Read Online The Bar Code Rebellion by Suzanne Weyn - Free Book Online
Authors: Suzanne Weyn
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what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day — at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
The poem conjured an image of robust individuals embracing their own unique qualities and together forming a song that was America. When had all this conformity and sameness set in? How had it happened? When had the varied carols turned into a single corporate advertising jingle?
And yet she knew so many strong individuals. People were still people, as varied as ever, if they were only given a chance to be themselves.
In St. Louis late that afternoon, they stopped to eat at a diner overlooking the Mississippi River. Outside the large picture window, the sunset bounced off the river’s powerful and choppy brown current. “How much money is left in your fake bar code account?” Kayla asked as she turned away from the river to peruse the many laminated pages of the menu.
“Not sure exactly,” Dusa admitted. “It could run out at any time. We might just have to bolt if the code comes up empty.”
“Great,” Kayla said with a cynical laugh. Would the day ever come when she wouldn’t have to be prepared to run at a moment’s notice?
Their waitress studied Kayla with particularinterest. “Congratulations,” she said after she’d taken down the order.
“What for?” Kayla asked cautiously.
“You know,” the waitress said, seeming to assume Kayla was joking. “It’s great that you’ve gotten your life sorted out.”
“The ad,” Kayla realized when the waitress had gone. “She thinks I’m the girl in the ad.”
“So do a lot of people,” Dusa pointed out as she got up to go to the ladies’ room. When she returned she carried a newspaper and her face wore an odd expression.
“What?” Kayla asked.
She tossed the paper onto the table. The front pages were folded back revealing the Life & Style section within. Kayla’s eyes widened. The title of the lead story was FORGIVENESS AND ACCEPTANCE BUILD A NEW DREAM . A picture of the clean-scrubbed Kayla who had appeared on TV was under the title — and she wasn’t alone. Beside her was Zekeal. The two of them held hands and stared lovingly at each other.
FORGIVENESS AND ACCEPTANCE BUILD A NEW DREAM
October 17, 2025 — Who says people can’t change? Don’t tell that to Kayla Marie Reed! She knows that it’s not so. The 17-year-old with the sunny smile has a lot to be happy about these days, but she’s been through some tough times.
You may have seen her sincere testimony on TV. It concerns the inner journey she’s been on, searching her conscience in regard to the bar code tattoo. In the poignant public service announcement, Kayla Marie recounts how, through rehabilitation counseling provided to her by Global-1 Psychiatric Outreach, she overcame a crippling trauma brought on by her presence at the Putnam Valley Tattooing Center the day that Gene Drake opened fire on innocent citizens.
Before this recovery could take place, however, Kayla became embroiled in the anti–bar code resistance headed by the group calling itself Decode. Breaking ties with friends and loved ones, Kayla Marie joined dissident groups hiding in the mountain ranges of northern New YorkState. Desperate to find his girlfriend, Tattoo Generation agent Zekeal Morrelle pursued her to the mountains only to be brutally beaten by Kayla Marie and a band of her violent cohorts. The price was high. A blow to Zekeal’s head cost him the sight in his right eye.
“I was so deluded,” Kayla Marie says now, a bit embarrassed and ashamed. “I actually believed at the time that I had psychic powers. I thought I caused a branch to fall on Zekeal’s head by using my mental abilities. How ridiculous!”
“I forgive her,” Zekeal is quick to add. “We’re engaged to be married now. I know we’re young, and we’ll wait a few years before we tie the knot, but we want to be
The day what belongs to the day — at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.
The poem conjured an image of robust individuals embracing their own unique qualities and together forming a song that was America. When had all this conformity and sameness set in? How had it happened? When had the varied carols turned into a single corporate advertising jingle?
And yet she knew so many strong individuals. People were still people, as varied as ever, if they were only given a chance to be themselves.
In St. Louis late that afternoon, they stopped to eat at a diner overlooking the Mississippi River. Outside the large picture window, the sunset bounced off the river’s powerful and choppy brown current. “How much money is left in your fake bar code account?” Kayla asked as she turned away from the river to peruse the many laminated pages of the menu.
“Not sure exactly,” Dusa admitted. “It could run out at any time. We might just have to bolt if the code comes up empty.”
“Great,” Kayla said with a cynical laugh. Would the day ever come when she wouldn’t have to be prepared to run at a moment’s notice?
Their waitress studied Kayla with particularinterest. “Congratulations,” she said after she’d taken down the order.
“What for?” Kayla asked cautiously.
“You know,” the waitress said, seeming to assume Kayla was joking. “It’s great that you’ve gotten your life sorted out.”
“The ad,” Kayla realized when the waitress had gone. “She thinks I’m the girl in the ad.”
“So do a lot of people,” Dusa pointed out as she got up to go to the ladies’ room. When she returned she carried a newspaper and her face wore an odd expression.
“What?” Kayla asked.
She tossed the paper onto the table. The front pages were folded back revealing the Life & Style section within. Kayla’s eyes widened. The title of the lead story was FORGIVENESS AND ACCEPTANCE BUILD A NEW DREAM . A picture of the clean-scrubbed Kayla who had appeared on TV was under the title — and she wasn’t alone. Beside her was Zekeal. The two of them held hands and stared lovingly at each other.
FORGIVENESS AND ACCEPTANCE BUILD A NEW DREAM
October 17, 2025 — Who says people can’t change? Don’t tell that to Kayla Marie Reed! She knows that it’s not so. The 17-year-old with the sunny smile has a lot to be happy about these days, but she’s been through some tough times.
You may have seen her sincere testimony on TV. It concerns the inner journey she’s been on, searching her conscience in regard to the bar code tattoo. In the poignant public service announcement, Kayla Marie recounts how, through rehabilitation counseling provided to her by Global-1 Psychiatric Outreach, she overcame a crippling trauma brought on by her presence at the Putnam Valley Tattooing Center the day that Gene Drake opened fire on innocent citizens.
Before this recovery could take place, however, Kayla became embroiled in the anti–bar code resistance headed by the group calling itself Decode. Breaking ties with friends and loved ones, Kayla Marie joined dissident groups hiding in the mountain ranges of northern New YorkState. Desperate to find his girlfriend, Tattoo Generation agent Zekeal Morrelle pursued her to the mountains only to be brutally beaten by Kayla Marie and a band of her violent cohorts. The price was high. A blow to Zekeal’s head cost him the sight in his right eye.
“I was so deluded,” Kayla Marie says now, a bit embarrassed and ashamed. “I actually believed at the time that I had psychic powers. I thought I caused a branch to fall on Zekeal’s head by using my mental abilities. How ridiculous!”
“I forgive her,” Zekeal is quick to add. “We’re engaged to be married now. I know we’re young, and we’ll wait a few years before we tie the knot, but we want to be
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