,EPILOGUE

,X HAS N[ BE5 F\R YE>S S9CE T HOT1 L\D
"D :5 MY CO*LE> IMPLANT 0 F/ TURN$ ON4
,! BEEPS & BUZZES T ,I HE>D !N N[ SEEM L
NORMAL HE>+4 ,I FEEL "S"TS Z IF ,I H ALW
HE>D ? WAY1 Z IF ,I ALW KNEW :AT ! LR ;S
S.D$ L1 T PLA/IC BAGS MAKE A RU/L+ S.D1
& T A P5CIL MAKES A SCRAT*+ NOISE :5 ,I
WRITE ) X ON A PIECE ( PAP]4 ,I / 4COV]
NEW S.DS1 H["E1 R1LIZ+ :AT ,I H MISS$4
,J LA/ MON?1 WALK+ )9 MY H\SE1 ,I /OPP$
& LI/5$3 =! F/ "T1 ,I HE>D ! S.D ( RA9
ON MY RO(4 ,& ^WS & S5T;ES / WAFT T[>D
ME1 = ME 6PLUCK !M \ (! AIR & "U/& !M ":
2F ,I WD N EV5 H "KN T !Y _H BE5 SPOK54
  ,:5 ,I /RU7LE )A DI6ICULT VOICE ON !
PH"O OR _C "U/& A NEWS ANN\NC] )A DEEP
BASS VOICE ON ! RADIO1 ,I FEEL A TW+E (
REGRET T ,I D N HE> EV5 BETT] ?AN ,I AM
HE>+ N[ & AN ANNOY.E T ,I AM / D1F4 ,B
!N ,I *A/ISE MYF = MY GRE$I;S1 REMEMB]+
T 2F ,I GOT MY IMPLANT1 ,I WD N H "U/OOD
ANY"O AT ALL ON ! PH"O1 &! RADIO WD H
BE5 J NOISE4 ,& 9 A SMALL CORN] ( MY
M9D1 ,I W HOPE 6D EV5 BETT]1 RESOLV+
6TAKE ? TE*NOLOGY Z F> Z X W G4

,MY CO*LE> IMPLANT HAS GIV5 ME A RE>-
VIEW MIRROR ONTO MY D1F;S4 ,X
ILLUM9ATES1 (T5 9 A />TL+LY H>% LI<T1
:AT ,I H MISS$ 9 2+ D1F S9CE *ILDHOOD1 &
ALL[S ME 6SEE :AT ,I ADAPT$ 6Z ,I GREW
96D1F;S4 ,! JOY ) : D1F P L MYF GREET !
S.DS GIV5 6U 0\R CO*LE> IMPLANTS
HI<LI<TS ! LOSS & EMPTI;S S _M ( U FEEL
Z A RESULT (A _W G"O SIL5T4
  ,AM ,I 8\0 ( D1F;S8 ,YES1 & NO4 ,:5 ,I
TALK 6ANO!R P]SON OR A FEW P1 9 A QUIET
SPOT1 ,I FEEL T ,I H -E \ ( D1F;S1 & T
,I AM D1F NO M4 ,I NO L;G] /RA91 9T5T ON
CAT*+ E MOVE;T (! O!R P]SON'S LIPS3 ,I
HE> ) EASE4 ,:5 ,I SP1K 6P ON ! TELEPH"O
& H A L;G 3V]S,N ) !M1 ASK+ T !Y REP1T J
A FEW ^WS OR PHRASES1 ,I ?RILL 6MY NEW
SKILL & FEEL ,I H -E \ ( D1F;S 6A /ATE
": ,I AM M]ELY H>D ( HE>+1 N D1F4 ,B1
!N1 ,I W F9D MYF ) TOO _M P TALK+ ALL AT
ONCE1 9 A PLACE ": "! IS TOO M* NOISE1 &
,I W FEEL ONCE AG V D1F4 ,I W 2 BACK
9SIDE MY OLD D1F;S4 ,&1 :5 MY BATT]Y
RUNS D[N OR ,I AM SWIMM+ 9 ! LAKE )\T MY
EXT]NAL HE>+ EQUIP;T1 ,I HE> ABSOLUTELY
NO?+4 ,I AM D1F4
  ,9 _M WAYS1 H["E1 ,I D FEEL 8\40 ,AL?
,I GREW UP A%AM$ ( MY D1F;S1 UNA# 6REV1L
MYF Z D1F 6O!RS1 PREF]R+ EV5 6BE 3SID]$
FOOLI% 7FOOLI% 5 6N EV5 2 A# 6PO9T \ !
EQUATOR ON A MAP71 ,I NO L;G] FEEL ?
WAY4 ,R ?AN FEEL %AME = MY D1F;S1 ,I N[
FEEL ,I H M* 6BE PR\D (1 9 HAV+ COP$ )
S* A HUGE 4ABIL;Y4 ,SOCIAL ATTITUDES
T[>D 4ABILITIES H *ANG$1 & S H ,I4 ,EV5
Z MY D1F;S HAS 2COME M* LESS 4ABL+1 ,I H
-E F> 9 "U/&+ X & AC"KL$G+ :AT ,I
PREVI\SLY HID OR BLU6$ AWAY4 ,X IS Z IF
? TE*NOLOGY DEEP )9 MY E> HAS BR"\ MY LL
SECRET ( D1F;S \ 9 ! OP51 & X HAS EMP[]$
& EMBOLD5$ ME4
  ,"! IS M* T ,I H LE>N$ ON ? J\RNEY "?
D1F;S4 ,I H A NEW RESPECT = H[ ,I & O!R
D1F P >E A# TO 8HE>0 ) :AT LL HE>+ WE
MAY H 7)& )\T A CO*LE> IMPLANT72 ,I H A
NEW APPRECI,N =! DELI<TS ( S.DS N[ T ,I
C HE> S _M ( !M4 ,? FRE% "U/&+ HAS GIV5
ME A NEW S5SE ( FELL[%IP ) O!R D1F P1
AL? ,I GREW UP "K+ N"O O!R ?AN MY "F4 ,I
AL FEEL =TUNATE 9 HAV+ GA9$ A FEEL+ (
"PN]%IP ) SCI;E & TE*NOLOGY T ,I DID N H
2F1 :5 ,I 0 SITT+ AT ! SIDEL9ES1 WAIT+
=! MIRACUL\S 6HAPP54

,R1D+ MY /ORY ( GR[+ 96D1F;S & LE>N+ AB
! PRICE ,I PD = LIV+ Z IF ,I 7 A HE>+
P]SON 9 A HE>+ MILIEU1 )\T SIGN
LANGUAGE1 ) FEW A3OMMOD,NS1 & LL A3EPT.E
( MY D1F;S1 "S W SAY T ,I WD H BE5 BETT]
(F GR[+ UP )9 ! ,D1F CULTURE4 ,"!1 ,I CD
H -MUNICAT$ ) MY H&S & BODY 0SIGN+ 7) ^?
:O KNEW H[ 6SIGN74 ,"!1 ,I CD H F.D
A3EPT.E & N"E 2 CALL$ 8WEIRD0 7AT L1/
:ILE ,I 0 ) MEMB]S (! ,D1F CULTURE74 ,I
WD N H _H 6/RU7LE 6BE "S?+ ,I 0 N4 ,X IS
TRUE T X WD H BE5 BETT] IF ,I _H BE5 A#
6AC"KL$GE & A3EPT MY D1F;S R ?AN TRY
6PASS Z HE>+1 & ,I R1LIZE T ,I H PD A
HI< PRICE = GR[+ UP Z ,I DID4 ,2+ ": ,I
AM N[1 H["E1 X IS N POSSI# = ME OR ANY"O
ELSE 6FAIRLY JUDGE :E!R ,I WD H BE5
BETT] (F GR[+ UP )9 ! EMBRACE (! SIGN+
,D1F -MUN;Y4
  ,AL? HE>+ P >E N[ M AW>E ( ^? 9 ! ,D1F
CULTURE1 & M R1DY 6A3OMMODATE !M ) BO?
A3EPT.E1 & SIGN LANGUAGE 9T]PRET]S1
N"O!.S1 ! SIGN+ ,D1F >E / LIMIT$ 0!
SIMPLE FACT T MO/ P D N SIGN4 ,I AM "!=E
?ANK;L =! WID] _W T ,I H BE5 "P (--=
HAV+ GR[N UP 8ORAL D1F10--! BROAD $UC,N
,I H RCVD1 ! WIDE V>IETY ( HE>+ FRS ,I
H1 ! OPPORTUNITIES T WD N H BE5 M9E 7 ,I
"P (! ,D1F CULTURE4 ,MOREOV]1 IF ,I _H
BE5 "P ( T CULTURE1 X IS UNLIKELY T ,I
WD H BE5 A# 6TA/E ! SWEET PL1SURE (
TRAVEL+ \ ( D1F;S & 96M HE>+1 ) MY
CO*LE> IMPLANT4 ,6^? :O WD >GUE T !
PRICE HAS BE5 TOO HI<1 ,I SAY NO1 X HAS
BE5 WOR? X4

,MY CO*LE> IMPLANT HAS MADE MY LIFE M*
EASI]1 B X HAS N MADE ME HE>+4 ,I AM /
HE>+-IMPAIR$1 & MY LIFE IS M -PLICAT$ =
T R1SON4 ,= EXAMPLE1 A LL :ILE AGO1 ,I
ATT5D$ A 3F];E 9 ,NEW ,YORK ,C;Y4 ,I 0
UNA# 6SIMPLY RES]VE A HOTEL ROOM1 BOOK A
FLI<T1 & REGI/] =! 3F];E4 ,I NE$$
6REQUE/ 9 ADV.E T ! HOTEL PROVIDE ME )A
FLA%+ /ROBE AL]T SY/EM T WD WAKE ME IF
"! 0 A FIRE :ILE ,I 0 ASLEEP ) MY
PROCESSOR TURN$ (F & LY+ USE.S ON ! TA#
2S MY B$4 ,:5 ,I BO>D$ MY PLANE1 ,I _H
6EXPLA9 6! FLI<T /EW>DESS T ,I WD N "U/&
ANY (! ANN\NCE;TS BL>$ \ OV] ! PUBLIC
A4RESS SY/EM4 ,I ASK$ H] 6-E 6MY S1T
6TELL ME ( ANY IMPORTANT "OS4 ,IF "! 0 A
PRO#M1 & WE 7 DIV]T$ 6ANO!R AIRPORT1 =
EXAMPLE1 ,I WANT$ 6"K AB X 9 ADV.E1 N :5
,I /UM#D (F ! PLANE4 ,&1 AT ! 3F];E XF1
,I NE$$ 6ASK ! ORGANIZ]S 6PROVIDE ME )
AN ASSI/IVE LI/5+ SY/EM 7,,FM OR 9FRAR$7
T ,I CD PLUG 96MY PROCESSOR1 S ,I WD N 2
LI/5+ 6SPEE*ES ALL "D )\T -PREH5D+ !M4
,^! DEVICES C 2 WOND];L AT BR++ !
SP1K]'S VOICE CLE>LY & DIRECTLY 6MY
PROCESSOR1 Z IF ! SP1K] 7 ONLY 9*ES AWAY
F ME4
  ,:5 ,I F9,Y TOOK MY PLACE 9 ! AUDI;E1
,I 0 4MAY$ 6F9D T ! AUDITORIUM 0 D>K5$1
& ,I WD 2 UNA# 6LIPR1D ! SP1K]S4 ,I />T$
6FEEL MY OLD PANICKY FEEL+S ( HELP.S;S4
,!N ,I PLU7$ MYF 9 6! ,,FM SY/EM T _H
BE5 PROVID$ 6ME1 TUN$ IN1 & SURPRIS$ EV5
MYF 0"U/&+1 = MO/ (! TALKS1 ALL OR ALM
ALL T 0 SD4 ,I FELT MYF SWELL ) PRIDE4

,IF "! IS "O MESSAGE T ,I WD GIVE 6P>5TS
( D1F *N X IS T !Y AC"KL$GE & A3EPT _!
*'S D1F;S1 & HELP _! * 6D ! SAME4 ,NO
D1F * %D 2 5C\RAG$ TO 8PASS0 Z HE>+1 NOR
FEEL A%AM$ ( 2+ D1F4 ,P>5TS :O *OOSE A
CO*LE> IMPLANT = _! D1F * >E FAC+ _! *'S
4ABIL;Y H1D-ON1 R ?AN TRY+ 6HIDE X4 ,!
VISIBIL;Y (! CURR5T DEVICES PREV5TS T1 B
AL ! REHABILIT,N ) !RAPI/S & T1*]S &
AUDIOLOGI/S T MO/ *N OBTA9 FOLL[+ _!
SURG]Y EMP[]S !M1 GIV+ !M A WIDE NET"W (
SUPPORT F C>+ ADULTS 9 D1L+ ) _! D1F;S4
,I WI% ,I _H _H T K9D ( SUPPORT GR[+ UP
D1F4
  ,4COV]IES ( D1F;S 9 A *1 L MY [N :5 A
NAIL CLIPP+ FLEW 96MY EYE & MY FAMILY
R1LIZ$ MY NE$ 6LIPR1D1 W 3T9UE 6BE
TRAUMATIC = _M HE>+ FAMILIES4 ,LE>N+ T
_! * IS D1F W PROBABLY ALW 2 PA9;L = !M4
,!Y MAY FEEL A LOSS1 & GRIEVE = :AT CD H
BE54 ,B Z ,DAVID ,LUT]MAN REM9DS U3
,HAPPI;S1 SAY ! POETS1 IS A MATT] ( HAV+
"S?+ 6D1 "S"O 6LOVE1 & "S?+ 6HOPE =4
,D1F;S GIVES Y ALL ( ? 9 FULL M1SURE4
,AT ! V L1/1 ? ,7D1F7' * HAS 5SUR$ T Y W
H A V 9T]E/+ LIFE4

,"! >E FEW M$ICAL PROC$URES = : PATI5TS
NE$ "O ANO!R M ?AN !Y D = CO*LE>
IMPLANT,N4 ,WE NE$ N ONLY IMPROV$
TE*NOLOGY & IMPROV$ DEVICE FITT+S1 B AL
WE NE$ EA* O!R4 ,^? ( U :O >E D1F C LE>N
F EA* O!R :AT ! HE>+ PROFES.NALS _C
"U/&1 _C EXPLA91 & _C ADVISE U ON1 9
SPITE ( _! D$IC,N & K4 ,WE C %>E ) "O
ANO!R &) ^? :O >E HE>+1 ! EXP]I;E (
D1F;S1 &! EXP]I;E ( HE>+ ) ? NEW
TE*NOLOGY4 ,MY "U/&+ ( MY [N D1F;S /
UNFOLDS1 &! FOLDS _C 2 TURN$ BACK &
PRESS$ %UT ON D1F;S4
    8,W+S ACR ! BLUE
    ,! ONLY WAY \ IS "?