June 2018

The wind picks this exact moment to wake up and blow at Sean’s hair. It is perfectly timed. The wind
is not in direct cahoots with Richard but does get a kick out of Sean’s failure.
The wind is a prick.
“Ha.” Richard says. His laughter is brief and impersonal, and even more insulting as a result. “The
correct answer is Charlie Sheen. Nice try though.”
“Wait,” Sean says, but it’s too late. His moment has passed. Richard gives him the finger (this isn’t a
required step in the process, but Richard likes to keep it fresh with new moves) and slams the door. The field
sighs, the blades of grass wilt a little, and the tree goes back to being just a tree.
Dejected, Sean kicks at the trunk. Stupid Richard and his stupid riddles. Still, he would try again next
week. He had time. And one day he’d get past Richard, and everything would be right with the world. He'd
continue to focus on the world inside the tree and completely neglect all the crap he could do right now to
make his life better.
This is still easier than, I don’t know, going to the gym or reading a book.
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