Small Places : Nick L Belardes [72 of 128]

• The snout of boredom pushes its way from the front of your face. You fight it. You try to push it back in like you're made of Play Doh.
• You miss the day when you didn't think there were Star Wars prequels and the world was like bikini-clad
• At-Ats lazing in bright morning snow. I often wonder what would happen if I fully transformed into boredom itself.
• Would I merrily drain the soda machines of corporate America? Milt stands before the meeting room.
• He turns his back on the marketing team and writes on a board with a blue felt marker.
• "This is a great color," Milt says. I'm not listening. I watch Mulani dump an entire box of teddy grahams onto the table.
• I start drawing pictures: teddy bears dancing, teddy bear balloons, teddy bear adverts, teddy bear stormtroopers and Milt as Darth Graham.
• As Milt talks, Mulani stares at something in his nose. I refuse to look. She's hypnotized. Poor thing is locked in a nostril stare down.
• "You don't get it," Milt says." There is something integral to this department that's missing. It's called family." Quiet stares.