dead end search

I’m talking to M about the still missing Malaysian Airplane, Flight 370.  Now the authorities are looking into the pilot and co-pilot.  They go the pilot’s home and discover he’s erased files from his at-home flight simulator.  Of course it could be routine cleanup.  My computer, like most of my life, is neat and organized.  My desktop is devoid of clutter; everything is filed; and everything that should be erased has been erased.  The experts (or anyone else for that matter) would have an easy job of finding things.

Not so with M.   If she were suspected of anything, she imagines the discussion between those in charge would go something like this:

Deputy Chief of Investigation (DCI):  Well, did you find anything yet?

Investigators: Uh, sir, we need more time.  There's lots here.  Lots.

DCI: Good.  The other one (Lyn) had nothing. Erased all her files, I bet.  Only has a trove of consumer complaint letters and electronic receipts from stores.

I: Well, uh, sir, I'm not sure we are going to find anything really pertinent. There's a lot of stuff here.  This chick kept everything.  Right now, we are knee-deep in notices from her kids' school talking about the possibility of a snow day tomorrow.

DCI:  Tomorrow?  You mean March 20th?

I: No sir.  Tomorrow, December 14th, 2008.

DCI: Ugh.  What else have you got?

I: You don't want to know--Boston Globe news alerts from the past 7 years, Google Alerts on her old boss, Sales notices from a place called Lady Grace and Bare Necessities.  I mean, we got nothing interesting to add to the investigation.

DC: Well, there's a lot of pressure on us to find something.  Keep digging.  Time is of the essence.

I: Well, I just don't know.  There's so much to go through here.

DCI: What are you saying?

I:  Sir, I'm saying we have a better chance of finding Amelia Earhart than any single piece of useful information on this computer.