Page 105 - Demo

104 JAGGEDEDGE
before asking questions. Corin left the room, as Tom and Paul con- ducted a three-hour presentation. A hush fell over the room when the lecture was concluded. Tom was reminded of a day in his eighth grade math class when the teacher struggled to convey her solution to a problem to a roomful of lost recipients.
“Does anyone have any questions?” the teacher asked, sig- naling the problem’s completion. The room fell into silence as everyone looked around for assistance from somewhere, any- where. Invariably, as the teacher was about to progress to a new level, a hand arose. The entire class looked and listened with genuine anticipation.
“Miss Jenkins,” the student said, “I don’t understand how you arrived at that result?”
At that moment, the entire class breathed a sigh of relief.
“Hmmm.” she said, “Let me show you another way to obtain the same result and proceeded to transmit the same problem in greater detail. The entire class gained renewed determination to understand the last iteration. Tom remembered thanking God for the person who asked the question so the problem could be ex- plained in detail. Like his fellow classmates, everyone silently appreciated the one who pleaded ignorance.
“I don’t understand why a file has to be erased from our equipment once it’s transferred to yours,” said the man behind the New Jersey sign.
Tom looked around for Corin to answer that question but quickly realized his absence.
He turned around and looked straight at New Jersey and said, “Sir, I can only assume that Corin wants to be the sole record-keeper which allows you more time to be involved with running your operation efficiently. That would be my guess. But if that’s not satisfactory, Corin should return momentarily.”
Silence fell on the crowd. Another hand went up.
“Yes, Sir, Mr. Utah.”
“Will the self-destruct device you are giving us leave any
trace of Blue Heaven on our computers?”