Moral Dilemma

The room was steeped in this dull gurgling hum... more of a moan or a slow motion whine
and
I was waiting for the photocopier
it was getting close to lunch.
I just wanted my copying done and I was dreaming of a salad roll.


She wasn't copying, she was barely breathing
she just stood there
completely
still.


That sound running through the whole scene.
What was it? Was it coming from her?


I paced
sighed
paced
checked my watch
sighed
dropped my papers (on purpose)


She just stood there
doing nothing.
The sound was coming from her I was sure of it


I cleared my throat
but
she just stood there and I could still hear it
that little noise
that wet hum
coming
from
her.


I didn't fucking need this, all I wanted was a photocopy and a salad-fucking-sandwich and here she was emitting some weird noise like her wiring has shorted out
that low hum bubbling out of her
an eerie constant
underneath everything.


She seemed upset
or at least wrong somehow
this whole seem seemed wrong
off kilter
and the noise was getting louder
more pronounced
more human.


She was shaking.
crying


Was she?
No she wouldn't be!
I mean people don't... do they?
Of course not!
She wasn't... was she?
Not in public.. not here... not at the photocopier... she couldn't.

but

she was

She was fucking crying and I needed to use the photocopier.


I could do something, reach out, say something
maybe even get her away from the copier.
or
I could make a difference


Then again it was nearly lunch
maybe
I could just put my pages back on my desk, forget about it and buy my sandwich


I really wanted that sandwich...