If I were to suggest something musical to listen to while reading this, I would definitely pick “Who Are You,” by the Who. I would suggest this because not only was it a great song, but this was the exact music going through my head in the dream that inspired this piece.

It all started with spaghetti. Yes, spaghetti. I love to make a good spaghetti sauce and the one ingredient that makes it so good is a cup of red wine. I was out and about, so I stopped at the nearest store. The wine doesn’t have to be an expensive one. Almost any red wine will do.

I chose an inexpensive bottle and proceeded to the check out. When I got to the register, the person behind the counter asked me to pull my ID out of my wallet so it could be scanned. Now, I’m not a spring chicken by any means. I feel it’s bad enough they need to see an ID when the person before them is obviously years beyond the minimum age one must reach to buy the restricted product. Besides, what the hell is the reason for scanning my ID? Does the government need to know I bought a bottle of wine and all the attendant information such as what kind of wine? Where was it purchased? Etc.  

Perhaps they were trying to catch a terrorist who likes a certain wine. Maybe, they want to send me a message on my phone that this wine could be dangerous to my health, as if they really care? More than likely, they want to use the information to psychologically manipulate (read- bully) me into buying one of their products. If you can figure out why they need to know this information, please leave it in the comments section. I really want to know.

In any case, I squawked a little and the checker told me it was the law, which I was not sure when they passed this one. In the end, I did not want an encounter here in the store with my spaghetti waiting to be assembled at home, so I just pulled out the ID and bought the wine.

The ID was my new license. It cost eighty-two dollars. Before I put it back in my wallet, I examined the thing for the first time. It was all bright and sparkly with holographic images and such. My picture was on there, twice, once in the lower right corner in black and white and in color in the larger image covering the left side of the card.

Then I noticed it. Up in the upper right corner, is a USA with the outline of the state of Oregon next to it. Printed over the state are the words, “Not for REALID Act.” I could see why it was worded this way because the alternative would have to be, “Not a REALID.” That would mean Oregon sold me a driver’s license that was not a real ID. By default it would be a fake ID which of course, won’t be a useable ID at all when they mandate that we have in our possession at all times, a REAL ID. The next step is an implant, so we won’t lose our ID. I can’t wait for that.

At home, I finished making my spaghetti and had a wonderful meal. I make some good spaghetti! I even drank a little of the left-over wine with dinner. MMMM!

I went to bed that night and fell into a deep sleep. While sleeping, I dreamed I was waking up in one of those “smart” homes. I got out of bed and marveled at the clean lines and simplicity of the room. Here is where the Who’s music started. As is the custom with most of us, my first thought was to go into the bathroom to relieve myself. The lid to the pot was down, so I tried to lift it. It wouldn’t budge. Instead, a voice from a hidden speaker said, “Who are you? Please sign in with your REAL ID to use these facilities.”

 I ran back into the bedroom and brought my new driver’s license into the bathroom. There was a slot in the wall near the door that I put the card in only to hear the voice say, “Not a REAL ID. Who are you? Please sign in with your REAL ID.”

Now, I was at an end with this proclamation. I had to go bad. I relieved myself in the sink. There was a plug in the sink, one of those modern things where you have to push the lever at the back of the faucet to make it work. I pushed it to open the drain. It didn’t move. Instead, the voice told me again to sign in with my REAL ID. The faucet wouldn’t turn on either.

Fear started to enter my consciousness. What else wouldn’t work without my REAL ID? I quickly dressed myself and ran to the front door. Just as I had figured, as I tried to exit this nightmare of a house, I got the same quote at the door that wouldn’t open: “Who are you? Please sign in with your REAL ID.”

I woke from this dream intensely drenched in sweat. The bed covers were strewn and twisted. My mind was whirling.

I began thinking. I know that’s not what we’re supposed to do, but I defied the norm. The first thing that came to mind was a scene from an old movie set in a totalitarian country where people who were boarding a transport were asked, “Papers please. What is your destination? For what purpose?” I wonder if they have erased some of these old movies…

I came to the conclusion that the powers that be want us to have a REAL ID to access a plane flight or anything else we might want to do. That will lead to the World ID they have been talking about that will need to be carried by everyone in the world who is not a terrorist. Those kinds will be filtered out for our safety. The next step is a chip under the skin so we can always be protected and won’t lose our ID. Well, that sounds a lot like the mark of the beast, but we shouldn’t listen to some dusty old text, now, should we? WOW! All this to protect little old me and you. And to provide convenience and safety for us when we want to do something. And provide a central authority with every bit of information about us. Of course, the database will not be hackable. Just like the two and a half billion documents recently hacked from the US government database putting our Social Security numbers on the dark web along with a lot of other information. (More can be found on this topic in my rant http://localhost/mywordpress/rants-in-the-pants-episode-40-locks-were-made-to-pick/).

Now, I don’t do illegal stuff. I have nothing to hide. This won’t hurt me at all, unless the central authority decides something I’m doing is against the law… All I can tell you is I hope you won’t be sleeping soundly tonight like me.

Does anyone know of a ship headed to Mars? I’d like to get on it.

”Who are you? You must have a REAL ID to access these services…”