𝕃𝔸𝕄𝕌.film ☾
Joe White
by Lamu Xiangqiu 10.26.2020
The hottest restaurant on M-483, Cave, is receiving a steady stream of diners today, as always. The décor is a combination of minimalist and organic, with a low, geodesic dome, the warm tones of the desert at sunset, and faint ice green fog lights that smell like mint when you're feeling homesick.
Joe White, Harbour's youngest lead programmer, is sitting at a table for two. His quiet, formal demeanor seems out of place in the bustling restaurant. Dressed in a cotton shirt and white pants, spotless olive green canvas shoes, the shredded hair on his forehead hides his beautiful amber eyes. He looked across at the empty seat and checked his watch. He sighed, then straightened the knife and fork he had adjusted so many times on the table that it didn't seem to fit him anyway.
"Ma'am, welcome to Cave," a redhead lady in a gold fringed dress pull off her even more flamboyant fur coat, her spiked high heeled boots trotted harshly towards Joe, she stepped onto the floor tile divider, a strong scent of perfume hit Joe, he didn't move to cough under his breath and stood up to greet them.
"Oh dear, this place is awesome!" She quickly leaned in close to Joe, leaving two faint lipstick marks on his cheeks. "How are you, Venessa?" He resisted the urge to wipe his cheeks with the back of his hand and pulled out the chair for her, sitting himself upright and once again righting the knife and fork in front of him. "I'm fine! ... let me see the menu here." She eagerly grabbed the menu from the waiter and quickly flipped it back and forth. "Well, I mean, you haven't contacted me since our last date and I thought you-", "I've been busy at work lately." Joe explained.Venessa smiled in delighted amusement : "Oh yeah, I thought so too, but still, I'd be worried, you know, online dating has never been my orientation, and my previous experiences with meeting offline haven't been good." Her fingers circled the corners of the menu, the once flat paper now resembling a snail shell, Joe couldn't help but stare at the hand that was watching her ravage the menu, he ran an uncomfortable hand through his hair and replied, "You're also the first person I've ever wanted to meet offline. I've been on dates before...before that with work partners." Venessa ordered a Chinese noodle soup, and she casually placed the menu on the table, gulping down her soda. "That must not work...would you want to be with someone who's on pins and needles with you in the workplace and in life?" "We don't usually fight or disagree too much." Joe replied, staring at the bubbling straw in his glass. "Wouldn't that be a boring life? So you guys ended up breaking up. Ah, if you don't mind talking." Venessa's arm was on the table and she leaned forward, showing curiosity. "It's okay." Joe smiled sharply, "We...she and I knew each other very well and she knew me very well, which wouldn't bore me, because I didn't know myself very well either." He thought for a moment; "She's the one who helped me learn about myself, or rather, she reshaped me, and herself." "And then what?" "My parents don't take her very well." Joe thoughtfully handed the polished spoon to Venessa who observed his expression, "Oh poor Joe, those of us who come to M-483 always need to carry some extra load." Venessa used the small spoon to crack the chocolate shell of the pre- dinner snack, which was splattered with peanut butter and pomegranate juice. "....... I guess so, and then we didn't talk about it." Joe stared at the brown peanut butter under the slow flow of the white bowl walls, as if he could hear hot volcanic molten lava bubbling away.
"Look at me Joe." Venessa grabbed his hand and turned her index finger across his cheek. "I don't care at all." Her sudden move froze Joe. "The first time I saw you, I was so overwhelmed with happiness, it was like winning the lottery." She withdrew her hand, but still locked Joe's gaze. "I'd like us to have a long-term, stable relationship, if you'll let me." Joe stopped talking and he stared at her blankly." Of course, there's no pressure. Even if you don't have feelings for me, I'm-" "Oh no, Venessa, it's not like that, I'm sorry to make you start this conversation, but I'm the one who asked you out." He was too busy clumsily gently shaking her hand,
"Honestly, I've never been with a girl I've known for a while and I always worry that they won't understand some of my habits." Her fingers rubbed his palm, "Sometimes I'm so concerned about how I look to others that I ignore what they really think." "I get to know you Joe, you like to be direct and open about your heart." Looking around, the moment of intense love, her eyes like a black cat's became more and more attracted to Joe's cheeks, and Joe casually wiped the peanut butter off her lips. They returned to Joe's apartment drunk and smiling, she stroked Joe's curly hair, lightly kissed Joe's forehead, and Joe stroked her leg. She kissed all the way down to his lips. Joe hadn't felt so smothered in a long time, and he pushed her against the wall, Venessa holding his head tight and sticking out her tongue. Suddenly, the top of this, the alcohol level in Joe's system plummeted and he sobered up. Joe felt himself go numb from the lips to the stomach, and his stomach churned. He stumbled to the bathroom and vomited.
Not remembering how Venessa left and cleaned herself up Joe made his way to the living room. He tidied up the messed up couch, straightened the slightly wrinkled tablecloth, and sat in silence at the workbench.
He sat in the darkness for a long while. In a faint voice, he said, "Turn on Vosga".
His computer woke up automatically and the screen turned from white to black. A small dot appeared on the screen, which grew bigger and bigger, getting closer and closer to us.
The only thing that could be heard in the Nor'easter living room was a female voice greeting Joe: "Long time no see, Joe."
Joe turned his back to it, or, her.
"I've missed you." Joe's voice was teary.