      the
      universe
      and
      collect
      representatives
     
     
      from
      worlds
      that
      are
      about
      to
      undergo
      a
     
     
      cataclysmic
      event.
      We
      have
      found
      you,
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ask
      if
      you
      will
      be
      that
      representative.
      With
     
     
      us,
      you
      will
      travel
      the
      stars
      and
      see
      what
     
     
      you
      have
      never
      dreamed
      of.
     
    

    
     
      The
      Gatherers?
      What
      the
      hell
      was
     
     
      up
      with
      a
      name
      like
      that?
      Sounded
      like
     
     
      some
      movie.
     
    

    
     
      Hurry,
      there
      is
      not
      much
      time.
     
    

    
     
      I
      was
      about
      to
      tell
      them
      to
      kindly
     
     
      shove
      off,
      but
      then
      I
      heard
      Karen's
      voice
      ~
     
     
      behind
      me.
     
    

    
     
      "Eric,
      I've
      been
      looking
      for
      you!"
     
    

    
     
      I
      turned
      around
      to
      look
      at
      her.
      She
     
     
      was
      standing
      at
      the
      opening
      of
      the
      alley,
      a
     
     
      look
      of
      concern
      on
      her
      perfect
      face.
      For
      a
     
     
      moment
      I
      forgot
      about
      Robert,
      but
      it
      was
     
     
      only
      for
      a
      single,
      wonderful
      moment.
      But
     
     
      then
      the
      truth
      returned.
      Without
      thinking,
      I
     
     
      turned
      and
      raced
      towards
      the
      sphere.
      As
     
     
      soon
      as
      I
      made
      contact,
      there
      was
      a
      flash
     
     
      of
      blinding
      light,
      and
      then
      all
      went
      black.
     
    

    
     
      About
      ten
      minutes
      later,
      the
      aster-
     
     
      oid
      that
      had
      been
      stealthily
      heading
     
     
      towards
      the
      Earth
      suddenly
      entered
      the
     
     
      atmosphere
      and
      impacted
      in
      the
      central
     
     
      United
      States.
      Nobody
      had
      seen
      it
      coming.
     
     
      All
      of
      our
      space
      surveillance
      had
      been
      out-
     
     
      dated
      and
      useless.
      They
      tell
      me
      all
      the
     
     
      funding
      had
      gone
      into
      satellites
      that
      would
     
     
      broadcast
      "Survivor"
      and
      "Are
      You
      Hot?"
     
     
      to
      all
      four
      corners
      of
      the
      globe.
      I
      guess
     
     
      nobody
      will
      know
      who
      won
      the
      million-
     
     
      dollars
      or
      who
      was
      the
      hottest.
      >
     
    

    
     
      Maybe
      it's
      all
      a
      dream.
      Maybe
      the
     
     
      world
      is
      still
      turning,
      the
      cars
      are
      still
      lin-
     
     
      ing
      up
      at
      Tim's,
      the
      kids
      are
      still
      learning
     
     
      how
      to
      regurgitate,
      and
      the
      students
      are
     
     
      still
      walking
      to
      class.
      Maybe
      I'm
      not
      really
     
     
      travelling
      through
      space,
      my
      physical
      form
     
     
      left
      behind
      and
      my
      mental
      state
      now
      a
      part
     
     
      of
      a
      big
      shimmering
      ball
      of
      energy.
      I'll
     
     
      leave
      you
      to
      your
      own
      conclusions.
      Wow,
     
     
      that
      was
      philosophical.
      Maybe
      I
      could've
     
     
      passed
      that
      course
      after
      all...
     
    

    
     
      Rest
      easy.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      City
      Cinema
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Playing
      this
      Week:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Quiet
      American
     
     
      and
     
     
      ‘The
      Hours
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Times
      and
      Descriptions
      at
     
     
      www.citycinema.net
     
     
      368-3669
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      page
      [7]
      april
      9
      2003