Broken Bread

Dear You,

I appreciate your inquiry and will do my best to answer your questions. As a serving of bread, my life cycle is fairly predictable. Today is a good example. Well, everyday is an equally good example, but right now it is today. There is only today. My initial debut from the oven features 30 minutes of effervescent warmth that cannot be replenished, only imitated through reheating. Today's 30 minutes lapsed hours ago under the cover of a linen cloth in a large, crowded basket as I listened to the kitchen staff talk about sex when there were no members of the opposite sex around. Eventually I am divided into smaller baskets which are carted each off with a cheap side salad. I must be at a convention, not sure what country. I do not understand language, only meaning. I hear discussion of basic mass-produced medical implements (syringes, scalpels, etc), often growing very nuanced to the level of individual manufacturing cost and the grade of steel used. Insurance trade show? No, these details are far too mundane for even that. That there are people requires so many tiny concerns, one would have to be mentally ill to have any direct passion for most of them.

After the warmth fades, I have a couple hours of a clearly defined layered texture of crispness, softness, and moisture, and today I am squandering it on a sterilized plate listening to people talk about other food. I'm glad my existence is too short for jealousy. Also, I am glad I don't want to have sex. Maybe those two are related? But seriously, if you've ever had to sit silently and observe every exchanged word between people on a date, you'd know what I mean. The amount of human tedium I am forced to know is something you would be jealous of; o how i seek avenues to barter it away to you.

After a curious bite, I am left on a plate with undesirable vegetables. The twilight of my edibility fades into rubbery mediocrity, and my spirit leaves as a hollow, soulless rigidity takes over. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a short life somewhere charming. It seems like the more appealing the location, the stronger the desire for bread.

I hope this helps, but I doubt anything could.

Sincerely,

The Bread