Perspectives
By Filippo Brunelleschi
Staff Writer
“Any resemblance to persons living or dead should be plainly apparent to them and those who know them.” – Dave Eggers
(It is winter. The outside is barren and remarkably snowy, seasonably void of life, but for the car in its solitude, parked at night. The atmosphere within it was lively, marked by good conversation and club bangers in the background.)
D: She’s such a hoe. The issue is how she thinks she’s not, but everybody knows she is. I honestly kinda feel bad for her boyfriend—
I: (Dismissively but on a humorous note) Oh, shut the fuck up. You don’t.
D: I mean, you’re right. You know me. But it’s fucked up for the dude; he needs therapy, honestly. Like, I’d crash out so hard if the girl I was dating was blowing some other dude on the side—and she justifies it! She says how, if she was in the same situation as I was, she’d do the same; I’m sure she wants to bang a lot of other dudes. Imagine if I was sleeping with her—you know I never would—but still, she lies to me about her body count, and her boyfriend doesn’t know any of this, but I get my head facilitator on speed dial.
I: It’s not a bad deal for you, you have a point. The thing I don’t understand is how she has this incredible capacity to lie to herself. And, talking to her, it’s like she fully believes it too.
D: I don’t get it, but as long as it works for me, I can’t complain. Like, I’ll give her advice that she thinks is best for her, but it coincidentally ends up making her do just what I want her to do. Anyway, this new watch I want…
(The library is multifaceted. It can offer peace and quiet when necessary, or a comfortable spot for interesting discussions that will inevitably get one librarian barking at you if you happen to be on the wrong floor—as is the setting here. You could be swayed into thinking she was becoming, but her unrefined manner would inevitably give her away.)
I: Been a while, hasn’t it?
S: It’s definitely felt like it’s been too long.
I: Remember that time when you shouted—
S: Stoppppp, we don’t have to talk about that.
I: So, your friend, Blair, is here now. (Sarcastically) You must be really happy about it.
S: (Earnestly) I mean, you know, I kinda am. But seeing her every day over the summer got tiring. With her insecurities and with all the people we know here, it’s gonna get worse, I just know it. Like she’ll crash out for no reason, and I don’t even wanna look at her texts sometimes. We have better mutuals, though. Like, she kinda said her boyfriend had more money than D today, and I didn’t know what to say. He is so much better than Blair.
Me: In what sense?
Her: He gives me good advice, and I feel like he tells the truth a lot when talking to me.
Me: Wow, some moral clarity assigned to him (smirks)…he’s great. I’ve had some of my best conversations with him…