Missing Things - FIRST DRAFT

the other lost and found

The coffee shop was as busy on Wednesday morning as it had been on the Monday mornings, which was to say not at all.

Carl ordered his usual coffee from Krista, and then talked to her about that morning's choice of music. Krista had several themed playlists that she cycled through, and this morning the only theme Carl could discern was that they were all golden oldies.

"I'm counting on visitors not seeing the connection between the songs," Krista said, taking Carl's cup after he was done with his coffee. "I'm counting on them thinking, 'Oh, aren't these nice innocuous songs I can play at my respectable dinner party or in my car on my way to work! Let me ask the barista what these songs are because I like them so much I want to add them to my own library or playlist!' And then I direct them to our website where we have all the playlists, and then they'll see the titles of the playlists and the descriptions of the playlists and discover that they're all linked together by something subversive to the status quo. And then, if they like that idea, they'll come back and join a class or buy some art." 

"So it's all a ploy to make more money?"

"Isn't that what we're all required to do under capitalism? Make money?" Krista smiled. "But no, that isn't all there is to it. We want to expand people's horizons and show them the part of life and humanity that this late stage capitalist hellscape hides from us. We all lose a bit of ourselves in this, and all of us in this collective really want to help ourselves and others find it again by sharing our art. We want to use art to find community and commonality with other people. But we also have to pay our rent so here we are."

Carl smiled. "Yeah. Here we are. And here I am."

He looked out the window at the building his office was in. That was where he would need to be all day. That was where he would have to use all his energy to create something for the company to use so it could make money that it would then use to pay him. It was renting him out for the day.

The only thing that made going in worthwhile was the possibility of seeing Brad and Mike. Otherwise he'd open his laptop, connect to work, and sit in this coffee shop all day.

"Are you looking to hire staff?" Carl asked.

"Not unless they're willing to work for free. We barely have enough to pay ourselves."

Carl nodded. "Yeah."

She's Like a Rainbow by The Rolling Stones started to play.

"This song doesn't seem to fit the theme of your playlist," Carl said.

Krista laughed. "See? See? Now you're curious! Ah-hah!"

Carl laughed.

"The songs in this playlist," Krista said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Are queer! Dina and Petrina that played before this was sapphic. Mad About the Boy was written by Noel Coward. And this..."

Krista looked up and smiled, as if staring at the music floating through the air. Carl looked up and did the same.

"This," Krista continued, "is just glorious. I have issues with The Rolling Stones. They were — and probably still are — problematic, but this song is just glorious. It's the only Rolling Stones song I entertain."

Carl smiled. "Maybe I'll look up your playlists. I'll listen to them while I work today."

Krista smiled back. "That's all I really ask for."