The Camera Zooms In

“Up there, under my authority, they always made sure I understood the meaning of a penny. And since by nature I’m the kind that jitters, I had to learn that understanding the hard way. I think inventing forced labor was part of my guardian angel’s job. He was the one who wrote out the orders.
Whenever I set out on one enterprise or another, I always anticipate how they will look at me up there: they’ll pat me gently on the nape with their condescension, or— as my grandmother used to say— they’ll ‘beat me up clear to the tomatoes’…
And there’s nowhere to go—I’m obliged to pay in full according to the ledger sent down from above, even if I have no idea what I’m paying for.”