Michael sits idly on his sofa while the white fog rolls through his living room. He thinks not of fog, but of future.

His most immediate concerns rest upon the upcoming party and his hope for a successful evening with interaction between the guests. As a pastor, he ultimately prays for each soul, but for the evening he wants his visitors to leave with the word “pleasant” in mind.

The room’s surfaces have been dusted, floors vacuumed and swept, and the table prepared. Freshly baked pizzas sit steaming in their cardboard containers with liters of carbonation sitting mere centimeters away.

Michael sighs, then stands at the sound of a card door closing. He opens the front door to his apartment and his first guest enters.

She comments, “Hey, sweet fog machine!”