-Remora-


It's been said that the new hub of Steel town is Oakland, and the port authority seems to agree. That's where I wandered today. Since I didn't notice her sitting behind the pillar, I was able to walk into the overpriced Independent without undergoing a transformation of twitches, and facial tics. Suppressing the bile, an 'at.

Only when I'd reached the counter did she appear - Critter's crony. The Ex's best friend, a young woman who hated me long before Critter and I began the extended quarrel sending us toward the shattering conclusion of frustration and exploding crockery. The woman who made an unfavorable first impression by responding to three friendly inquiries with "eh," "ah," and "hmm," respectively. This smirking she-devil, who spurned every attempt at friendliness, bowed out of every activity if I were to be involved, all for having the temerity to briefly take Critter away from her.

[Or... was it?]

Other than that, I have nothing negative to say about her. Let's call her Larry.

Larry couldn't see me from here, or pretended not to see. It makes little difference. Curious, how much I could see that Larry and I had in common before we'd even exchanged words. We graduated in December, and we still searched for full time work. We are a pair of half-employed Library Scientists counting pennies, but are still helplessly addicted to dropping small bills at public spaces in the afternoon.

Could some sort of reconciliation be in the works?

Hey, this could be an opportunity to find inner peace before taking on the inner circle of the Golden Triangle. Fighting the temptation to order something expensive - thus negotiating from a position of apparent strength - I ordered some small muffin, summoned as much goodwill as could be mustered, and approached.

Larry looked tired. Weeks of partial employment have not been kind to her. She was too drained to offer more than a look of mild annoyance, inexpertly concealed. When asked about her career, she is willing to talk about the job prospects, perhaps because she is under the mistaken assumption that I am not competing for any of the same positions.

Things are more difficult for Larry. The terms of Visa preclude any employment outside of the library. How she must envy a North American's position in the job hunt!

North, South - There is only one place in the world where North and South meet on an equal footing: a soccer field at the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil. The equator cuts right through the middle of Zerao stadium in Amapa, so each team plays one half in the South and the other in the North.

So, Larry... When we come right down to it, it isn't about cafe confections, bad first impressions, or even the girl. I saw you as a shark, but you were just along for the ride - a gulf stream passenger, blinking at me through owl spectacles across an unfathomable divide of mutual privilege and injustice.