Do you think it's possible to have a heart-to-heart discussion in the heat of battle?
I think maybe that's the only place to reveal your innermost self.
Because whatever gets said
no matter how revealing
either you or your enemy will be dead
so there's no cause for regret over telling someone a bunch of next-level embarrassing shit about yourself.
I think that's why Solid Snake and his boss enemies go on-and-on-and-on in all those interminable cut scenes when you get right down to it.
Two hearts are revealed,
but only one has to go on living with what's been said.
If real life were like that, I'd be pleased-as-prank about it.
Communication is largely an illusion.
You can't really relate to a stupid person.
Nor is there any getting along with your local conspiracy theorist or religious fanatic.
You can only connect with someone who, essentially, already thinks the same as you, and this 'connection' is, like prayer, just talking to yourself.
But a deadly Enemy . . . there's the only Intimacy that can be had with Another.
One of us will die, and one of us will live.
If I die, then my problems are over, because I can't feel embarrassment if my ticket's been punched.
If I live, then, well, I'll probably remember what Enemy said to me, but not forever.
Memories fade to make room for new memories.
Like, uh . . . that new item on the Taco Bell menu!
I gotta remember to eat that.
And the pleasure of that worthy event-changing up my Fourth Meal game-that is gonna take up at least one or two slots on my PS1 memory card.
Adios soul-bearing monologue from whosits that I had to kill last week.
Hello sensual mouth-orgy as I chew up that quadruple cheese pork-steak quesadilla with some of that new limited time only Rectal Napalm hot sauce.
This is a good deal.
And only at Taco Bell.
-December 2020
