There is no spoon.

7:32pm, 15 November 2008
Manchester, New Hampshire

Jesse sat on a bench in front of City Hall. So here I am, fucker. I've been here a week. What do you want me to do? The Dagger was curiously silent. Ever since reaching Manchester, the throbbing had lessened to the level of a normal tension headache.

Jesse shook his head. Where's the big quest? What happened to the grand purpose? This was frustrating. There was a pensive tension in the air, like a storm about to break over the horizon, but...nothing. Grasp, and it disappears.

It's the world that has been pulled over
your eyes to blind you.

The old feller who was probably born on this bench grumbled about his knee acting up. Probably a storm coming. Two women walking past were chatting amiably about how amazing it was that their sons just sat down to watch Barney with no fuss at all. One pinched the bridge of her nose as she walked past Jesse and winced. "Are you okay?" the other asked. "Yeah, just my sinuses acting up."

Jesse watched as a toddler wobbled over to her daddy over near the bus stop. She reached out for a candy he was holding, but fell with a definite *splat* when she got close. Desire causes suffering, Jesse thought as the child began to wail. It's not worth it, kiddo.

You call *this* free?

Jesse got up to pace. He was uncomfortable now. He knew he was where he was supposed to be. Where was Luke? Who was he supposed to see? Anger boiled deep down. Snippets of conversations burbled past as he walked.

No, he counseled himself. Anger caused more suffering. Attachment. He was surprised how quickly that book had sunk in. Hell, he had suddenly become a hub on the Wheel of Dependent Co-Arising, it seemed. How could it not make sense? He shook his head. No, it would come in time. But part of him was angry that the time wasn't *now*.

This zoo, this prison, this reality.

Jesse walked, without aim. He walked, and /listened/:

"...did you break up with him?"

"Oh, it was right after I was in that car accident. I just couldn't see things...."

"...been able to do a thing because my back has been hurting too much. I can barely sleep at...."

"...picking at it, it will get infected!"

"But Mom, it itches! I can't help...."

"...any Advil? I'm getting a bit of a headache."

"Sure. Anyone else want some? I've also got naproxen, if...."

Humans define their primitive reality
through misery and suffering.

[Quotations: _The Matrix_.]