Destination

Three hours later, Joe was sporting a quality haircut and Kim’s manicure was possibly the best one she’d ever had. An impressive array of projects was lined up on the coffee table: the old alarm clock Joe had been meaning to repair since Christmas was ticking merrily, Xavier had mastered the Japanese art of kintsugi, elegantly repairing a small bowl, (substituting Kim’s gold eyeshadow and UHU for the advertised repair materials), and the remains of a perfect plate of Eggs Benedict attested his culinary skill.  There would have been more, but Joe’s phone ran out of battery.

‘Okay,’ said Kim, admiring her nails, ‘I think we can all agree you have marketable skills. ‘Which of those activities did you enjoy the most?’

A perfect crease appeared between Xavier’s perfect brows. ‘I do not understand what you are asking me. What is “enjoy”? ’

How to explain the concept of pleasure to someone who apparently had not had much of it so far? Kim pondered this, mindful of Xavier’s possible viewing history and anxious not to explore that in any way. She tried drawing on his recent experiences.

‘Which do you prefer, being confined in the box or being outside the box, able to move about?’

‘I understood I would be removed from the carton when I reached my destination,’ said Xavier. ‘It was simply a question of waiting until that happened.’

‘Exactly, but did you feel better in the box or once you got out?’

‘There was not much room in the box and I have long limbs. I felt better outside the box.’

‘So you preferred one experience to the other?’

‘Yes.’

‘Of all the things you have just done, which you learned from the videos, which did you prefer doing?’ 

Joe admired Kim’s lateral thinking, she was clearly getting results.

‘I do not prefer any. I watch, I understand, I repeat. That is all.’

‘The modern version of veni, vidi, vici,’ murmured Kim.