Before this there’s a blank page. Before this there’s a packet of burger rings and a restless night spent awake. Before this there’s a long car ride with mum to an assisted arts studio. Before this there’s an interview. Before this there’s paper torn and grey leads sharpened. There’s eyeballs examined. There’s spectacles stuck back together. Before this, what’s been saved on the old laptop? Before this there’s half the morning spent under a blanket before the heating takes the chill.

‘ITS TOO COLD, JUST LET ME REST FOR A BIT’.
‘I’LL DO SOME WORK LATER, JUST LET ME REST FOR A BIT!’
‘LET ME THINK…’.

After this a ruled line starts to appear all the way around the edge of the paper. After this, a park bench starts to appear faintly at first, as a hand moves back and forth to find its position, perfectly angled and receding towards the distance. The pencil presses harder and the outlines darken. Then a long line of trucks park along the horizon under neon signs that fill half the sky. A man stands at a large public BBQ flipping burgers. Truck drivers crowd together around the table. They have sauce, they have mustard. Finally, ‘Every Truckers Enjoy Having Barbecue to Eat for Picnic. Where they sit outside near the Truck Stop During Recreation’.

—Rob McHaffie