7.a: Video #11: The food court
Given the pattern I had gotten used to, I was surprised when I scanned the code on Monday that I was being thrust into action right away.
"ASSIGNMENT IS TODAY. YOU CAN GO TO WORK AFTER. BE READY TO TRAVEL AT 12:30"
I wondered if this one would keep me locked up long enough that I'd be late to work.
Well, given how the last one worked, I might by in a jail cell by the time I'm supposed to be at work
.
I puttered around, doing at-home stuff, and was surprised to get another message just after eleven.
"EFFECTIVE NOW, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PISS UNTIL GIVEN PERMISSION."
And then, about a half-hour later, another unexpected message:
"DRINK A LARGE GLASS OF WATER, TAKE A PHONE VID OF YOU DRINKING IT AND SEND IMMEDIATELY."
Another message with the same instruction came a half-hour later.
By the time I got my travelling orders at 12:30, I was definitely at a state where I would have made a pit stop before going out. Hopefully, I was being sent to a restroom again!
"DRESS IN T-SHIRT AND GYM SHORTS. NO UNDERWEAR. TAKE WORK CLOTHES IN BAG.
"GO TO FOOD COURT AT TOWN CENTRE MALL. FIND QR CODE IN SW CORNER, END OF AISLE OF SEATS BY SCULPTURE
"LEAVE NOW"
I was already dressed for work, so after a hasty change, I was out the door, work clothes crammed in my bag. By the time I biked over and wound my way through the mall, it looked like the food court was heading to the quieter time after the lunch rush. Most of the tables were empty and there were a couple employees working their way between them, tidying up.
My instructions to find the code were pretty vague, but once I saw the sculpture (an animal of some sort made of strips of metal) I had a zone to work from... and then, at the end of an aisle of booths I saw a guy wearing one of those familiar blue "courier" shirts. Figuring that wasn't a coincidence, I walked over towards him. He was sitting with his back to me as I approached, but as I drew beside him, I saw he was holding onto a card with a QR code. He looked up as I stood by the table.
"Um, I think that's for me?" Without comment he handed the card over. I laid it on the table and pulled out my phone so I could scan it. I was working up some sort of conversation starter when my phone buzzed.
"GO OVER TO THE MEGA BURGER AND GET A JUMBO DRINK. COME BACK AND SIT DOWN."
Well, if nothing else, this assignment already had a different sort of rhythm to it -- so far it felt more like a treasure hunt. It turned out that the "Jumbo" drink was no joke, coming in a cup that was about the size of a Big Gulp. Looking at it reminded me of my faint but distinct need to relieve myself. In arriving here I had forgotten I was hoping to be sent to the restroom.
Tub of diet coke in hand, I went back and took the seat across from the guy in the blue shirt. Without bothering to make small talk, he launched right into a spiel.
"So, I'm supposed to let you know that you don't have to worry about your camera. I have them set up for you. There's one right there," gesturing toward a garbage can across from the table, "and one down there," twisting around to point at the base of a divider between tables several yards back.
"When you're done whatever it is you're here for, you have to scan the card again, and I'll come get the cameras." With that, he pulled out his own phone and scanned it, then stood up and walked away. He left his tray behind him, which had an empty burger wrapper and french fry container. And also, curiously, a large pair of scissors.
His action must have been a trigger, as my phone buzzed right away, before I had time to process that.
"DRINK AS MUCH OF THE DRINK AS YOU CAN"
Yikes!
I picked up the giant cup, and chugged a couple swallows. Then I paused and figured I should pace myself, so I took a series of more measured glugs. I paused for a little silent burp, then drank what felt like another full-sized normal serving. There was still about half of the drink left, but that was what I could handle for now. Meanwhile, I had more instructions.
"TAKE TIMELOCK AND CUFFS FROM BAG
"REMOVE SOCKS AND SHOES, STORE THEM IN BAG
"LOCK BAG WITH PADLOCK. PUT KEY ON SHACKLE OF TIME LOCK"
That kept me busy for a couple minutes, especially trying to unobtrusively get my shoes and socks off. By the time the padlock on my bag clicked shut, I had more to do.
"DRINK SOME MORE OF THE DRINK
"LOCK ONE CUFF AROUND TABLE LEG, LOCK OTHER TO RIGHT ANKLE
"PULL DOWN SHORTS SO THEY ARE LAYING ON THE FLOOR
"PUT HANDCUFF KEY ON SHACKLE OF TIME LOCK
"LOCK TIMELOCK TO METAL BAR ON DIVIDER BESIDE TABLE. SET FOR ONE HOUR AND START
"RESCAN QR CODE WHEN CLOCK RUNNING"
That gave me a whole bunch of things to do. It was enough of a struggle to have to half-climb under the table to lock the cuffs to that table leg and my ankle that I hadn't really process the next line until I reread it.