08-17-2022, 06:28 PM
When Jude arrived unannounced at The Reaches, and Near did not immediate throw him out, Jude sprung a trap: he caught Near in a historical event that would be unbelievable to almost anyone else. There is nothing more lonely than a history shared between two people and one of the parties is lost. Who can you turn to say and, 'Do you remember?' Who can verify or deny that you are remembering it right or wrong? Who can say whether you merely dreamed it? The insurance claim for the rental car can only testify to the fact that, at some point, there was an accident. All this time, was Near still sure that Jude was even real?
Perhaps he'd been putting out classified ads for a ghost.
Jude does not know Near's goal. He has gotten better at understanding other people; in some ways failing to understand Near has aided him. He stopped expecting clarity. Most people could be sorted into categories of defensive self-interest and enthusiastic self-sacrifice, and Jude has learned when to cut his losses with the former. His successes have been few, but like any start-up CEO, Jude has discovered that you only need a few wealthy patrons to bankroll a pipe dream.
The line of his mouth constricts once more at the question. He's quiet for several seconds. "Are you close by?"
Perhaps he'd been putting out classified ads for a ghost.
Jude does not know Near's goal. He has gotten better at understanding other people; in some ways failing to understand Near has aided him. He stopped expecting clarity. Most people could be sorted into categories of defensive self-interest and enthusiastic self-sacrifice, and Jude has learned when to cut his losses with the former. His successes have been few, but like any start-up CEO, Jude has discovered that you only need a few wealthy patrons to bankroll a pipe dream.
The line of his mouth constricts once more at the question. He's quiet for several seconds. "Are you close by?"