Modified Renga (2 minutes)

Prompt: What can and can’t you ask somebody that you are interviewing? When we try to get an understanding of somebody’s habitus, is there anything that is off-limits? How do we find those boundaries?

“How many people have you fucked?”
“Excuse me?” I ask them. My eyes bulge out, but they look at me with so much confidence. Like they’ve asked this question a million times before.
“How many sexual partners have you had in the past?” They ask me again but reframing the question.
I stutter in space for a few seconds.
“D-does it matter?’
“Well no,” They say with a sly smile, “I’m just curious is all. Curious about you.”
I don’t want to answer, but I feel being quiet would be somehow rude, despite the question.
“What do you think?”
“I dunno, you seem like the kind of ‘sex after marriage’ bullshit preacher sorta person,”
“The fuck?” That audacity. Something began to brew in me, I push it down further.
“So, am I right?”
“I don’t think you need to know, how is it relevant?”
They give my a cheeky smile then start outstretching fingers one by one.
“Well.. how many people have you um.. made love to?’’ I return the question.
“This isn’t about me. Although I am always looking to increase my number.” They look away.
“wow, I’ve always wanted to be a number” That’s what they teach little girls to desire these days.
“That’s not what I meant. Numbers are like feelings to me. Number one,” they fold in their index finger. “Innocence. Number two… fun. Number-“
“Okay, okay. You can finish up your brag reel, now, thanks.”
“What about you?”

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