Dear ASTRID, It is for your safety that we must insist your new password adhere to the following requirements!
- Must contain mixed-case letters and at least one number.
- Must contain two non-alphanumeric characters (such as parentheses!)
- Must not contain spaces or apostrophes.
- Must not contain words
- Must contain the obfuscated answer to one of your security questions.
- Must not be pronounceable by human tongue
- Must baffle me and break my heart
- Must be something within it to make sense of this, ASTRID
- Must explain why he left, ASTRID
- Must not be his password
- Must be okay.
- This once.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
PLEASE TRY AGAIN, it says in phosphor green.
“I did,” snaps Astrid. “I did.”
The diagram shows a hand inserting the card strip-up, which she tries. There’s a short whine, and out it pops.
PLEASE TRY AGAIN. And the diagram, but this time strip-down.
“You. I. Can’t believe–” Astrid jabs it back in, and slams some buttons.
The screen wipes; more whining; somehow, her card’s in the bottom tray. In pieces.
REJECTED. HAVE A NICE DAY. And, smaller: BITCH.
Astrid remembers the hammer Morris left in her truck.
When the police arrive, they have to push through a cheering crowd.
Tuesday, December 16, 2003