“what have you been doing over quarantine?” "well, uh..."
Comics are easier than difficult conversations.
Comic, 18 Panels
Panel 1: a human brain. Caption: My Brain, October 2020
Panel 2: two identical bearded versions of me, one wearing a teal shirt looking concerned and addressing the other, who is facing away: "Coping Mechanism! We've got a lot of anxiety about theis upcoming election."
Panel 3: The other me turns around, looking confident and speaks: "Not a problem chief! We'll bottle it like the rest!"
Panel 4: Several bottles resting on a table, labelled things like "Rats" "Climate" "COVID" "Lack of Productivity" Chief, looking unsure, says "...Alright."
Panel 5: Coping mechanism, looking relaxed and pleased with himself, speaks "Yep, I've kept us going a long time with the "Bottle It All Up" plan."
Panel 6: The two stand beside a massive bottle that seems to be shaking, Coping Mechanism continues, "It all started when I bottled up The Big One."
Panel 7: Chief asks "What's in it?" Coping Mechanism places a hand on the bottle, obliviously, "Dunno! And that's the idea!"
Panel 8: Chief, leaning forward and looking suspicious, asks "Does it... seem a bit unstable?" Coping mechanism laughs off his concerns, filled with mirth at the idea that his perfect plan could ever be a disaster that cost me years of my life I'll never get back, answers "That bottle has held for almost twenty years, there's no way--"
Panel 9: The surface of the bottle forms a small crack. SFX: KRK
Panel 10: Both mes look panicked or surprised.
Panel 11: The bottle shatters, white, blue, and pink water bursting out of it. SFX: KKRRSSSHHH
Panel 12: A tidal wave of the trans-colored water washes over the Chief and Coping Mechanism. SFX: FWSHHHH
Panel 13: The water continues rushing past, there is no sign of Chief or Coping Mechanism.
Panel 14: The water slowly levelling off as it spreads out.
Panel 15: Chief bursts out of the water, now a woman and gasping for air, "GUUHH!"
Panel 16: Chief looking down at herself in surprise. She now has longer hair, earrings, has tended to those goddamn eyebrows for once in her-- and is wearing a skirt.
Panel 17: Chief exclaims in anger and frustration: "FUCK!"
Panel 18: Chief looks over to Coping Mechanism, who is also now female and staring at herself in shock. "...You are so fired."