# Can you name this scifi short story

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-this-scifi-short-story/647044>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 13, 2013, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-this-scifi-short-story/647044 "2013-01-13T06:03:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Maczada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@Maczada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maczada)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-this-scifi-short-story/647044/1 "2013-01-13T06:03:01Z")

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Not much I recall, but the story was about a guy in our near future where everyone has a connected / networked PDA that would tell you to do seemingly random things that would benefit strangers and (thru the similar acts of others) yourself.

For example- your PDA would tell you to take your umbrella even though there was no rain, but you would give it to a guy that would need it to stop water spilling from a second floor window.

It was probably from the mid-90’s in one of those scifi magazines or monthly collections.

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**Author:** ![Snerky\_Snerk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Snerky\_Snerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snerky_Snerk)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-this-scifi-short-story/647044/2 "2013-01-13T10:37:54Z")

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A quick search led me to the page linked below. I don’t know if that’s the one you are looking for, but it has a similar theme.

> **[Maneki Neko - Lightspeed Magazine](http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/maneki-neko/)**
>
> "It's only a career," said Tsuyoshi, sitting up on his futon and adjusting his pajamas. "You worry too much."

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**Author:** ![Maczada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@Maczada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maczada)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-name-this-scifi-short-story/647044/3 "2013-02-04T14:50:31Z")

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Pretty sure that’s it. The “PDA”'part I remember distinctly.

A thousand thanks.

-Maczada