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Rock On


by Michelle Elvy



It's dark in here.

Well what do you expect?

Yeah, I know, it's just that,

sometimes,

I'd like to get out.

It's your choice.

Is it?

Look…

I mean, I read. I've been around.

You're from Oklahoma.

So they say…

What d'ya mean?

Not Arizona.

Huh? Never mind, it's OK:

no one remembers

their birth.

Yeah, but most people remember

some things, don't they?

Of course, but so do you.

Like what?

Well, what did you last read?

Um…

You said you read, so what do you

read regularly? The NYT?

(blank stare)

Do you live under a fucking….?

Never mind. The WSJ?

(shrug)

The LAT?

I once read a book by

George Saunders.

That objectivist writer?

No, he's not objectivist

any more — he denounced

Rand and her neo-cons.

Woah, you do read.

I'm wiki-mad.

Cheater.

Can't fit too many books

under here, can I?

That Saunders: he's smart, eh?

Well they don't call it

a genius grant for nothin'.

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Hey, you know what?

We should go out.

Out? Out?!

Well, yeah, don't you ever think

you might wanna?

Is that a trick question?

Well why not? What are

you waiting for?

Turnips? Radishes? No, carrots!

Just a goddamn carrot.

You're being obtuse. Let's go

meet some people.

Don't know the local language.

I can teach you. Say ‘bonjour.'

They speak Spanish here?

Good lord, man! This ain't Spain!

Well how should I know?

Jeez, you're a regular

Eliza Doolittle.

Hey! I'm a guy, dude.

So? still the same idea.

Rain in Spain

and all that.

Well I never been to Spain.

That's not the point.

But I kinda like the music.

You don't play any music.

Naw, but I used to have a tape deck.

You mean a CD player.

Naw, man, 8-track.

Good lord, you need to get out.

You at least need company

under here.

Two can be as a bad as one….

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OK, fine. Play me something.

Anything but your old 8-tracks.

Wait, let's play

Mortal Combat: Annihilation.

You know I hate those games.

Dysfunction, dysfunction,

dysfunction is a function.

You are dysfunction.

If dysfunction is a function,

then I must be

some kind of

ge-ni-us!!

Come on. You're too alone

under here.

You're here.

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You know, you can make this world

whatever you want it to be.

It's too dark.

So make a little light.

Can't — but maybe that guy

in that cave will lend me

his torch.

I'm leaving.

Suit yourself. I'm gonna name

my rock, by the way — call it

‘genius granite'.

You never even read a Saunders book.

So? I got internet, dude.

Come on, I'll take you to the library.

Well I guess if I gotta go

somewhere, that ain't a bad

first choice. But let's stop

an' eat, too --

I'm starvin', man.

But I don't eat

fast food. Could do with

some tapas, though.

Have you been sneaking out?

No, just fancy the idea

of tapas… Spain an' all.

OK, come on, let's go.

Alright… but I'm

a little nervous...

fuck it's bright out here! …

Oh, look, a daisy!

That's not a daisy, you idiot.

It's a jonquil.

What does it matter?

What does it matter?

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