22. joanne caught up to me

Joanne caught up to me. Not sure what she was going through her mind. But I was sure glad she took up Thomas’s other arm. She slung his arm over like handbag not removing her line of sight of the new stranger.

“Kyle. That’s the name I was given.”

He spoke as his tall lanky body trodded down the path. The movements looked slow and lazy, but being the size that he is, he was covering alot of ground.

“But if you prefer, you may continue to call me Bigfoot… or Sasquatch… or even the Abominable Snowman. Been them all, though wouldn’t you prefer a simple one syllable name like Kyle? And besides, we still call each other by names don’t we? That’s what we humans still do. Right?”

I wasn’t sure what to say. Or even if I should be responding. Were we being lectured? Or maybe he’s just talking because he knows we’re unable to. Definitely not Joanne. She’s still gawking. Jaw dropped. Eyes unblinking. And yet, we strode in unison carrying Thomas along. Kyle. Yeah… Kyle’s last words were leading us on. We humans.

“Yes.”

My answer was stuttered. That appeared to be the response he was looking for because he nodded as if he knew I caught that last part of the statement.

“That’s good to hear. It’s been a while. I was scared you all would start calling each other by numbers.”

“I think we do. Not in the sense you’re thinking of. We do call each other with numbers. Phone numbers.”

Joanne’s head turned slowly to me. Real slowly. And she didn’t have to say a word. I knew what that look said. The incredulous, angry and perplexed look that just said, Really?

Kyle laughed.

“Ah yes. The phone. Humanity’s great advances in technology.”

“Alot has changed.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Not sure when you left, but we have the internet, mobile phones, cloned,

…