Two Questions

[The following is by far the most surreal exchange I've had in 3.5 years of working at my current job.]

A stranger walks into my office and says, "I have two questions for you."

Stranger: "Have you ever read Ayn Rand?"

Me: "No."

Stranger: "Oh. OK."

Me: "..."

Stranger: "Do you know where the Geography building is?"

Me: "...the Geography Department is on the third floor."

Stranger: "Thank you."

[The Stranger walks out the door, hesitates, spins around and walks right back into the office.]

Stranger: "I think you would like Ayn Rand. Are you realistic?"

Me: "I think I'm pretty realistic, but I've heard about it and..."

Stranger: "There's an essay contest. You write something about Atlas Shrugged and you can get $10,000."

Me: "..."

Stranger: "Atlas Shrugged is about the government being run by machines. I'm from Haiti, you know, and the government there doesn't work."

[As she dotes on the machine aspect of the novel, the Stranger lifts her arms up and starts to pantomime being a robot. I think of mentioning Graham Greene's The Comedians, but before I can say anything...]

Stranger: "I think you should read Ayn Rand. You look like you'd like it. What's your name?"

Me: "Justin."

[The Stranger extends her hand, her irises as dark as her pupils so it looks like she's just come, dilated, from the optometrist's...]

Stranger: "I'm Erica, God bless."

Exeunt.