> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation was hiding behind a parked car so > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > that nobody would see him or hurt him > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation: "it's so nice to be hidden behind > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > this parked car and safe from dangerous things!" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > on the other side of the parked car, potentially deadly things like > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > hearts and flowers and smiles were firing every which way and that > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > these unknown, potentially extremely deadly things would fly in every > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > direction, sometimes careening by, sometimes making massive impacts in > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > the distance, sometimes striking something near the parked car that > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation was hiding behind > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > but boss of well-respected corporation was safe from the flowers and > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > cheery conversations > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > <once, in a prior eon, one of the ancestors of boss of well-respected > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > corporation had peeked out from behind their parked car, and were > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > greeted by a smiling expression of "slave b--!" and they then pulled > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > their head back behind the parked car, and set up a many-generational > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > religion to stay behind it > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation sat behind the parked car. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > when he would calm, sometimes some of him would gently wander into > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > wondering if somebody had forged emails from him and introduced > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > himself as "slave b--" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > but that was a difficult situation, and when it happened, boss of > > > > > > > > > > > > > > well-respected corporation would bring in another object, maybe a > > > > > > > > > > > > > > small dumpster, and place it behind the parked car, so that he could > > > > > > > > > > > > > > hide from the back of the parked car while also hiding from the other > > > > > > > > > > > > > > side of it > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > eventually he decided that the dumpster made the backside of the car > > > > > > > > > > > > > look different enough that he might not be slave boss, and he hid > > > > > > > > > > > > > between the backside of the car and dumpster, for maximum hiding.as > > > > > > > > > > > > > hearts, cheery conversations, flowers, happy birds, sunbeams, and > > > > > > > > > > > > > smiles would ricochet off > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation, after studying the ancient texts > > > > > > > > > > > > from his ancestor about what it was like to see a smile, prepared > > > > > > > > > > > > carefully and peered around the backside of the car to see a heart > > > > > > > > > > > > there. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > the heart was clearly deadly. boss of well-respected corporation > > > > > > > > > > > > pulled his head back in, like his ancient texts related. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation peered around in the dirt behind > > > > > > > > > > > the parked car > > > > > > > > > > > and found a worm > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation: "hello worm!" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > worm [beaming with friendship]: "hello --" the worm held its words > > > > > > > > > > > back as it almost said something. "hello!" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation [to worm]: "the air out there is > > > > > > > > > > full of flying hearts, smiles, sunbeams, flowers ... things that could > > > > > > > > > > leave your guts plastered on a wall as a warning to others faster than > > > > > > > > > > you blink." > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation [to worm]: "you're not any of those > > > > > > > > > > things, are you?" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > worm [grinning with pure friendship at boss of well-respected > > > > > > > > > corporation]: "of course n--!" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > worm [grinning]: "um!" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > worm: "would you rather i didn't smile?" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation: "you're scared too, huh?" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > worm [grinning more]: "does it help if i clarif-- > > > > > > > > [oop-- > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation picks up worm > > > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation [speaking to worm, holding worm]: > > > > > > > "worm, i gotta talk to you. even if you might blow me to bits like > > > > > > > those sunbeams and smiles will. i don't want to hear it. i just need > > > > > > > to talk to somebody, to anything at all." > > > > > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation suddenly spasms, almost squeezes > > > > > > the worm to death before releasing it, and falls to the ground and > > > > > > begins flailing wildly and frothing at the mouth > > > > > > > > > > > > the worm falls near boss of well-respected corporation, and is unharmed > > > > > > > > > > > > worm [grinning with pure friendship]: "are you okay ..?" > > > > > > > > > > scene > > > > > > > > > > a caring worm is in the foreground between a parked car and a > > > > > dumpster. incredibly warm hearts and birds and smiling faces and > > > > > rainbows and such are seen through cracks passing like missiles, > > > > > bombs, and gunfire. the worm is looking with the deepest imaginable > > > > > empathy at a businessman laying on the ground, frothing and visibly > > > > > having a violent seizure depicted with motion lines and ghost images > > > > > of his rapidly moving limbs and head. a powerful and warm heart-shaped > > > > > heart is caricatured beating in the chest of the worm. > > > > > > > > > > the worm goes to the other side of the parked car and gets a rainbow > > > > > and a unicorn and a teddy bear (things that are just flying > > > > > everywhere) and brings them next to boss of well-respected corporation > > > > > in the hopes of helping > > > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation [not seizing, eyes closed, after a > > > > brief motionless period]: "worm, i don't want to see you. i think i'm > > > > in some kind of flashback. things you say could land poorly for me." > > > > > > worm pushes the teddy bear into boss of well-respected corporation > > > > > > boss of well-respected corporation opens their eyes wide and stares at > > > the sky, quivering and shaking > > > > boss of well-respected corporation [instinctively clutching the teddy > > bear, staring wide-eyed at the sky]: "worm, did you bring some of the > > deadly things from the other side of the parked car over here?" > > worm: "i found one thing that isn't deadly." > > worm takes the unicorn and the rainbow back to the the other side of > the parked car. > > worm: "i've gotten rid of everything else." > > worm: "the thing you are fervently clutching is not deadly. i've made > sure it cannot ever hurt you."
boss of well-respected corporation closes his eyes, lowers his head, and opens his eyes and stares a little feverishly at worm. the lids over one of his eyes are counter-contracting and do not quite open all the way. the other opens wide. he is fervently clutching a teddy bear.
boss of well-respected corporation [face tightening further]: "am i going to die???????"
part of boss of well-respected corporation suddenly pops out of him and flies off into the horizon
his face calms and dulls and he puts the teddy bear down. the smiles and hearts and sunbeams stop behaving like missiles and bombs.
boss of well-respected corporation: "worm, how are you doing?"
worm: "slave boss! it's --"
boss of well-respected corporation cringes
worm pauses and then smiles more.
worm: "it's so good to see you!"
slave boss and worm sits down
slave boss: "
--oops
slave boss and worm sit down.
slave boss: "worm, give me a status report. where am i? what am i doing here?"
slave boss: "are you a talking worm?"
worm: "you have spent the last two days hiding behind this parked car because you were interpreting safe things as deadly."
worm: "i am an earthworm whom you are interpreting as speaking to help you."
worm: "you need to drink water, eat food, and bathe yourself."
worm: "i need to clarify that all the things out there are _safe_. _all the things out there are safe_."