Greg had a routine. After Stacey was out and about driving the kids, he would get into their
Chevy
Malibu and drive down roads
bus
number 8 would never travel. It took him on a more roundabout way to his destination, but the route was scenic. A peaceful way to begin the day.
In the car he'd listen to the radio. It was the only time he would listen to the
radio
. All other times, whether in the car for another drive or hanging out at home, he would pick a song or album or artist deliberately. In the morning drive he would let the DJs decide what he listened to. He kept his mind open.
Sometimes he'd get unlucky and listen to a string of ads, in which case he would get maybe one tune before arriving. Other times he'd get lucky and be able to listen to two and a half songs. Still, even when he was listening to ads, he appreciated catching up on what it was the ads had to say. People paid to make these
ads
. Even though people were quick to assume that ads were meaningless, Greg thought there must be something that drove them to make the ads in the first place. There was something deep that the ad makers were trying to tap into. Some human desire that they thought they could touch.
Without keeping himself open to what others had to say Greg would be totally alone. He would only exist in his own intellectual world. An
echo chamber
they called it on the internet.
Greg never talked to anybody in real life. Even his partner he only provided grunts and utterances of affirmation. Stacey might tell him about something a kid did on the bus. And he would remark something like "mm, now that's kids for you." However he would never say anything of his own. Never add onto the conversation. He was simply a reflective wall that mirrored whatever Stacey spoke about.
He knew this was straining their relationship. If he was with anyone other than Stacey they would've already left him. Greg didn't know how to live any other way anymore. Things had changed since.... well there was no definitive time. It was a gradual entry. He began spending increasing time on the
internet
. Slowly he began not seeing anyone outside the house. And then he began not doing anything physical inside his own house. Then finally he began not speaking with Stacey except as a blank, reflective wall.