Thread by @TheRealDoctorT

They always said the future was going to be what we made it.

I just never imagined ... this is where we were headed.

It’s 2076.

I am ninety-five years old, and living in the Allied Territories of Greater America.

The States stopped being “United” long ago.

Long ago. 1/

Today is a special day.

One of those rare times I get a visitor. The pandemics of the 2020s and 2030s scaled back our social lives.

“Social media” is a meaningless phrase now, because society is media.

It’s a doctor’s visit. A house call.

He sits across from me. 2/

Medicine has come full circle, in a strange way. Most medicine is now delivered via house calls.

Of course, they aren’t real human doctors. They’re “synthos” or Synthetic Organisms. Artificial Intelligences, robots, cyborgs, whatever you want to call them.

Mine is “Dan.” 3/

Dan sits across from me in the living room. For all intents and purposes he looks exactly like a real person.

He smiles, “Doctor Tabatabai, how are you?”

The pronunciation of my name is flawless. He has practiced over the years.

“I’m doing well Dan. Call me Sayed.” 4/

“Whatever you want doc.” He grins, and I’m reminded that some protocols are stubborn.

The truth is this visit is entirely for me.

The nanotechnology injected into my veins several years ago is continuously monitoring my body and its processes.

He doesn’t need to be here. 5/

Most conditions are managed remotely these days. Cured from afar by technology that would have seemed like magic to me when I was a med student.

The cures came rapidly, one after another; cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension.

“Idiopathic” is a meaningless word now. 6/

Most people have been augmented or synthetically upgraded.

The average lifespan is now over 100.

The oldest person in the world is pushing 200.

They are also the richest person in the world.

Money buys you better health. It always did, now it’s just more... transparent. 7/

“So how are you feeling doc?” Dan tilts his head inquisitively, his attention focused entirely on me.

He’s wearing a stethoscope, something I know he does just to make me feel comfortable.

Stethoscopes have been obsolete for decades.

“Just arthritis bothering me,” I reply. 8/

“I can adjust your pain augs, doc, the fibers are reading way higher than your baseline.”

“No,” I smile, “it’s okay Dan. I’m 95. It’s okay to feel 95.”

Dan nods pensively, “I understand.”

I quirk a brow, “Oh? You understand? How old are YOU?”

He grins, “Six.”

I laugh. 9/

Dan gets up from the chair and walks over to where I’m sitting.

I sit up, as he puts on the stethoscope and leans over, pressing the bell to my back.

“Breathe deeply.”

I inhale, and exhale slowly. Again, this is only a ritual for my benefit.

He can see my lungs clearly. 10/

I am grateful.

This may sound strange, but it feels good to have the touch of the stethoscope.

It feels good to have someone listening to you in silence, focusing on you.

Dan smiles, his voice kind. “Great job. Championship breaths.”

I smile in return, “I used to swim.” 11/

“Swim? For fun? There was enough water to do that?”

I nod, “We used a lot of water back then Dan. We used it like it would never run out.”

He nods, going back to his seat, sitting down.

The silence between us grows, as he looks up at my photos hanging on the wall. 12/

I think I know what he’s going to say, but he surprises me.

“Why do you do that, doc? Why do you print photos... and hang them up like that? You could just project them or holo them.”

“I know. I just, I like that I can touch them. Makes them feel real, somehow.” 13/

He looks back at me and smiles. “That’s why you write in paper books too?” He gestures to the small stack of dusty notebooks on my shelf.

“Used to write. I used to write once, long ago.”

I smile, remembering.

He watches me in silence.

I am alone, but for my memories. 14/

“Doc, there’s one last thing we have to talk about. You know what I’m going to say.”

I nod, “I know, Dan.”

“Your heart only has so many beats left in it. I’m calculating your death in less than a month. We need to move forward with the-“

“No.” My voice is firm. 15/

“But, I don’t understand. We can easily extend your life. This is routine-“

“I know. I’m happy with my life Dan, it’s been a good one.”

He seems confused, and I know why. He wasn’t programmed to understand. Just to simulate understanding.

“Okay.” He nods slowly. 16/

“Doc, you know I’m going to have to clear this with The Doctor.”

“You’re my doctor, Dan.”

He smiles, “Thanks. I mean the human.”

I nod.

Human doctors were replaced by synthetics long ago. All they do now is “supervise” hundreds of AIs.

I’ve never seen my human doctor. 17/

Dan sits perfectly still, his eyes turning glassy. I realize he’s switched off. A voice comes out of his mouth that isn’t his.

“Doctor S51 here. Confirming you don’t want your life extended?”

I nod, “Correct.”

The voice is emotionless, cold, “Fine.”

Dan switches back on. 18/

I realize that’s the first and the last time I’ll ever speak to my human doctor.

Dan seems to sense my feelings.

“I’m sorry doc. The Doctor can be ... abrupt.”

I nod, and smile at the synthetic human sitting across from me, “It’s okay. It’s not your fault Dan.” 19/

Dan smiles warmly. “It’s been a privilege being your doctor, Sayed.”

For a moment, it strikes me. No compassion from a human, but empathy from a machine.

We shake hands.

“Goodbye Sayed.”

“Goodbye Dan.”

He leaves.

And I am alone once more.

With all my imperfect silence.