“Do you want to know where I am on the Kübler-Ross scale?” “Not so much. But okay.” He pauses, knees pulsating, right hand trembling. He extrudes his mealy tongue bottom, then the spasm leaves him. “I’m stuck on escape.” “Okay. If escape was one.” “It should be. They need to add more levels. Five isn’t enough. I’m the expert, right?” “Okay.”
