Did you like the news today?

I don’t know; what happened?

Nothing.

So, why did you ask?

Do you like that?

What?

When there’s nothing happening; nothing’s in the news?

Well, it’s boring, isn’t it?

And do you like boring; do you like when there’s nothing out there?

Not really. I just don’t know what to do. Just listening to the time moving forward is frightening.

Frightening? Why is that?

Because there is no orientation. With black and white missing, there’s only grey. And I don’t like thinking.

Using the grey matter inside of your brain?

Yes, I don’t like that.

Why not?

Because it’s difficult. Even when I think, who tells me if I’m right or wrong?

Maybe there is neither right nor wrong at all?

So, why should I think when it doesn’t matter?

So, you can have news; be there for the people who are bored.

That doesn’t make sense.

Create a sense; make it interesting.

You mean, telling a story, saying it’s news?

Why not? All news are stories in the same sense. Made up or not; happened or not. Who is there to judge?

The people on the other side of the television screens or radios or laptops.

And do you care about them?

I don’t know them.

So, you don’t care about them.

I didn’t say that.

Well, if you don’t know them, they mean nothing to you, right?

I guess.

So, you don’t care about people you don’t know. That’s natural.

Well, then. They could care about me. When I tell them lies and they find out about it.

They won’t. Because it’s the only news they will know.

Scriptorium '77