Iii. dating

/ / / you have to live

SADIE
​the game could be kind of grindy
​but it was still better than real life

​once a week i’d get a phone call from my mother back in ohio
​she was in a state of perpetual despair:

SUSAN (as mother)
“well i’ve got nothing to tell you
​there’s nothing to report!
​there’s nothing to say
​because there’s nothing to do!”

SADIE
​and i’d say
“no mom!
​you’re still alive!
​you have to live
​you have to live!”

​i would see myself reflected in her
​and it would drivе me crazy
​take up a hobby! learn somеthing new!
​bake! garden! read! knit!
SADIE & ZIPPY
​exercise!

SADIE
​of course i didn’t tell her that my lockdown project
​was reconstructing her mother’s house in a video game
​which would have appalled my grandmother—
​such a wastoid!

ZIPPY
​aw sadie
​you’re just still adjusting to single life
​not having someone else around all the time
​to absorb all your worst thoughts
​maybe you should try dating?

SADIE
​but the world is still—

ZIPPY
​no sadie!
​you’re still alive!
​you have to live!

ALL
​you have to live!
SADIE
​so after six months of not touching another human
​and one particularly depressing phone call with my mom
​i got on the apps!