UNRELIABLY TOLDㅤ misc

write your wishes down, writing

"i'm mad at myself," i say.

she looks to me in curious concern. "why?"

"because i'm not who i want to be."

now she smiles, because she's wiser than i am. "of course not," she says. "you'll never be your perfect person."

i say, "i wish i were prettier." i say, "i wish i were good at talking." i say, "i wish i were better."

she doesn't tell me i'm otherwise. she just hums in thought. "you have so much time! just give it time."

"time takes so long."

"oh, it'll go by fast." she takes a pen and a receipt from her shallow pockets. "here, write your wishes down. you'll check them off one day."

i obey her, writing everything. "like this?" i ask.

she doesn't look at it, or read it. she just nods. "that's how you like it? then exactly like that."

it's dim. i can hardly read my own handwriting. "okay."

"okay?"

"okay."

she repeats, "okay."

we sit in existence. then i ask, "how about you, do you have wishes?"

i can feel her smile. "i have so many," she says. "i check them off one by one."

"what if you never finish?"

"if i never finish? then i die, and it doesn't matter. you'll remember me, won't you?"

i look at her. i search for flaws, but they escape me. "i will," i say. "i think i'll remember you as a perfect person, if that's okay."

she laughs. "does a perfect person exist?"

"she does, to me."