S.U.P.E.R.M.E.N.
Six months ago, a mail was put in my box.
I say put because it was obvious it wasn’t sent to me. The subject made it impossible for me to ignore it. The content was to say the least very strange. Ultimately, the actionable part of the message was that I would receive a call on a certain date at a certain time. And that the caller would address me as Mr. Anderson. The choice of name wasn’t lost on me, partly due to the content of the mail. I could easily relate the name to a character in a popular sci-fi film. I was intrigued and a little bothered at the ease with which my account was broken into and the “familiarity” demonstrated in the mail hinted at a party that knew a lot (much more than I would have liked) about me. I set up a reminder and on the specified day, I was in a suitably quiet place as the mail had suggested – on my own.
My phone rang at 2PM on the dot to the second.
“Is this Mr. Anderson”
“Yes” I had decided I would play along.
“Do you know who is calling?”
“No”
“Let me rephrase that. Do you know what this is about?”
“The mail in my box”
“Good. I am going to explain a few things and ask a number of questions. If at any point you decide you are not interested, say goodbye and hang up.”
“OK”
“Do you believe in God?”
“Yes”
“Do you believe in the Bible”
“Yes”
“What do you think of people such as Noah, Methuselah, Abraham, Isaac and co.”
“God’s people”
“We have looked at the articles you put up on your site. Do you remember the one on Methuselah?”
“Yes”
“What was the point of the article?”
“I set out to show that Methuselah died the year of the great flood.”
“So did the flood kill him?”
“It is possible, but there is no way to know for sure. The Bible made no mention of it.”
“How old was Methuselah when he died.”
“969”
“Do you find that plausible”
“It sounds a little far-fetched in the face of current evidence, but because I believe the Bible is the word of God, I believe it is true. Yes”
“Do you think it is possible today to live to that age?”
“No. No one has come close to even a quarter of that since a long time ago. Also one need only look at people over 90 to know that it is impossible. And even if it were, it’s questionable whether anyone should desire to live that long – loss of virility, frailty, dementia, loss of mobility, etc.”
“Good point. But what if it is possible to live to say 200 and still be as healthy as a 50year old?”
“Well, in that case, it may be acceptable.”
“What do you think of people that don’t believe in God or people that don’t believe in your God?”
“Well, I would hope that at some point before they die, God would reveal himself to them so that they have the same chance as I have.”
“So you don’t detest them?”
“No I don’t. Why should I? People are human beings first and foremost. And we all stand equal before God whether we believe or not.”
“Do you think there are people alive today that will live up to 200 years?”
“No”
“I see you follow developments in various fields including certain ageing-related researches.”
“Yes”
“Why”
“I am intrigued about the possibilities”
“So you think there is indeed a possibility that living up to 200 is possible.”
“Yes. In the future.”
“What if I told you there are people alive today that will all other things equal, live to 200years.”
“I would not say it’s impossible. I know that public knowledge is always several years behind cutting edge science in certain areas.”
“Do you mean a cover-up conspiracy?”
“No. Not necessarily. Someone once said the witchcraft of yesterday is the science of today or something similar. I believe sometimes, the public may not be ready for certain information. I see no reason why such information may not be withheld as long as it is not purposefully harmful to people.”
“Would you like to participate in a programme that offers certain benefits including longevity if it were possible?”
“Yes”
“What if there are side effects?”
“Then it would depend on what the side-effects are., I assume since we are talking longevity, it won’t include purposefully killing myself. And also hopefully, I don’t have to sell my soul – that I wouldn’t do”
“No. No soul-selling involved.”
“You have – if I may put it that way – certain physical defects?”
“Yes”
“What do you feel about them?”
“Well, if I may put it this way, I would feel much better without them”
“What if I tell you that they can be corrected?”
“Well, I wouldn’t be so sure”
“But would you be interested?”
“Can you tell me more?”
“No. If I may paraphrase Ms Pelosi, you would have to join the programme to know more”
“My mama told me there had be days like this – and she warned me not to listen. She spoke of lifelong anti-rejection drug use, and so on”
“When was this?”
“20-25 years ago”
“She might have been right then. But we have come a long way since then. More importantly, what are you going to do?”
“I think I will go with my guts on this one – I am listening”
“Nothing much more to say. Let me say we are not working on making people live to 200years. We are in the realm of 500years. And let me add that we are not seeking to be God or usurp God. We just believe that science can offer more opportunities to live better than we are currently doing.”
“Do I take it that you have answered in the affirmative on joining the programme?”
“Yes”
“That quick? Do you think this is a hoax?”
“For some reason, no.”
“Do you have any questions?”
“Why me?”
“Why not?”
“Maybe. But I think there is more to it than that.”
“True. We need open-minded people – on certain subjects. In addition, we believe in involving certain types of people whose make up will show the most positive difference under the programme parameters”
“One last question. I am going to paint a scenario. And you will give me an answer. There are no right or wrong answers, just answer as truthfully as you can”
“Ok”
“You are in a room with a terrorist and your girlfriend (assume you have one – I know you don’t). The terrorist has a detonator in his hands and is threatening to level the city. He kicks a gun with a single bullet in it in your direction. He orders you to shoot your girlfriend who is in the same room or else he will level the city. Your family (sibling, parents, etc.) are in the city as well. You pick up the gun and look at the terrorist and then at your girlfriend. What is your next move.”
“I attempt to kill the terrorist with the single bullet”
“What if you miss?”
“Well, he detonates the bomb and we are all dead. There is no proof that if I kill my girlfriend, he still won’t detonate the bomb. I love my family, and I assume I love my girlfriend, so I am sure my family would rather I take the chance of saving everybody rather than kill my girlfriend.”
“Do you have any questions?”
“Is there really no correct answer?”
“Actually there is a correct answer. When presented with extremes, we want people that will take what we describe as “positive” chances. People who hold all people equal irrespective of believes or colour. People who are willing to believe anything is possible. People with obvious flaws. People like you Mr. Anderson.”
“Welcome to the programme Mr. Anderson. You will be contacted very soon with more details.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, does this programme have a name?”
“Yes, I do mind your asking. And I am not at liberty to tell you. But when certain aspects of it become public knowledge soon, people will come to refer to the programme unofficially by the acronym “S.U.P.E.R.M.E.N.”
“You are at liberty to use everything we have discussed up to this point in any way you see fit. But subsequent communications and contacts must be treated with utmost secrecy and not discussed with anyone – not even your hypothetical girlfriend – no exceptions”
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I know you want to know if I have been contacted. I am not at liberty to say, but I don’t think I need to, do I?
