Artificial Intelligence
Hello nameless face.
I believe we have met before,
But there was nothing worth remembering about the encounter.
You are right inconsequential acquaintance.
I am moderately confident
That you might be the husband of a friend of someone
With whom my wife is relatively familiar.
I do have a wife, and she indeed has friends,
So I presume you could be correct.
How is it going?
It goes, it goes and goes.
It goes generally the same
Since our last awkward engagement.
What have you been doing lately?
I eat, I sleep, I smoke, I shit.
I ponder the meaning of my life
When I can't sleep at night.
May I suggest you try Ambien for that?
I know a doctor who could get you a prescription.
I will accept his card, although I intend
To discard it later, just like this conversation.
I started doing yoga.
Oh yes, yoga, very smart.
My neighbor does that too
Which gives your anecdote meaning to me.
Perchance you know him. His name is Matt.
I do know a Matt. He is quite tall.
Big Matt we call him, to simplify
His existence into one physical trait.
My Matt is only average-sized,
But you are relatively short, so maybe
Our Matts are one in the same.
My Matt is fat. We call him
Big Fat Matt, but only when he is not around.
If he is so fat, is he not always a-round?
That is funny. Not humorous
Enough for a physical laugh,
But enough for me to acknowledge your effort.
Never mind then, I suppose
There are two Matts in our town.
It's a small world though, so you never know.
It really, really is a small world.
My father abandoned our family when I was 12
And I just tracked him down
After searching for seven years.
In the end, he was only 3 towns away.
Does he do yoga?
No.
Your story does not interest me.
How about this weather? Unseasonably warm.
I cannot believe how warm it is,
Though I do not doubt the accuracy
Of our local meteorologist.
But the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a bad winter.
Oh, is your father a farmer?
No.
Then I am still not interested.
How about that local sports team?
I believe they were victorious last night.
They undeniably were. Our local radio
Personality informed me of that.
How exciting for all of us.
I would say we should attend a game,
In the spirit of conversation and social convention,
But I won't, for fear you would agree.
Have no apprehension. Even if I acquiesced
I would have no intention of fulfilling
That empty promise to reconvene.
We have already spoken more
Than I would have liked.
I agree we have met the socially required
Conversation minimum.
I am going to depart, having derived
No real value from our undesired convergence.
I likely will not remember
Any details of this meeting,
And will be ambivalent
About sharing future pleasantries.
But I hope you have a nice day,
Like I hope your doctor friend sleeps well.
Like I hope it rains for the farmers.
Yes, I also wish for precipitation for your father.
See you next time, same as this time.
Tell Big Fat Matt I said "Hello" at yoga.
See you around.
