“Well, she was an American girl…” Tom Petty was playing the background. “...raised on promises.”

The kids’ brains were straining to grab the truth that was just beyond their comprehension. The human burden was the knowledge that there’s something on the top shelf, but you’ll never be tall it enough to reach it.

“Things aren’t just the things they are. Come to think of it, for every irrefutably measurable molecule making up an object, there are a billion more thoughts in the heads of people concerning the molecule or molecules or WHATEVER. So, what’s really real?”

Hmpf. Came the reply. “I kinda just wanted to play some video games.”

“I guess you’re right, man,” he said grabbing a crusty DS4 controller. “Fuck it,” he said nihilistically, “let’s play some fucking FIFA.”