You press the button.

Ding.

The posters are gone. The walls are now bare.

Pity.

Instead, in the room is a big dining table, with a couple comfy-looking chairs at it.

And on the table? Is it food? Is it lunch? Is it a feast fit for kings?

No!

It’s this!

That’s right! You’ve got an unopened puzzle! So you know all the pieces are there!

This’ll be fun!

But, you ask, is that all there is in the room?

Not quite! In the top four corners are now speakers. And out of them comes the mellow tones of a podcast. Which podcast?

Hmmmmmmm

Let’s say… this one: https://www.mythpodcast.com/ It’s pretty good. Other than the increasingly long ad reads, it’s not bad.

Let’s see how many episodes we get through before you finish the puzzle.

You get started!

Puzzles are fun. You sit down, organizing all the pieces. You connect the border pieces first, listening to the podcast.

Then you start on the words. You find the dog, and connect the red bit.

By the beginning of the second episode you’re about a fifth of the way done. You start on the sky, finding the flags from the ship.

The third episode starts, and you’re halfway done. Now mostly you only have to fill in the buildings.

You manage it quickly, finishing up just as the third episode does.

Isn’t it pretty? Good job!

You get a sense of accomplishment, smiling at the completed puzzle.

…I said let’s see how many episodes we get through before you finish the puzzle.

…

You aren’t going to do the puzzle, are you?

Well why not? It’s a puzzle! A fun one! It has distinct patterns and colors, some words, and a dog!

And it isn’t a design specifically made for children. No, this is an adult puzzle.

...I realize that might be the wrong way to phrase it. It’s a mature puzzle? No. 13+ puzzle? Somehow worse. Grown-up puzzle?

Oh Lord, that’s the best option, isn’t it?

Ok then, this is a grown-ups puzzle! Two thousand pieces, too. It’ll be fun.

I promise it’ll be fun.

I’m just not going to convince you to put that puzzle together, am I?

Yeah, didn’t think so.

Do… Do you want to just listen to the podcast for a while?

No?

Fine.

Refuse the puzzle.

...It’s not like I care or anything…

You leave the puzzle, heading back to the button.

DO YOU PRESS THE BUTTON? Yes No