Slicing numbers

Language, the product of cutting.

I looked out of the window and tried to assess the time based on the angles of the shadow at the ground. I tried a few numbers with various feeling responses.

“It’s 10? No, it’s not. 9? No, too early. The shadow wouldn’t be so far. 11?”

What to say I’ve had a hard time hitting the sweet spot. Out of nowhere I tried: “It’s definitely from 10 to 11,” and felt relief.

There it was.

I thought how absurd it is that I try to hit the time exactly. And then feel unsatisfied of being short of my perfect expectations. Well, no wonder. You are hitting with a very thin slice. A minute slice.

This is how language works. It slices. The more you try to be precise the harder it would be to get it “right”.

It was 10:19.