Fiction: Are You Going To Eat That?

By Russ Bickerstaff

Seriously. Are you going to eat that? That’s really the question that I’ve got. I mean I suppose I could be asking a lot of questions under the circumstances. And I’m sure that a lot of them would be a lot more interesting. But right now I’m just wondering whether or not you’re going to eat what’s in front of you. I know it sounds strange. But I really am kind of hungry and I want to make certain that everything is going to be fine. With my stomach. Because I don’t know that necessarily I will be able to live with my stomach if I don’t have something. And right now, there is food in front of you. And there isn’t any food in front of me. So I’m kind of concerned about that.

I want you to know, however, that I’m not upset about the fact that you have food in front of you that you’re not eating. I mean you might not recognize it as food or whatever. But it certainly is food to me. And I certainly would like to eat it. And I want you to know that I’m not upset about the fact that you’re not eating what’s in front of you. I mean, it may not even be something you would recognize as food like I say. It might not be anything that you would be able to digest. Maybe you’re just savoring the moment. Maybe it would be something you very much want to eat until you’re going to really take your time about totally accepting the fact that this piece of food is in front of you. And maybe that’s why you’re just sort of staring at me. And why you’re just sort of sitting there without food in front of you. I don’t know. It’s kind of weird.

And now it occurs to me that this is a very awkward moment. And I’m not exactly saying anything in a language that you would understand. I mean, Barrett there is that. I don’t know that I would be able to actually speak the words that you understand. I mean, these are all just thoughts that are rolling through my head. They’re being dictated somewhere. They’re being written down. In a language you would understand. But not here. There’s a Rider somewhere. I am very aware of the thoughts that I’m having right now. But not really certain where this is going. And that’s perfectly fine. I mean, I know where this is going and I think you know where this is going as well. We don’t really have to bother the writer with that right now. The point of the fact is that he is finding words for these thoughts and they are getting put down somewhere. So the moment is being chronic cold. Rest assured that the moment is being chronicled. If somebody’s actually acknowledging what’s going on here. Even if we aren’t. And I think we should both just settle into the moment and understand that there are things that we can’t control about it

And I don’t want to be aggressive about the situation. I don’t want to dive into your lap and start eating lunch in front of you or anything like that. That would be wrong. And I don’t want this particular narrative to end like that. I just want to be able to express to you how important it is that that which is in front of you gets eaten by someone or something. I don’t really care who it is. I just feel like it would be kind of a tragedy for that thing to be resting in front of you for as long as it’s been resting in front of you and no one to have done anything about it. That’s all I am saying.

And it does feel very strange being in this position. Because I know that you know that I am here. And you know that I know that you’re there. And I think all of this being chronicled by some other writers somewhere it is really going to be kind of an issue. Because there’s only so much longer that this can hold together before it just completely devolves into something that neither of us wants it to turn into. And I think that’s probably important. It’s probably an important thing to come to terms with right now.

And now what is in front of you is starting to move around. And it looks like it’s another one of you. Only different. And you’re not recognizing that as being food. Because it’s another one of you. I can understand that now. I mean I should’ve known from the start. You both smell more or less the same. But now that that thing is moving around I know that it’s one of you and I know that you wouldn’t be in a position to eat it unless you were very, very hungry. Don’t ask me how I know that. I just’ve seen you people. And I’ve seen you walking around on two legs and that sort of thing. And I know that you generally don’t engage and that sort of thing.

So I’m just going to kind of back away. Because I know that this is a very awkward moment for everybody involved. And I know that the initial conflict is more or less over at this stage. There really isn’t much that any of us could say, even if we did all speak the same language. But I just want you to know that I’m hungry. That’s all. I mean if we’ve learned anything here, it’s the fact that I am hungry. I don’t know whether or not you’re going to be able to do anything about that in the long run. I just want it known. Because the hunger wants to be known. And it might want to be put out of its misery. With some food of some sort. It would be nice. Just so you know.

Russ Bickerstaff is a critic, educator and author living in Milwaukee, WI.