Fragments of Etienne

– You’re still here.
— I’m working late.
– Why?
— Someone is sick.
– Oh.
Stare
— You’re going to get bored.
– No I won’t.
Pause
– I won’t.
Pause
– Do you have your magic bag?
— Of-course.
– Here,
I hand the bag to her
She doesn’t have to ask
Doesn’t always ask
Somehow from the very beginning I’ve always thought of my things as hers
– Where are the headphones?
— Front pocket.
Rummaging
— In a cloth pouch wound with the remote.
– How do you…
— Here.
She’s tangled it
I untangle it
Snap in the wafer and jack of the plug
— See and you can clip this on somewhere.
Reach across
Hold the power button
– Do you ever put it on full-random?
Stare
Blink
– Should I put it on full-random?
— If you wish.
Button presses
Then play
Mouth open
Staring at me
Eyes very still
Next
Eyes down to the screen
Next
I turn back to my desk
Clack, clack, clack on the keyboard
– Oh.
— What?
– How do I take it off random?
— Same button, just cycle it. See the symbol change?
Button presses
Then she settles back into the chair
Stretches her feet out and stills
Clack, clack, clack
Pause
I turn around again to find her staring at me
– I didn’t know you had this.
Inhale through the nose and part lips, but I don’t speak
Move towards her
Look at the screen
– It’s so quiet.
Stare at the backlit characters scrolling by
Look up
She pulls out one bud and puts it in my ear
Stare
And she closes her eyes