Audience: Sheila Hammond

[probe]

Comments

[toesies]

Yeah... Should have expected that answer. Are your noodles good?

[probe]

With time, Mrs. Hammond, I'm sure you'll find what answers are and not important here. [but they nod.] For being from a machine, they're...passable.

[they are still eating them though.]

[toesies]

We'll see. I'm starting to think a lot of the things you'll actually answer are counterintuitive.

[SHE HUFFS...]

And yet, you're still eating them. Are you used to making them yourself?

[probe]

You think so? [sheila...but they focus on the noodles.]

But no, I am not. It's been some time since I've cooked for myself.

[toesies]

[Sticks her tongue out at them! Before slurping some more corpse juice.]

Really? I thought you would cook for yourself more often after what you said about the vending machines.

[probe]

More often than not I don't really have the time. My schedule is usually very...busy.

[they will ignore that she's sticking her tongue out and also the corpse juice.]

[toesies]

Have you tried meal prepping? It's worked wonders for me.

[sorry that her dietary restrictions.]

[probe]

Not all of us can sustain ourselves with blenders, Mrs. Hammond. [but at least they sound somewhat amused.] That would require having additional hours to be used to prep. I don't have those.

[toesies]

Hey, my daughter doesn't drink people through straws.

[She says, like she has meal prepped in the last few weeks. It's fine.]

What keeps you so busy, anyway? Keeping an eye on us can't take that much time.

[probe]

Work, mostly. [they set the noodles down and fold their arms over their chest.] Habit. Countless other things that require attention that no one else takes seriously.

[toesies]

... Are you sure you aren't working yourself to the ground for no reason? That was very workaholic of you.

[probe]

It isn't without reason. [but they also don't deny being a workaholic, so.]

[toesies]

But is it within reason?

[Greed please take some vacation days.]

[probe]

Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?

[they sound generally perplexed by the question.]

[toesies]

You didn't deny being a workaholic, is all.

[probe]

I don't have a reason to. I do know my own limits, Mrs. Hammond. I've been doing this for some time.

[toesies]

Fiiiine, I believe you.

[to the tune of probably not]

[probe]

Thank you.

[...]

Was there anything else you needed?

[toesies]

Hmm... Nope. I think that was it. You can keep slurping your noodles in peace.

[probe]

Alright. [they will, thank you. we are now free of this thread.]