Whatever your answer, let it be your own
Woman walking into a comfortable space.
Open Scene:
From the outside it appeared comfortable, I looked up and viewed the menu which read Here, all are served equally. This was my kind of place, so I pulled up a seat and pulled out my book and began to read. While getting to the revealing sequence of the book, I heard a few shouting and a glass break and then another and then another.
Patrons began to run, duck and cover although one wasn’t quick enough and got the end of the bottle thrown right into his face falling to the ground. This space became unrecognizable. I sat alone with my book and realized I wasn’t immune to the room I also began to duck and cover using my book as a shield. I stood up and began inching my way towards the exit. Before I did, out of curiosity, I decided to turn around and get the room’s attention by knocking my book against the table three times that made a clunk sound each time, clunk, clunk, clunk.
The room cooled for a moment then I asked,
“why is everyone fighting, this was once an amazing space?” A few patrons stopped, turned around to look at me, and said,
“ it’s Pangram, f**king Pangram.”
“What is it,” I asked, one patron yelled out
“It’s the new AI detector that rolled out a few days ago.” Some pointing their fingers said
“No, it’s you that lied about your work.”
Then they continued, picking up more bottles to toss at each other.
Woman walking out of an uncomfortable space.
Typically, I would take the infighting as a sign and rush for the exit, but I have grown quite fond of this space and its people. So, I decided I would like to chime in (a chime sounds in the background)
“None of us have walked in another’s shoes, so let’s be fair and put the pitchforks down.” While also recognizing that some may be hurt for all who decided it was okay to shame and “out” others.
All this ugly happening in this space reminds me of what a mentor said to a tribute before she went off to battle: just remember who the real enemy is!
See, there are only a handful up on the top level looking down on all of us tearing each other down, protected, of course, behind the one-way glass.
Finally, a breakthrough, one person kneeled to see if the person on the ground was okay as others looked around to observe the room. It was a miracle; some put their bottles down and decided this shared space and the people in it were worth keeping so they began to place their chairs in the upright position. Others continued to shout at the platform creators, those who took the steps and made the handshake in the first place, “betrayal!”
After a period of time, the fever broke, and as quickly as it began it ended. And though the space had changed, some portions remained the same. So, I decided to give it another shot and I pulled up a seat, opened my book, and continued to read. End Scene.
Thank you for reading Whatever your answer, let it be your own.
