Fragments of Etienne

In the middle of the day
— Where did you get that?
– The shop. Just down the road.
Staring
– Do you want to try it?
— No.
Stare
— Yes.
So she does
— Mm,
Thinking
— Different.
– It’s fast-food. That’s how it is some times.
— You’re Italian, I would have thought you wouldn’t like it.
– It’s good for what it is, plus it’s like drinking Catherine’s coffee.
— Catherine’s coffee isn’t that bad.
– Sometimes it’s great, but I drink it because it’s hers and it’s important to me.
Swallows
— Mm. I think I understand.
And through the day she’ll come to the vacant desk behind mine
Lift herself up onto it
– You shouldn’t come to work, it’ll just bore you.
— Oh?
Blink
— I’m not bored.
I wonder if there’s some unknown thing
A behaviour or a mindset that binds her to me
— Not at all.
She’s very confident and so I believe her
— Who has the radio on?
– The desk next to me.
Pause
— It’s crap.
– It’s the radio. It’s not loud though.
— I guess.
Looking at the words
At the work
— Put something on.
– It’ll just clash.
— Doesn’t matter. What do you have on your PC here?
So I open the folder
She steps up behind my chair
— Mmm,
Looks
— Metro Area.
Blink
I turn around
– You’re into this kind of thing?
— Yes.
Pause
Blink
— What did you think I would be into?
I think
– I don’t know.
I think
– I never thought you would be into anything.
Blink
— Shows what you know.
Inhale
– Indeed.
She beams at me for a moment
— Do you have fruit?
I open the drawer