on the other hand

there are things: shep speaks, for instance.

well?

oh! hey!

yes, well?

well what?

what is all that complaining about?

oh that. ive been a little--

yeah, jenn, how bout no euphemisms for a change.
or metaphors. or ethereal imaginings. or whatnots.

i guess heaven is teaching you the subtleties of human language.

whatever, jenn. you know youre writing this.

there's no need to get ugly.

so? what are you so sad about? or should i ask, are you ever going to say what youre so sad about?

pressing a point?

side-stepping?

i never said i was sad!

oh yes you did.

not in so many words, i mean.

well, you are now.

shep. time and place, man.

here we are.

fine, so YOU decide.

i have.

(silence) and where am i supposed to begin?

at the beginning, jenn. or the end. wherever.

shep, this is not the format, this is not the platform--

euphemism-metaphoric gibblety-gook, jenn.

right. well. how bout fuck off then?

ok. so what are you so sad about?

(silence)

??

(silence)

fine. that's better. at least no more pitiful impotent shouts of bad mood and 'tude-iness. deflection, jenn, just a lot of deflection.

look who died and made himself king.

what was that you said about ugly? (silence) should i sit down here next to you for a bit before i go?

yeah.

k. (silence) it's hot tonight.

yes.

really hot.

yeah.

sure dont miss that.

yeah.