Jack Senska had a beautiful wife and three well-educated and well-behaved children, and his work-life balance was ideal. However, he did find his work overly cerebral as they tapped into his mind. He operated robotics and solved math problems with a surgically installed neural implant that used his mind's brain energy.
One night, he sat with his family while eating dinner, but all the dinnerware fell through the table.
"What the heck? How …?”
His family pixelated, and his surroundings vanished. He then found himself sitting in a bright white room.
"What's happening?"
"I'm sorry, Jack, we encountered a technical difficulty," said a voice.
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"Who are you?"
"Oh, that's right, you aren't supposed to remember, and we'll be sure to erase this event. But to answer your question, you're serving a life sentence of rehabilitation. Well, your mind is. Your body's in cryosleep."
"You mean none of this … ?"
"That's correct, Jack. None of this perfect life is real."
"So why am I going through this?"
"Are you happy, Jack?"
"Yes, very."
"Do you want to leave this life?"
"No, I've always wondered if my life is a dream in paradise."
"Then you understand its purpose is for you to embrace this new crime-free lifestyle once you awaken."
"What crime?"
"That's a long story, Jack, and this is neither the time nor the place for you to remember."
"So when I awaken, I'll lose everything?"
"Yes, of course, it's also a punishment for your horrific crime spree, but you're learning what it's like to be a law-abiding citizen and its obvious benefits. You'll get that chance again when this is all over. Anyhow, I'm commencing a memory erasure of the glitch now ... Goodbye and good luck, Jack."