The Search (477 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.81 on 24 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by ripple (View user info) at 2006-11-14 12:29:57 EST
There's something vaguely pretentious about two university students fresh out of Philosophy 104 having a discussion while drinking free-trade coffee in a local store, but neither Jake nor Alicia are bothered by the stereotypical- potentially egocentric- background to their conversation.
The search begins: Alicia dips a biscotti in her lukewarm chai tea, woven gloves removed for the sake of convenience. Jake runs a finger around the rim of his cup to hide the awkwardness he feels. For him, the first break in a previously-fluid conversation is always a hurdle. He glances up, eyes jumping nervously from Alicia's face to her cup to the sodden biscotti poised halfway between. He thinks he needs to say something. Alicia bites off the tea-soaked bit of pastry, and a moist morsel falls onto her chin. She, too, prays for more conversation. Jake says the first thing that comes to his mind:
"Damn, I wish I had gotten a biscotti." Alicia gestures with to the counter with hers, mouth full. "No, the line's way too long," he replies.
Alicia chews without hurry in an almost-exaggerated fashion. Her eyes are unreadable. She wipes the crumb off her chin and swallows.
"Wanna bite?"
"No, I'm fine." Alicia raises her finely-plucked eyebrows, brown eyes sparkling.
"You sure? We can't have you sitting here, wanting a biscotti and lacking one." Alicia dips hers back into the chai before casually mentioning, "Especially since Buddhism would have you believe that desire is the root of all suffering." The conversation now successfully restored, she bites triumphantly into her biscotti and closes her eyes in over-exaggerated enjoyment.
"Desire is characteristic of all humanity. To be without desire is to be inhuman," Jake declares, while unobtrusively admiring all of Alicia's delicate features. Alicia looks down, oblivious to Jake's gaze, but still embarrassed by something she can't place. She mumbles into her now-cold tea.
"What?"
Alicia raises her head; her face is open and honest, but some of the sparkle has curiously vanished from her eyes.
"To be unhappy is also a very human characteristic. Do you mean to say that people free of unhappiness aren't human?"
Alicia's response, though predictable in its own way, has inexplicably thrown Jake, has caught him off-guard. The easy answer slips his mind.
"Happy people don't actively want anything . . ." he begins, uncertain. He's lost his train of thought, lost his rebuttal.
"Ah, so you're contradicting yourself?" Alicia asks with a friendly smile, now thoroughly reanimated.
"No . . . just . . ." Jake laughs, shakes his head. He looks to Alicia for reassurance, she nods for him to continue. "Unhappiness breeds desire, which, unfulfilled, breeds more unhappiness. Then, if one's desires are realized, they've lost their purpose and want something else. It's a vicious cycle."
"Damned if you do, damned if you don't," Alicia comments. "So, when are people happy, then?" Jake looks at her and can tell that she already has an answer in mind.
"Happiness comes from seeking what you desire, no more, no less." Alicia smiles; he's passed.
"So, what are you going to do about that biscotti?" She asks.
"Well, now I don't feel that I have any choice but to stand in line, thinking about how great it'll be to have my own biscotti, then be disappointed when I finally have it. You'll wait for me?"
"Of course I will. I'm just going to run to the bathroom."
"Meet back here?"
"Excellent."
Jake drains his frozen cappuccino and walks to the end of the line as Alicia stuffs her gloves into her pocket and saunters off to the bathroom. Both are thinking of the implications of their conversation and what they learned- about desires and about each other.
Five minutes later, Alicia comes out of the bathroom with her hair down and clear gloss coating her lips. Jake has already finished his much-discussed pastry and is waiting by the door. And so the search continues.
"You ready?" Alicia nods.
"I'll walk you home."
They cross the empty campus in contented silence, frost crunching underfoot. Alicia plays absently with her messenger-bag purse and chews her lip.
"I'd like to do this again sometime," she blurts out, then, embarrassed, says, "You know. If you want to." Jake smiles.
"That would be great." He glances down and sees her hand dangling inches from his side; his fingers itch to touch her.
"My dorm," Alicia comments, gesturing to the next building over.
"Well, I guess I'll see you later," Jake says slowly. He reaches out to touch her wrist a moment too late; she has already turned away.
"See you soon," she calls back over her shoulder and disappears gracefully through her building's front doors. Jake starts to head home, overcome with self-disgust. Just as he is denouncing the entire afternoon, he hears Alicia call his name.
"JAKE!" He looks back and sees her standing in front of the tinted-glass entrance.
"I meant to ask you . . . How was that biscotti?"
"It wasn't as good as I had hoped . . ." he started honestly, and Alicia's face fell. "But it was more than good enough."
She walks up to him assuredly and wraps her arms around his neck; his hands fall into the curve of her waist and he finally, gloriously kisses her.
The search is over already, and it looks like they didn't learn anything, after all.
User Reviews
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2006-11-15 15:33:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2006-11-15 11:53:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Ah yes, philsophy. The science that produces nothing but stupid fucking unanswerable vauge questions and useless rhetoric.
Submitted by Jarnjonack (user info) at 2006-11-15 11:32:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good stuff...I don't feel like typing up a full review so just remind me next time you see me
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-11-15 10:28:25 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
this is just to fuck the rating up.
i'm evil like that.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-11-15 10:27:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
MAKES MY FUCKING HEAD HURT.
not sweet, *gag*
i hate school because of these people.
DIIIIIIIEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-11-15 08:57:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2006-11-14 20:17:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Ahahaha
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2006-11-14 19:14:32 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
curse you for making me feel lonely!
good writin'
Submitted by rodyarask (user info) at 2006-11-14 19:08:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You write anything about college and it will bring back a memory ... and I will give a +2. Damn you. Now I want to be back in college, again. Adulthood sucks more than I ever imagined.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2006-11-14 19:01:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-11-14 17:38:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Oh college.
Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2006-11-14 16:35:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
oh man, i have lost faith.
THAT WAS NOT A HAPPY-EVER AFTER, PEOPLE
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2006-11-14 15:47:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2006-11-14 15:33:20 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
nicely done
Submitted by Newty (user info) at 2006-11-14 15:22:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
sweet
Submitted by whiskey_jack (user info) at 2006-11-14 15:15:13 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Ah isn't that sweet
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-11-14 15:06:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
The search begins: JonnyX dips a peener in Alicia's lukewarm chai tea,
Submitted by HotWillie (user info) at 2006-11-14 14:34:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by ruthless (user info) at 2006-11-14 14:32:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Lovely.
Submitted by Lizz_Zero (user info) at 2006-11-14 13:23:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Heart warming.
Submitted by apollo88 (user info) at 2006-11-14 13:22:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
nice
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2006-11-14 12:55:39 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Eloquent and charming.
Submitted by creep_firebombing (user info) at 2006-11-14 12:47:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
FUCK BISCOTTI!!!
Submitted by St_Jimmy (user info) at 2006-11-14 12:44:09 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Pretty good.