Shadowplay: An Interlude with Buttons
Me: Another button popped off my coat today.

A-ko: Why don't you just sew them back on?

Me: I don't like sewing. Besides, this was one of the ones I sewed back on LAST time. I must be doing it wrong.

A-ko: If you don't intend to sew them back on, why do you keep the buttons?

Me: Oh, I do intend to sew them back on, eventually.

A-ko: But it's cold outside now. The snow is up to your waist!

Me: Tell me about it. [Looks mournfully at coat.]

A-ko: Make someone else do it. That's what I always do.

Me: What do you mean?

A-ko: You don't think I do my own costuming, do you? [Brushes lint from her black rose uniform's cuffs.]

Me: Um... [peeks into coat pocket and digs out buttons for distraction] I think I've lost one of the loose buttons. I'm missing three, but I can only find two in my pocket...

Gir: Look! Candy! [Grabs buttons and eats them, then runs around in circles until he falls over.]

Me: [Half bewildered, half resigned] Gir ate my buttons.

A-ko: Well, he does that sometimes.

Me: But now I'm going to be cold.

A-ko: You should get a new uniform.

Me: But I don't wear a...

A-ko: Come on, Gir, we're going to be late for the play.

Gir: I like plays!

[Gir and A-ko exit, hand in hand. I stare after them, bewildered.]