Lilly dangled her legs in the pool and slowly kicked the water around. For some reason she was wearing jorts. Or really they were more like capris, rolled up a little so they don’t get wet. On the other hand, Jandek was definitely wearing a speedo, and was tucking his hair into a swimmer’s cap as we speak.
“Anyway, a star,” she began.
“Hmm?” He fitted the goggles onto his face. He looked a bit silly.
“It would suck to be a star, I’d think.”
“Are you still thinking about that Nighthawk story? Look, I’m sorry,” Jandek replied. “I had the idea, and I thought it was going to help, but I just didn’t think it through.”
“Well, it at least gave me something to think through.” She looked down at the pool, and at its lights glowing blue and purple. Those were beginning to be her favorite colors—blue the staple, purple a novelty. Meanwhile, Jandek was trying to do Phelps stretches with little success.
She continued. “Stars… well, they live far away. So even though you’re out there and burning forever, you’re too far out there to hear if anybody cares.”
“Yeah, I see. Your communication only goes one way.” He was making his way to the diving board. The smell of chlorine was becoming delightfully overbearing, and Lil wondered if they couldn’t have made the ceiling a bit higher to compensate.
“Right, right. And usually they’re so far away that it takes thousands of years for your light to reach them. I don’t know what that metaphor means. Separated by space as well as time?”
“Also aren’t you gonna say something about the star-as-asterisk imagery? I know you’ve been thinking about stuff like that too.”
“The what?” Jandek was springing around on the diving board, ready to take the plunge at any moment, yet still choosing not to. Lilly laughed. “What’s the matter? Afraid that it’s gonna be cold?”
“A little. Also, skyglow. That’s a thing you like too.” From behind him, Lilly noticed a hot tub in the ground, and she felt really bad that she wasn’t dressed for the occasion. Of course, she could always strip down. It’s not like anyone else would ever show up, and it’s not like Jandek would mind, would he? The bubbles would cover most of her up, though her pale fragile boobies would still be exposed. Would he care?
Apparently not, as Jandek took one final bounce on the board and leapt into the water stomach-first. Then she got wet, and then she woke up.