mercy we abstain

[quatrain]

[ grading papers is approximately the worst thing in the world, but being able to do it in the air-conditioned lecture hall is a little better than doing it in his markedly less well-ventilated apartment. tapping the pen against his lower lip as he works, he bobs his head to the sound of music coming through his earbuds. it's still only mid-afternoon, so he has more than enough time to finish up before he has to figure out dinner. ]