Ok, here's the scene.
I'm sitting with my friend, on my computer, wrapping up my business for the day. Suddenly I shout "SHIT!" very loudly.
"What?! Huh?! What is it??" (my friend is startled)
"Well," I explain to him, "I was supposed to have an absurd interaction this week."
"You were supposed to...?"
"I mean, I wasn't /supposed to/ in so many words, but I was supposed to document one that I had."
"Oh. Ok, then do that now?"
I'm frustrated at this point. "See, I'm not really sure I've had any. I can't think of anything relevant. The most absurd thing that happened this week is that ITP keeps somehow ordering pizza from the worst pizza place in New York, but that's not really the kind of absurd that I'm looking for."
This is when I have a great idea!
"Here, you have to help me with this. We are going to manufacture our own absurd scene. The idea that we can intentionally produce the kind of existential dread that comprises the absurd -- the idea that we would even WANT to -- is in itself absurd, thus fulfilling the requirements! Here, I'm gonna grab this, one sec."
I run into my room and return with a pillow. "Here, I am going to put this on the couch. You have to go put it back in my room, then I'm going to bring it out again. We do this a few times. It's Sisyphean, see?"
We do it a few times. I'm pretty proud of myself.
Hours later, while writing this document up to post, I realize my doorman and I are always smiling at each other when I come in even though I'm pretty sure we don't like each other, and that that is probably much more absurd than whatever I just did.
"SHIT." I shout.
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