8. Inside Noah’s Ark

On boredom, desperation, and digital escape

Noah hands you a ticket to his Ark. You’re in.
You take your place next to B-guy.
His arm hairs cuddle yours.
Argh—the itch.
It creeps into your bones.

Everyone holds tight, packed like sausages in a can.
That smell. My God.
The only way to escape B-guy’s stink—and his hairy arms—is to go to the bathroom.
So you do.

You find a lonely window and stare out at the B-clouds.
That stench again. Where does it come from?

You’re restless.
And so is Wolf, who comes to join you.
Noah’s wife didn’t feed him enough.

“I want to taste Sheep,” he whispers, malevolently.

Unfortunately for Sheep, she sits right next to him.
For a moment, you stop noticing the stench—you're busy chatting with Wolf.
But before Noah notices you’re not in your seat, you go back.

B-guy smiles.
You do your best to grin.

A few minutes later, it starts again. That smell.
What the hell is that?

Isn’t this supposed to be a sacred Ark?
You expected lavender… or incense. But no.

Then the itchy hairs brush your elbow as B-guy moves to scratch his nose.
You cringe.

Thirty days, man.
Or has it only been eight hours?

You start wondering—maybe the smell isn’t even coming from him?

Desperation creeps in.
You need something.
Space. Stimulation. Engagement. Anything.

You start hoping Wolf eats Sheep.
Just to break the pattern.
To see something happen.

But you stay put.
You don’t want Noah to think you’re ungrateful.

There’s nowhere to run.
You try to ignore the situation.

Then you see Wolf glancing at his neighbor.
His instincts are screaming.
Come on. Do it. Something. Anything.

Wolf is desperate.
You are desperate.
Everyone is.

You decide you’ve had enough.
So you buy in-flight Wi-Fi.
And then… you google “Wolf eats Sheep.”

There it is.
The smell is gone.

You’re not in the Ark anymore.
You’ve entered a portal.
No smells, just numbness.
Ahhh…
No more restlessness.
Better than those B-clouds.
Better than B-guy.
No itch. No desperation.

The rain ceases.
The Ark lands at Dallas-Fort Worth.

“Who wants out?” cries Noah.

The animals and humans run toward the door.

Not Noah.
He stays behind—next to Boring-guy, who also didn’t leave.
They sit in silence.
The Boring-clouds drift in from above.

You watch them.
What are they doing?

A minute passes.
That smell again.

—

—Simplicity, chosen again.