It Began With a Text

Another Chat

     Somewhere, sometime, in another phone, in another chat, another event is unfolding behind the scenes...

A special authority user 119 has requested a chat.

This invitation has automatically been accepted by the Message app.

119:

Mrs.***, Mr.***, are any of you two available for a quick talk?

445:

Yes, I am. What is it Officer? You haven't tried contacting us in quite some time.

119:

It's about your son.

445:

What about him? There shouldn't any more legal problems, should there?

119:

No miss, this is more the fault of the department for not making your son's rules and restrictions more clear.

119:

Has your son, by any chance, been active on any form of social media or texting platform?

445:

Actually, he has been quite active on this app as of lately. He told me he found some new friends here.

445:

I don't believe it was made aware to us that that is not allowed.

119:

No, you weren't, we're very sorry about that miss. We didn't inform that clause of the contract to you because at the time, your son didn't even own a phone.

119:

It regrets us to say this, but until your son's parole is permanently over, any form of social media and texting that is not for school or any sort of institution is not allowed. This is mostly for security reasons.

...

445:

Don't you find this all a bit extreme officer?

119:

It's the law miss. Robbery and vandalism are two very serious crimes.

445:

Can't an exception be made? It's already hard for him as it is, the only time I see him truly happy is when he's texting his friends.

119:

I understand that, and again, we are truly sorry for not informing you of the circumstances before. But we must follow rules. Your son's parole should be over in a few more months anyways.

...

445:

I'll talk to him. I don't think he will listen.

119:

Actually, I will have to take him off the app myself. It's protocol. Only the police have the authority to take a user id off the app.

445:

But that will reveal him in front of his friends! Wasn't he suppose to keep his identity hidden?

119:

That is actually the reason why the rule is there in the first place. But since there's nothing we can do about that now, exceptions will have to be made for those few individuals he texts.

119:

If it makes things better, your son will have the choice on whether or not he wants to reveal his story to his new friends. If not, I can take him off the app with zero questions asked.

445:

Yes, that would be fine...

445:

I'm sorry, I know the police are just doing their job, but... I still don't believe that... my son...

119:

Understandable miss, your son himself has refused to come clean. I hope you can leave all of this behind you in a few months.

445:

I count the days until then.

445:

If that's all, I believe I can leave?

119:

Yes, thank you for your time miss.