Wednesday

My memory doesn’t work like I wish it did, but I remember hearing that there are over two million people in New Nawlin at any given time.  Most of them are just like me, stuck here doing their jobs as they are told.  Being a geebee has its advantages.  I’m always living in the present.  Teebee’s brag about their superiority, but they don’t get to celebrate Mardi Gras for the first time every week.  I couldn’t be happier.  I don’t care what that old man said today.

I work as a concierge at the rustic Le Jardin Hotel.  It’s hard to remember faces when so many walk through those sliding doors.  Today a man with a wrinkly nose and fake teeth asked me to list the most romantic dining spots to take his wife.  I accessed the database, recited the top twenty according to visitor opinions and offered to call in a reservation.

“Hey.”  The old man squinted his eyes as he looked at my nametag.  “Mr. Saidi, do you have someone special?  You know, your true blue, that irreplaceable woman you rather die than be without?”

I shook my head while smiling.  I always smiled no matter how I felt.  “No, I do not, but a bachelor like me has plenty to enjoy in New Nawlin.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” is all he said.

*

Thursday

I never thought much about meeting my ‘True Blue’ or whatever then man talked about yesterday, but I can’t get it off my mind.  What’s a geebee going to do with that kind of stuff anyways?  As Henry says that’s strictly for teebees and the people he refers to as ‘dolls.’

“Know why they call ‘em dolls?” he asked me after emptying the trashcan.

“Why is that Henry?”

He grinned as though it were the first time I had asked. “They come in here looking all sorts of fancy.  You got you good looking dolls and ugly dolls; don’t see much anything in between.”  He thumped his fist against his chest.  “But no matter how they look outside you never know ‘ow they really look inside.  That what so good ‘bout geebees like you and me.  What you see is what you get.”

I always thought the same as Henry on most things.  Most of our guests were dolls so I had to treat them kindly, but something about them never agreed with me.  It’s kind of like they got no soul behind those eyes of theirs.  I look at geebee or teebee and I can see that unexplainable spark of life inside, but the expression and movement dolls are known for felt empty.

They are as bad as kaybees.  There are two kaybees that stand outside the lobby.  All they ever say is “Welcome to Le Jardin Hotel” or “Have a nice day.”  They don’t think for themselves, but I find it funny when a doll tries to have a conversation with them.  Even the smartest kaybees can’t say more than a dozen lines.

I hate kaybees, but I hate dolls more.

If that’s true, why can’t I forget her?

*

Friday

Maybe it is true and I’ve already met my true blue.  Last Tuesday a woman approached the concierge desk around eight PM.  I had first thought she was a teebee due to her plain features and curly black hair.  They then proceeded to ask of me the strangest request.

“You’re kind of like a butler, right?”

“Yeah.  My job is to assist guests in any way possible.”

“Perfect.”  She reached out her hand as though to make contact with mine.  “Then I request a date for the night.”

“Where would you and your date like to go?”

She laughed.  Her two front teeth looked smaller than they should.  “No silly.  I meant I want you to escort me around town tonight.”

“I don’t understand.  I can contact an escort service if you would like.”

A strange grumbling sound of discontent came from her small frame.  “Look.  You said you assist guests in any way possible.”  She grabbed my left arm and pulled me away from the desk.  “Consider this part of your job.”

I didn’t know how to respond.  It was against my learning to argue with a customer.  I didn’t want to lose my job, but I couldn’t resist her forceful nature.  I followed at her side until the night ended.

*

Saturday

The hardest part about being a geebee is remembering things.  The more remarkable the memory the harder it is to hold on to it.  Even among geebees there are different levels of recollection.  Henry never remembers the conversations we had two days before.  Most guests don’t stay longer than a week.  During the down season I can sometimes remember faces for two and a half weeks, but I’m already forgetting her face.

She called herself Amy.  Although I insisted on being called Mr. Saidi she refused.

“Don’t you have a first name?” she asked during the cab ride.

I shook my head.

“Isn’t there any name you’ve gone by before?”

“No.  My name is Mr. Saidi.”

“How about Erik?  Erik Saidi.  Sounds kind of like that French pianist.”

“Erik?  Feel free to call me as you please.”

*

Sunday

There’s this one memory that stands out from the rest.  After a quick pass through Fifth Bourbon Street we entered a small coffee shop that looked unusually dead.  Amy ordered a coffee but didn’t drink any of it.  When I asked about this she replied she only wanted a place to escape to for a bit.  She then laughed and said it was ironic because this whole world was just an escape.

Amy slid the cup over to me.  “You can have it if you want.”

“There is something about you.  You are different than the rest of the dolls I’ve met.”

“Dolls?”

“That’s what we call people like you.”

She laughed, nodding her head slowly.  “I see. Did you know this is how I really look?”

“You look nice.”

She looked away.  “Most people come here to be someone else.  I know I’m not pretty, but I’d hate to be anyone else.  This is actually my first time using Neoteric Holidays.  So Erik, do you ever get bored doing the same thing every day?”

“It's not so bad.  I meet new people every day and my memory... it resets.  I can only remember so much at a time, so it’s hard to be bored.”

An expression that I was unaccustomed to covered her face.  “That's horrible.  Does that mean you will eventually forget me?”

“Not immediately.  I'm what we call a geebee.  I only have a few hundred gigabytes of dedicated memory.”  I tapped the right side of my head.  “Right now I’m making new memories talking to you and those memories are replacing the oldest memories in my head.  It's always been this way.”

“Isn’t there anyway to get more memory?”

I shook my head.  “I was born a geebee and I’ll die one.”

Brittle tears fell down her cheeks, disappearing beneath the rim of her jaw.

Why did she cry?  I don't understand.  She seemed so happy before.

*

Monday

All day long I struggled with this feeling that there was something I needed to do.  I helped all the guests in a prompt fashion.  I answered every question as precisely as possible and yet it always felt as though I forgot to name an activity or locale.  The manager stopped to check on me twice.  There must be something wrong with me. 

*

Tuesday

Mardi Gras comes every Tuesday in New Nawlin.  The city does this so that all guests have a chance to enjoy the festivities that come with the day.  There are ten Bourbon Streets in all, each one different than the others but all based on the original.  Le Jardin Hotel is closest to Fifth Bourbon Street so that's where I direct most of our guests.  A trolley circles all of New Nawlin along Canal Street.  It's a short walk from the hotel and it will take you just about anywhere you want to go.

I'm always off between twelve and three on Tuesdays.  It's so I can join in the event.  I always get off the trolley at Fifth Bourbon Street walk and join up with others like me, but not today.  At twelve o'clock I found an open chair in the lobby and sat by myself.

*

Wednesday

The strangest thing happened today.  A doll stopped by just to say hello.  When I asked if I could help her with anything else she frowned and said no.  She called me Erik before saying goodbye.  

I'm not sure why that stood out to me.