“Someone said once—
—the responsible thing to do here would be to look up who actually said it before writing about it. Give credit where credit is due, dude. You’d want your words to be treated that way, wouldn’t you?”
“ . . . Like I was saying . . . Someone said once that—
—really? You’re just going to ignore me?”
“. . . that you can justify anything if you can do it poetically enough . . . And I can’t help feeling a disturbance in the force when I hear those words.”
“Well, now you are just borrowing from Star Wars. You’re an irresponsible writer, mate.”
“What is a ‘Star War’? And why would the stars ever be at war with each other? That makes no sense. That’s how stars work.”
“Stop playing.”
“I’m just saying, I could feel my stomach rumble when I heard that quote and I am pretty damn sure it wasn’t gas. And I don’t think I was hungry . . . That only leaves the force.”
“What do you think the force is, mate?”
“String Theory?”
“. . . You’re a dumb ass.”
“I also feel like you justify anything with humor . . . ‘If it is said clever enough.’ . . . The dark side is tempting, my young Padawan.”
“Who the hell are you calling a Padawan??”
“Oh . . . I am not surprised that you’re a Sith. I just— . . . I can sense the good in you. I can feel the conflict.”
“Yep, you’re a certified dumb ass.”
“M.L. Rio, if we were villains.”
“Huh?”
“Who said it . . . ‘You can justify anything if you do it poetically enough.’ . . . M.L. Rio.”
“Was that so hard?”
“I just now remembered the name.”
“And Star Wars? Do you remember that yet?”
“. . . the stars would never go to war.”
“And why is that?”
“It’s not in their nature.”
“Is that so?”
“. . . And the strings would never allow it.”
CH 4/7/24