Applied Conversation

I know I’m not the 

only one to tell the 

timer “I’m coming!” 

while hurrying to push 

the off button. There 

must be others who 

speak sharply or kindly 

to the tea kettle’s insistent 

whistle. “I’m coming!” 

Of course there is the 

little musical chime 

from the fridge that gently 

reminds me that the door is ajar.

And I’m confident that there are 

conversations with the characters 

on the TV…can’t do that in a 

theatre where even the munching 

of popcorn disturbs some people. 

Conversations with my appliances 

amuse me. But they only reply with the

‘bells and whistles’ of our technology. 

I have yet to get Siri or Alexis 

involved in this domestic chatter 

but I’m sure that will be soon enough. 

“There is no such thing as conversations. It is an illusion. 

There are intersecting monologues, that is all.”

~ Rebecca West, author

(1892 - 1983)