New Apples in the Garden

"New Apples in the Garden" by Kris Neville is a science fiction story that explores the tense relationship between people and technology through the eyes of Eddie Hibbs, an underground supervisor. The story is set at a utility company, it shows Eddie dealing with tough problems at work, such as the sad accident of his crew member, Ramon Lopez, as well as personal challenges at home. Eddie is put under even more pressure by budget cuts and technological errors. As the story progresses, Eddie thinks about what it means to depend so much on technology and how it affects society. Conversations with his family show they are worried about how quickly the world is changing. In essence, the narrative captures the difficulties of keeping our humanity alive in a world moving quickly towards modernization, highlighting just how uncertain life can be when mixed with ever-changing progress.