the box

she said you couldn't prepare for the next time. like epaminondous, you'd always be one step back - preparing for the past. you would never learn what triggered the box to open and you would never know what was to come out before you saw it appear. but if you tried sometimes, you just might find that you could discern the tells that would give away the box opening. you couldn't stop it, but if you were lucky and quick and paying attention, you stood a chance of getting out of the way. so when you were there, you paid attention, but you spent most of your time and energy devising ways not to be there at all.