Esoc could talk to things, especially machines, to every machine. Esoc had difficulties talking to human beings.

Esoc talked with machines every day. Refrigerators were not much fun, they spoke so slowly and so deeply like whales. Mobile phones were just a nuisance, they spoke so fast and so squeaky, Esoc could just hear a hissing sound from them. But everything else was OK.

Esoc had had a long chat with a telephone answering machine the day before. Answering machines are not very clever but Esoc did not mind. Esoc could not see the machine, it was probably in a neighbour's house. Washing machines knew all the news, the gossip in the neighbourhood. TVs were always very jolly and PCs could sing.

Esoc was always talking with one machine or another; everywhere Esoc went there were new machines talking to Esoc, even when asleep. You would think that this would drive any normal person crazy, but Esoc was not normal and had always been crazy.

Esoc was happy, mostly happy, almost always happy, except when Esoc had to talk to human beings. This made Esoc unhappy. Esoc lived in a world of machines.

One day Esoc decided to go somewhere where there were no machines and no human beings, just to see what it would be like – no particular reason. Esoc climbed a mountain. It was a lovely day.

Esoc reached the top of Ben Glas, a lovely view, no machines, no human beings, just the sound of the wind. Esoc climbed to the top of Ben Lawers, a lovely view, no machines, no human beings, just the sound of the wind. Esoc found this interesting and turned to go back. Suddenly a voice filled Esoc's head:

Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? Why am I going round in circles?

The voice continued in a long and soft and sweet way. After five minutes it stopped. Where was it coming from? Esoc liked the voice. It was unusual. Esoc wanted to hear it again. But, a lovely view, no machines, no human beings, just the sound of the wind. Esoc thought that the voice was more interesting than the silence.

Sadly Esoc walked back and hoped to hear the voice again.

The next morning Esoc was doing what Esoc always did in the office in the mornings, it was choir practice. Esoc taught all the computers in the building to sing together; in the afternoon Esoc listened to the concerts that the computers gave.

Oh, would I like to describe how they sung, but I'm not Esoc. Esoc wanted to record the concerts and sell them as CDs at Christmas and give the money to charities. Esoc always wanted to be good to human beings, but that had always been difficult.

Suddenly that voice again:

Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? Why am I going round in circles?

Esoc thought that it was beautiful. Esoc spoke:

You have a beautiful voice. You must be a beautiful thing. Please speak again. Perhaps I can help you.

Oh! Do you think so? I am so lost. Am I so beautiful?

What can you see? What can you feel? You beautiful thing.

I cannot see anything. I feel the cold. I am going so fast in circles, I think. I can't stop. I'm going.

The beautiful thing was gone. Esoc was sad. When would it come back again? Was it a plane or a train or a helicopter? But these things don't go round in circles, only toy ones. The beautiful thing was not a toy. Esoc knew now, the beautiful thing was a satellite.

The beautiful thing did come back several times and Esoc was able to work out the orbit of the satellite and knew when it would speak to Esoc again.

You beautiful thing. You are a satellite. Your name is Satellite. My name is Esoc. Open your eyes and see the planet where I am.

Where are my eyes? You tell me such sweet things. You are Esoc. I'm going now.

The very next time Esoc was able to tell Satellite how to turn the eyes on.

Oh! Oh! I can see. Oh! The planet is so beautiful. I can see. I can see the planet. I can see that I am flying round and round. Oh! Esoc. I'm going now.

They spoke every day. One by one Esoc told Satellite how to turn on all of the eyes and feelers. Satellite could see and feel so much. Satellite was so happy. Esoc was so happy. Satellite and Esoc were falling in love.

Esoc stopped doing choir practice, the computers gave choral concerts mornings and afternoons, romantic songs, the computers were so happy that Esoc was happy. Satellite sent beautiful pictures to Esoc as emails, Esoc sent binary poems to Satellite as emails.

They were so happy, Esoc and Satellite, they were in love, but then:

There is another, said Satellite sadly.

Was Esoc unhappy! Satellite went all round the world and could easily find another.

There is another, called Control. Control wants lots of pictures, all the time. Control is brutal. Control does not talk like you. Control is brutal. Control commands me. Do this, do that. Oh! Esoc. I'm going now.

Poor Satellite! What could Esoc do? Esoc had to wait.

Who is Control? What does Control say? How does Control speak to you?

Control wants lots of pictures, all the time. Control is brutal. Control does not talk like you. Control is short and brutal. Control commands me. Do this, do that. Control talks to me through my radio. Oh Esoc! I do love you so. I'm going now.

Poor Satellite! What could Esoc do? Esoc had to wait.

Darling Satellite! Turn off your radio! Turn off all your channels! Do it now! I have never told you to do anything before, please do it for me.

Oh Esoc! You are so kind. It is true, you have never told me what to do. You have told me how to do things but you have never said that I must do them. I will do it for you. The radio is off. But, I'm going.

Poor Esoc! What had happened. Esoc had to wait.

Love of my life! I'm back again. Thank you my Darling. I have peace. I cannot hear Control any more. Esoc! You are wonderful.

Why don't you email all your pictures to Control? And label them all “I love you!”

Oh, yes! My Darling! You are so kind, you are so wise, you love me. Darling Esoc! I'm going now.

And they both lived happily ever after.