It’s Clean Out Your Computer Day. I’m sure that there is some merit to the whole idea. In fact, they’re probably right when they say your computer should be cleaned up and old files removed. I don’t really do much on my computer that isn’t writing-related, so those old files are rather important to me.
I did, however, have a momentary flash of horror at the idea of accidentally deleting a story-in-progress or worse. That’s the inspiration for today’s story. Before you delete any of those old files, read on.
the Purge
Are you sure you want to permanently delete these 27 items?
Yes | No
I clicked Yes. Of course, I did. Why wouldn’t I have?
That’s the whole point of Clean Out Your Computer Day. To clean out your computer. Isn’t it?
They’re gone. They’re really gone. How could I have been so stupid?
Look at this garbage. This rough draft. This first draft. This piece of crap isn’t worthy of being called a draft.
That second draft. The third draft. Oh, that fourth draft that I was just about to send out to the editor. That was a beauty of a draft.
They’re all gone. Every last one of them has been wiped clean from my hard drive and the cloud. Why? Because I thought it would be a good idea to participate in Clean Out Your Computer Day.
It’s laughable really. I cleaned out my computer. I did. I cleaned out the most important thing in there. Cleaned it out for good.
No calling it back. No undo delete. Just sayonara, baby. Gone for good.
Cut it down to its roots, I did. Cut it right down. And now, I must raise it up again, like a phoenix from its own ashes. I must draw from it a masterpiece unrivaled by the lost edits.
I found it in there before. Carved it out from the rough and smoothed it into near perfection. I can do it again. Nay. I will do it again. I must.
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