socialcapital | [ JACKSON HEART ]

Nothing like that.

Cirrus are the ones to go to for future forecasting. I can anticipate a bit of where you've come from, and a bit of the journey ahead of you. That's all.

"Well, if you say so..."

He seems dubious but it's not like he has any choice but to accept the explanation.

"But if you want to see me doing something I like you should come to the show. I have~ free tickets~ I can give out~"

[He has a moment.]

That is a kind offer, and a generous one. But my intentions are to depart once you're safely returned.

His feelings

are hurt.

"Oh. Well. If you're sure, I guess. That's fine."

It has nothing to with the quality of performance you and your bandmates deliver. Even I know your work is without peer. This is the relic of a personal trauma.

Even without that, I did steal you out from under your keeper's nose. I doubt I will be a welcome presence at our return.

"I could smooth that over I bet. But if you don't want to come it's fine. You don't have to. It's fine."

He'll get over it.

[He thinks of the pigeon, fluffed up into a huffy ball.

Radiant songbird.]

Tell me something you don't like. Besides mysterious strangers turning down concert tickets. And dairy products.

"Something I don't like? Um... I don't like... deadlines...? Birthdays? Airplanes...?"

Birthdays?

"Um, well, not the concept of being born or anything, I mean..."

You mean your birthday, specifically.

"Well. Not really. I don't celebrate it. Other people do, so I get a bunch of presents sent to me, and it just feels kind of weird."

Then what?

"Then what...? That's kind of all. It's just weird."

[He shakes his head.]

I took that to mean that it is not your birthday you dislike, but something else about birthdays. Was that in error?

"Oh, uh... no, I guess it is my birthday I dislike. Or rather, to me it's just a normal day, but it's strange to know other people care about it way more than me."

[It's not the day they care about, it's you.]

It's harder to celebrate such things if you never experienced their positive sides when you were younger.

What about planes?