«Hi Arthur, come on in.» I heard the voice of my advisor before I saw him sitting behind his glass desk. He had just buzzed open the door.
«Hi Hegesias», I tugged my device away, «Did you listen to the Time Traveller report? It just arrived …»
«Of course I did, amazing, isn’t it, yes, now let’s hope he finds the right people to talk to, and we retrieve at least a part of our history.»
«I cross my fingers», more for the people in general, «He saw the sun!»
«You could see the sun, too. How was your month?»

With how much verve he could deliver his routine question every time I stepped into his office—and probably to any of his other clients—constituted alone the qualification for his job.
«180,000 Watts», I answered.
«Impressive, again and again, truly impressive, but as I said before, you won’t be able to keep up with that your entire life…»
«And I got the tattoo.»
«The tattoo!?»
«Yes, the … Noddy.»
Now his eyes lit up, «Really?! Congratulation. Show me, can I…?»
I opened my shirt. The fake leather of my seat moaned under my movements.

Hegesias bent over the glass plate, «This looks like good work, good work!»
«Yes, thank you.»
«Where did you get it?»
«At the new parlor on Thirteen Avenue, kitty corner to Diana’s Nice Device, you know?»
«Yes, yes, so … I can refer that place, what’s his name?»
«Uh, I don’t know…»
«Mmh, ah well, I’ll find out later. But okay guy?»
«Definitely. Ambitious.»
«So what did you do with your extra time this week?» He leaned back and folded his fingers.
«I swam a little longer, played Justine …»
«Arthur, I mean in the work matter… making sense.»
«I… guess, I have to get used to it first, to the spare time.»
«You can’t have more spare time and waste it all. Focus on the one thing, making sense, for you and more important for everybody else.»
«I know.»

His palms landed on the table, the spoon clang in the coffee mug. He took a deep breath. «What shall I do with you?»
My shoulders shrugged lightly.

With a short nod, the reading glasses fell from his forehead on his nose, and he checked my file on the flat screen. He wiped records to the left and right, commenting them with the occasional sigh, «As far as I’m concerned we went through pretty much all options of promising career paths on the higher and middle level. I got only some basics in stock. Or would you like to give up?»
«No», my hands held the seat on both sides, there were no armrests.
«Are you sure you don’t want to give up?!»
«No.»
His face lid up, «No!?»
«Yes, I mean, I am sure I don’t want to give up. Just yet.»
«Okay then. Basics… let’s think simple… nothing important for you …bordering uselessness … like… how are you with art?»
«What kind of art?»
«Any. Filming?»
«Meh.»
«Photography, digital editing?»
«No, no.»
«Writing, for content?»
«Negative.»
«Dancing?»
«Hah, me? No.»
«Music? Any instrument? Singing?»
I shook my head.
«You can at least clap your hands.»
«I can try.»

He started clapping his hands on every second beat, «One two, one two, one two, one two…»
I followed him suit. When we were in sync, he smiled, «Yes, and now…», he started singing from the top of his lung, «In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps toniiight», he stopped and stared at the wall waiting for a barrage of applause.

When he woke up from his daydream, he said, «Now you!»
Hegesias started clapping the rhythm and raising his eyebrows in anticipation of my singing voice.
I lost my beat, and my singing made him cringe. The office fell quiet, and the lion slept in the corner, next to an elephant.
He whispered in shock, «You can’t even be in an entertainment show.»
My lips formed a line.
«Clapping alone doesn’t get you anywhere, Arthur.»
«Guess not.»
I looked at my useless palms for an explanation.