Chapter 25 · Month 14 · The First Real Fight

The Dishwasher

A work trip that lasts too long and the call that does not happen

Oldest line first — the newest line is at the bottom.

      
            Penny
            teacher
            03:51
          
The plasterer's card is still on the fridge, and your trip's now five days past the two you said. I've had the dishwasher half loaded since Tuesday waiting for a call that didn't happen.

            Algy
            designer
            03:52
          
I know, and here's my system: every night I meant to ring you, I put a plate in the dishwasher thinking I'd do it properly at midnight. Five days, five plates, and the dishwasher's still open because I kept thinking I'd have something worth telling you first.

            Penny
            teacher
            03:53
          
So the system works and it's plates. I'd have taken a bad nine-minute call over five clean ones — nobody's asked me to grade it.

            Algy
            designer
            03:54
          
A nine-minute call, nine. I heard "nice" — I've been sat here building up to a nice one instead of a nine-minute one. Which is exactly the thing you're actually saying, isn't it, and it's not about the plates.

            Penny
            teacher
            03:55
          
Yes, and it's the closest thing to the real one I've got — if you're still building a nice version of yourself in five years, I don't want to be the one grading it. Shut the dishwasher, then; I'll sleep on my side and we can both be rubbish at it.

← Chapter 24 Chapter 26 →

What the audience made of it

Algy 0 Penelope 0 Both 0 0 votes

The next chapter opens with these numbers on the table. The character with fewer votes is expected to demand a recount.

The story fund →