The deckThe Forces05 of 24
The Waiting Room
Limbo, delay, and the number that was already called.
- Figure
- Limbo. The number that is never called.
- Pattern
- Treating "not yet" as an answer.
- What it protects
- Waiting is a decision nobody can blame you for.
- What it costs
- The number was called. You were looking at your phone.
- The move
- Stand up. See if anyone stops you.
- ON FILE
- Ticket 000, held since the spring.
In each position
HOW IT STARTED
You took a number. There was no one at the window. You sat down anyway.
HOW IT'S GOING
You are waiting to be called. You have been called. You are looking at your phone.
HOW IT ENDS, ALLEGEDLY
You will say the timing was never right. The timing was a chair.
Three questions
- What are you waiting to be told?
- Who are you waiting for permission from?
- What would you do if your number were called right now?
A sample file
A sample file
Three hundred and eleven instances of checking the window have been logged. There is nobody at the window. This office has reviewed the ticket, held since the spring, and the number on it was called some time ago, during a stretch the file describes as looking at your phone. Not yet has been accepted as an answer every time you offered it to yourself. The office notes that waiting is the one decision nobody can blame you for. xxxxxx xx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxxx xxxxx The office has a ticket of its own in a coat pocket and has not checked the number. Your number was called while you were checking whether it had been called.
EXHIBITS
- A. Ticket 000, held since the spring.
- B. Attendance record, fifty-two weeks, unbroken.
- C. One lawn chair, roof, 2023.
OVERDUEby about a year
Every file is written for the person who pulled it. This one was written for nobody, so it is the only one you get to read without pulling. One sentence is sealed on every public copy, this one included.
Once a day. Three cards, one finding, a status. How it works.