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Rosalie's flash-forward! (complete, + technology explained)

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The CBB -> St Scholastika's House

#1: Rosalie's flash-forward! (complete, + technology explained) Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:47 am
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This came from a rather silly thought of mine, about how technology could move forward to make even such things as handing over cash something you could do from the comfort of your home. Of course, it's simply another way to make people couch potatoes, but think what a difference it would make to the life of a busy secretary. One perhaps a little like Rosalie!

Rosalie Dene got up that day, planning what work she needed to do that day. First of all, she would deal with the letters and look out the files that Ina Crowbury was asking for her interviews with some of the students. Ina was the school’s new careers advisor, and liked to keep meticulous notes, and follow up exactly how the different girls were doing.

Though this was a fairly new venture, most of the girls seemed quite keen on the idea. Then she would have to do a bit of extra research on the expeditions planned for the girls, as some of the places they had stayed at in the past had closed now. She would go online, and use MSN to chat to the train station via the video phone. Then she had to go for an appointment with Hilda, and see what other tasks needed to be added to the list of the undersecretary’s work.

Once that was done, she could hold court with her people, and sort out who was doing what properly. She sighed happily, who would have thought when she first started her job that things would turn out this way.

Things went to plan, and soon she was sitting in front of her computer, talking to the person at the railway station about the best form of transport for the girls.

“yes, that’s 10 girls and 2 mistresses for Berne, 14 girls and 3 for Austria, and the rest of the school seems to be heading for various homes – about 100 to England, 40 to France, 50 to Belgum, 35 to the Netherlands….”

“That will cost x amount of money, preparing window for cheque”

Soon a small window opened in the computer screen in front of her, and Rosalie, having quickly written out a cheque and, having had Hilda countersign it, popped it into the tray that appeared there.

The friendly face on the other side sent over a quick message saying “you know, business is far easier now we have this internet transport system – I’ll away get the bank on the line and have this cashed, then I’ll get back to you with the train tickets for the girls.”

Rosalie smiled and agreed “yes, especially now they have worked out the bugs in the system, and the person at the other end is unlikely to be pulled through with the cash!”

10 minutes later, she had had the bank people on to her, and agreed that the cheque was from her, and was for the right amount of money, and then the girl appeared and passed through the train tickets for all the girls.

“Thanks” Rosalie typed, as she took out the train tickets. “You’re welcome” the girl responded, “A pleasure doing business with you.”

Rosalie laughed “and you – I’ll be in touch again near the end of term”. Once she had sent the message off, she closed the window, and headed off for the next thing. As she did that, she became aware of a bell ringing in the distance, looking at the time she became quite confused “Is my watch wrong, or am I reading it wrongly” she thought to herself, realising that she didn’t feel quite so on the ball as she had while talking to the train girl. In fact, she felt quite bleary…

It took her a few moments to open her eyes, and find herself in her bed. Yawning, she stretched, and wondered what was strange about the dream she had just had. Then she got out of bed, and began to think about all that would need done in the day – she would have to continue typing out the remainder of the letters that Hilda had passed on to her the day before, deal with the post, and start phoning round places to find out exactly where the best places for the girls to stay would be.

In the afternoon, she would go to purchase the train tickets, and on her way back with that she really ought to go sit with Jo for a while – that woman was feeling a little restless after the latest addition to the family. She smiled to herself, admitting that Jo would at least be out of the way for the next little while. The school could choose to visit her, rather than having to scurry round when she suddenly turned up on the doorstep.

Jo would have to stop having infants one day – in fact Rosalie was surprised that Jack hadn’t put his foot down before now. However, she didn’t have any more time to think about such stuff, it was time to go and grab a bite to eat, before sitting down at her new typewriter for a while and getting on with stuff!

Last edited by Squirrel on Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:37 pm; edited 1 time in total

#2: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:39 am
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*giggles*

What a difference that would have made to Rosalie if it had been true!

Thanks, Squirrel

#3: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:13 am
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How much easier life would have been for poor Rosalie. She must have been the most overworked person in the school!

Thanks, Squirrel.

#4: Author: Alice, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 1:56 pm
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It was only a dream.... What a nice dream though! Thanks Squirrel

#5: Author: Elder in Ontario, Location: Ontario, Canada

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 3:27 pm
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Such a shame that was only a dream, Squirrel - just think how much time Rosalie would have been able to save each day!! But a great idea, just the same.

I agree with Leahbelle that she must definitely have been the most overworked person in the whole Chalet School circle.

Mind you, the whole concept of Rosalie booking the tickets like that is more than a little terrifying to those of us of a certain generation who aren't as computer literate as you younger ones - I can cope with making bookings on line using the keyboard, but the idea of having a real person answer you on-line still feels to me like 1984 - big Brother is watching you - scenario!! But then, I still avoid things like MSN etc. like the plague, too!

#6: Author: MaryR, Location: Cheshire

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:16 pm
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I thought, for a moment or two there, that she had been pulled though with the money after all. Laughing

The mind boggles, Squirrel. Like Susan, technology misbehaves for me so badly that this terrified me. An actual face in the screen! Shocked

The stuff of nightmares!

It would certianly make for an easier life for Rosalie, though, wouldn't it?

Thanks, Squirrel

#7: Author: Joyful, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 7:39 pm
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Poor Rosalie having to wake up!
A very entertaining thought though - thank you Smile

#8: Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:37 pm
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Laugh - thank's guys. For those of you unfamiliar with MSN, here is a webpage which shows more or less what I was thinking of. The video conference part only takes up one small box, not the whole computer screen, and though I typed that they talked, and it is perfectly possible, I was actually thinking of typing messages to each other. I think I imagined that the slot for the cheque, train tickets etc came through the place where the typed message appears, and yes, I first thought about it recently, while going down to pick up train tickets - remembering that the train station no longer took bookings etc by phone.

#9: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:17 pm
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Well, we're almost there, aren't we. What a revolution - and what a nice idea.

Thanks, Squirrel.

#10: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:21 am
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What a nice way to improve Rosalies' day!

#11: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:16 pm
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Thanks Squirrel, I bet Rosalie was very disappointed to wake up from that dream!

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