i enjoy games
where the participants
race cars.
a video game.
a computer game.
not real cars,
though they look more
and more
real every year.
something about microchips.
something about processor speed
and frame rate refresh.
i am not very good
at racing these video game cars but
i enjoy it.
i do not understand
the technical details
that make computing
and video gaming
work but
i know enough to
find my way to
a race.
i don’t have many
close friends but
i have many friends
who i race these video game cars
with.
i don’t know
where they live
or what their lives
are like.
i don’t know
what they look like or
what they are
called.
i know their self-chosen name.
i know that they enjoy
racing cars
in a video game,
same as i.
i know that
some of them are less
concerned with rules
than others.
some intentionally wreck
other competitors,
though that is
against the rules
that we have established
for our races.
rules
that most of us
follow.
i go to my job
in the morning and
stay there
until the evening.
i don’t like
the work
so much and
i don’t hate it
so much.
i trade away my time
for money
as that is what we are
tasked to do.
i have a small apartment
and an electronic screen
on which i am able to
play video games.
i enjoy games
where all involved
race each other
in computer-generated cars.
the cars look more
and more
real every day.
the friendships i have made
with the people i race with
feel real,
and close,
and lasting.
i do not know
any
of their names.
zakschafer.com 