A Tool For Telling Time
July 13th.
Waning Crescent in Cancer.
The High Priestess.
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Vignettes.
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“Where are you going?”
“I don’t really know, just gonna walk until it seems right.”
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“Can I get a… Americano with a triple shot?”
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“Do you work here?”
“No… I’m just trying to see if any of these outlets work, so I can get my work done.”
“Did they hire you to do this?”
“hmmm… no. it was inconveniencing me. But I guess I don’t actually care that much now that you ask.”
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“Hey we checked the circuit breaker and we don’t know what’s going on… but the outlet over by the front works for sure.”
“Ehhh”
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“You leaving this spot?”
“Yep. All yours.”
“No luck with the outlets?”
“Nope… strange I come here pretty often and they usually work.”
“You’re a local?”
“Yeah. Are you from out of town?”
“I’m from Alaska.”
“Oh cool, that’s where my wife and I met.”
“You seem awfully young to be married, you look like a kid.”
“Well I have three kids too. Are you enjoying Austin?”
“It’s nice and all. Maybe a little too tech forward with all the QR codes and… cashless payments. Those… waymo things. You sit down to eat and nobody waits on you but the screens ask you for a tip.”
“Yeah… all the hospitality is slowly getting replaced with tech. It’s unfortunate. Devalues the human experience. I tried to carry cash when we moved here and quickly found it was kinda pointless.”
“It’s a little overwhelming… the computers. The electronic future.”
“yeah… it’s getting to be a little much.”
“well what do you do?”
“I make music and write.”
“Oh what kind of music?”
“electronic”
“huh..”
“I know.. the irony. Well .. off to find a place with outlets that work. Have a great visit!”
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“uhhh.. I’ll try the … turkey cheddar croissant and a … Dominican greca.”
“the greca? Have you had one of those before? They’re really strong.”
“That’s fine.. I see it’s made in a moka pot. I can dig it.”
“Any cream or sugar anything?”
“No, just black. Do you care if I set a drum machine up over in the corner there? I have headphones.”
“Go ahead man.”
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“Do you mind if I sit here?”
“No not at all!”
“Are you interested in the man’s machine?”
“Oh.. it’s a drum machine! Here little man, put the headphones on and tap those buttons, you should hear different drums.”
“If you play with him once, he will be your friend forever…
Okay little one, I’ve got to head off to work now. I’ll see you next week, okay?”
“Okay! … Will you make smoothies with me?”
“Sure.. we can make a couple smoothies and then I’m gonna use my drum machine.. deal?”
“Deal.”
“Dang.. these blocks are actually pretty cool.”
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“Hey thank y'all for the coffee. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“You too man. Oh hey… thanks for showing my son the beats! He enjoyed that.”
“No problem!”
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“Hey. Did you offer Bakkar a beer?”
“No… I’m pretty sure uh.. you’re not drinking right?”
“Nope. Sober.”
“That’s what I remembered.”
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“So are you like California sober at least???”
“Noooo.. actually doing it.”
“Werd, well we can support that.”
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“Is this Batman Beyond???”
“Yes. Yes it is.”
“What?? How did you know that off of like one second?”
“It’s the best Batman.”
“Yes. Yes it is.”
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“Do you wanna show us the shortcut?”
“Yeah we can take it.”
“Oh look there’s a headstone.”
“Yeah. This is the first African American cemetery to be established in Austin. The ghosts and I will make good friends with one another.”
“Gnarly.”
“Coolest shortcut I’ve ever had to a home.”
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“Well gentlemen... I’ve got to get home to some enchiladas.”
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“How was your day?”
“Wholesome.”
“I don’t know if those are still hot…”
“Perfectly warm actually. …. these are good.”
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“Dad is putting the sprinkles on his ice cream but on the spoon!”
“I’m sure he couldn’t wait to do that.”
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“If you can guess what’s in that package you can open it.”
“hmmm is it a tool?”
“it’s a tool but for what…”
“it’s a tool, I’m right.”
“well what is it a tool for? Read the box.”
“T-I-M-E-X… tim ex?”
“Timex”
“It’s a … tool for .. time? A tool for telling time? Okay can I open it!!??”
“what’s a tool for telling time?”
“well… she’s not wrong?”
“ah I think you’re too excited, you can open it.”
“A watch!!!!”
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“I missed you. I feel like I haven’t seen you in two days.”
“It does feel that way…”
“I did notice… the days do seem longer.”
“They do… much longer…”
“hmmm”
“yeah… hmmm”