LJIdol - Week 24 Entry
The Cupertino Effect
Paul and David sat facing each other in the small sushi restaurant, a bowl of warm, salted edamame between them.
Paul asked, “So how was your day, dear?”
David began describing his day, and all was quite pleasant until Paul interrupted, “Did you just say, ‘Kill all the monkeys’?”
David chortled, “What? No. I was talking about Monica losing the keys to the supply closet this morning. Where did that come from?”
Paul shrugged his shoulders, “I have no idea. I could’ve sworn I heard… Well, never mind. Go on.”
David picked up where he had left off with the story, and Paul made an extra effort to pay attention. When the plates of sushi arrived, David had moved on to describing his afternoon.
Paul poured out some soy sauce, and he unwrapped his chopsticks. He was just about to begin picking at the ginger when he stopped cold and interrupted David, “You said it again.”
“What?”
“You said, ‘Kill all the monkeys’.”
David shook his head, “Wow. You need to get the wax out of your ears. I was talking about the moneys for the Reese account.”
“The Reese account?”
“Are you even listening? The Reese account. It’s what I’ve been talking about.”
Paul could see that David seemed a bit annoyed, “I’m sorry. I’m listening. I promise I am. I think I’m just… a little hungry. My blood sugar feels low.”
David sighed, “Well, then dig in. Maybe you’ll feel better.”
Paul smiled, “Yes. Now, please, honey, go on.”
David continued with his story, and Paul ate a piece of sushi. It was quite good, and he looked past David’s shoulder to the counter where the itamae was working, only the chef wasn’t there. In his place stood a monkey in a sushi chef’s uniform, clumsily tapping a knife against the marble countertop. Paul’s stomach tightened, and he felt queasy. He looked at David just in time to hear him say it again. Kill all the monkeys. Paul knew he had heard it correctly, but he didn’t say anything. The phrase rolled around in his head. Kill all the monkeys. He looked around the restaurant. All the diners had disappeared. In their places sat monkeys, monkeys dressed like humans, all eating sushi. Kill all the monkeys. Paul took his chopsticks and held one in each of his tightly fisted hands. He looked up at David, but David was gone. A monkey dressed in David’s clothes had taken his place. Paul set his jaw and steeled his nerves for what he knew he had to do next.
Paul and David sat facing each other in the small sushi restaurant, a bowl of warm, salted edamame between them.
Paul asked, “So how was your day, dear?”
David began describing his day, and all was quite pleasant until Paul interrupted, “Did you just say, ‘Kill all the monkeys’?”
David chortled, “What? No. I was talking about Monica losing the keys to the supply closet this morning. Where did that come from?”
Paul shrugged his shoulders, “I have no idea. I could’ve sworn I heard… Well, never mind. Go on.”
David picked up where he had left off with the story, and Paul made an extra effort to pay attention. When the plates of sushi arrived, David had moved on to describing his afternoon.
Paul poured out some soy sauce, and he unwrapped his chopsticks. He was just about to begin picking at the ginger when he stopped cold and interrupted David, “You said it again.”
“What?”
“You said, ‘Kill all the monkeys’.”
David shook his head, “Wow. You need to get the wax out of your ears. I was talking about the moneys for the Reese account.”
“The Reese account?”
“Are you even listening? The Reese account. It’s what I’ve been talking about.”
Paul could see that David seemed a bit annoyed, “I’m sorry. I’m listening. I promise I am. I think I’m just… a little hungry. My blood sugar feels low.”
David sighed, “Well, then dig in. Maybe you’ll feel better.”
Paul smiled, “Yes. Now, please, honey, go on.”
David continued with his story, and Paul ate a piece of sushi. It was quite good, and he looked past David’s shoulder to the counter where the itamae was working, only the chef wasn’t there. In his place stood a monkey in a sushi chef’s uniform, clumsily tapping a knife against the marble countertop. Paul’s stomach tightened, and he felt queasy. He looked at David just in time to hear him say it again. Kill all the monkeys. Paul knew he had heard it correctly, but he didn’t say anything. The phrase rolled around in his head. Kill all the monkeys. He looked around the restaurant. All the diners had disappeared. In their places sat monkeys, monkeys dressed like humans, all eating sushi. Kill all the monkeys. Paul took his chopsticks and held one in each of his tightly fisted hands. He looked up at David, but David was gone. A monkey dressed in David’s clothes had taken his place. Paul set his jaw and steeled his nerves for what he knew he had to do next.