1.11

Frank was tuning out the two ladies he was “talking” with. They started going on and on about the economy, something he knew was important but couldn’t really talk about. The women, identical twins from the accounting department in his office, were nice, but bland. This seemed to be something he learned about people in the accounting office. Instead of paying attention to them, or to the salsa that had been dripping off of the chip in hand for the last 5 minutes, he was staring at the man in the bland shoes talking with his sister.

A: How did this guy end up at the party?, and B: What could he have in common with his neurotic but delicate sister? He wondered this and nodded to the twins, feigning attention. C: Was this the guy who shared a bus with him on weekday evenings? It must have been, but he couldn't tell since the man wasn't dressed in his business attire. By that time of day Frank would be zoning out anyway, and thus not paying attention to his surroundings, having been exhausted by the banal tedium of the office day. He watched the interaction, still damp and confused, and dripping salsa.

D: Why was he so into list making? And E: wouldn’t this make him more likely to get along with accountants?

“Excuse me,” he interrupted the twins, dropping the chip back into the salsa, leaving it there, and walking toward the bathroom to grab his pills. Sometimes the room went silent when he was focused. Sometimes he stared at people while they talked knowing full well that he couldn't hear a word they were saying. He knew this was not a physical malady; his hearing was fine. So he didn’t hear his sister calling to him in short utterances, hoping he might be crossing the room to help extricate her from her conversation.