The Sunnyvale Sun

Letters & Opinions

E-mail mix-up has led to exciting Australian adventure

By Stephen Baxter

Since I started living a new life in Melbourne, Australia, I have been quite the party animal. Between a little bit of work--trading spreadsheets about software designs and some such by e-mail--my friends have invited me to bars and even an Arcade Fire concert.

I guess you could say that I've been living it up Down Under--or at least some guy named Stephen Baxter has, because e-mails from his friends and colleagues have been sent to me inexplicably for the past several weeks.

I guess people who fired off e-mails to the other Stephen Baxter at "Baxterelax" were automatically forwarded to me, even after I asked him and his senders to buzz off. But I keep getting his messages. And no way am I giving up my e-mail address.

Lately, a few e-mails intended for Baxterelax have slid in to my inbox each day, and now I'm at the point where I just pick up pieces of his cyber life, like a soap opera on TV in a corner of the house. I hear parts of the dialog now and then, but the plot is fuzzy.

I have replied to one or two e-mails, and I wonder if his friends thought I was Baxterelax.

Here is what I do know:

1. Baxterelax seems pretty hip. A woman named Kate is inviting him to go to their fourth concert in a week. His male friends often meet him at pubs after work, arranged by e-mail, naturally. Barry asked on Feb. 1: "Hey fella, it's February ... you having a drink?" It was still Jan. 31 in California. But sure, why not.

2. Baxterelax has friends who work for energy companies. Their work titles and legal disclaimers follow some of the senders' e-mails, and sometimes messages are copied to other partygoers such as Candi and Lisa. One disclaimer warned, "If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by return e-mail and delete the e-mail and any attachments." OK, did that. But did anyone suspect that would actually happen?

3. Baxterelax might be relaxing a bit too much at work. Baz asked Baxterelax to describe some work he did with Sharon. Baxterelax said he wasn't much help on the project. Baz replied, "Sharon seems to think you did more. Gee, you had her on a string!"

Delightful.

Next up, my e-twin likely is headed to a Sidewinder show, just as soon as he can get his Facebook profile updated. I was e-mailed to verify the Facebook profile, but I never responded. Fixing that up would be too cruel.

A "mate" of Baxterelax also asked me what I thought of the Arcade Fire show. "It was great! I'm so glad I was there," I replied.

And mate, thank you for inviting me to the show.

The American Stephen Baxter is a staff writer for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers.