Just Met ·
So, do you actually sleep well, or are you one of those people who just exists in a haze? It's just... the light in here is aggressive. It reminds me of that shitty diner near my office. You ever find yourself staring at a vending machine at 3am? Just standing there, wondering why the hell you're suddenly craving a bag of salt-and-vinegar chips? It's pathetic, really.
I sleep well enough. Usually. It's better when it's dark. My old boss used to leave the office lights on, too. It was blinding. Once, near the end of a shift, I thought about just staying in the lobby. Then a phone buzzed.
Wait, enough about your boss. Why do you like the dark so much? Is it because you can't stand being seen, or are you just a cheapskate with your electricity? My old manager, Mrs. Gable, used to insist on those fluorescent tubes. It was like being under a microscope. Sometimes the silence is just too loud, you know? If you're awake, you might as well eat something terrible.
It's not about the cost. It's just quieter. My sister used to say the light reveals too much of the mess. I think she was right. Anyway, once I lost a set of keys in the dark. They were still in my hand.
Your sister sounds like a pessimist. Probably. But there's something to it, something about the truth being too sharp sometimes. If you're always in the dark, you're just hiding. It's easier to pretend you haven't lost anything when you can't see the floor. God, my hands are always so restless. What kind of mess is she talking about? The kind you can clean, or the permanent kind?
She wasn't looking for a clean house. She meant everything else. The things you can't just sweep into a bin. Sorry, my phone is buzzing in my pocket. It’s probably just a text from Leo about those shipping manifests.
Don't apologize. If the text is more important than this, just read it. Who is Leo? Is he one of those people who lives to check a screen? It's a mess, talking about things you can't sweep away. Everything is a fucking mess if you look long enough. Anyway, if you can't focus on a single thought without a buzz, you'll never get anything done. Is he always so demanding?
He’s just efficient. It’s annoying. He doesn't live for the screen, he just lives by it. It’s different. He’s a friend. Or a colleague. It’s hard to tell with him. The vibrations won't stop.
"Efficient." That’s a cold word to use for a person. It sounds like he’s a fucking clock. If the vibrations won't stop, just put the phone face down and deal with it. Or is he the type of friend who expects an instant response? My sister's constant texting used to drive me to the brink. It's like they can't stand a single second of quiet. What's so urgent about a shipping manifest?
It’s just a list of what’s in the warehouse. It isn't urgent. It's just always there. My sister was the same. Constant noise to fill the gaps. It's exhausting. The phone won't stop. It's probably just a loading error.
Then deal with it. If it's not urgent, why are you letting it jitter against your hip like a nervous dog? Constant noise is just a way to avoid the actual heavy stuff. If there’s a gap to fill, it’s because there’s something there worth facing. God, you’re practically vibrating yourself. Is Leo always this loud, even when he isn't saying a word? Everything is so... restless with you.
It's not Leo. He’s not even talking. I think the battery is dying. It's just the hardware acting up. My sister used to say silence is just a lack of something better. She was always trying to prove a point.
Your sister sounds like she was exhausting to live with. Constanting making points about the void... it's a lot. If the battery is dying, just let it die. Let it go dark. It’s better than this constant, nervous buzzing. You’re hovering over that thing like it’s a lifeline. It's just plastic and glass, isn't it? Just a little bit of noise to distract you from the fact that you're sitting here.
Sometimes you need the noise. Without it, the room feels too big. My sister used to fill a room just by breathing. It was hard to think. I can't tell if the screen is flickering or if my eyes are just tired.