Wheel and Magpie sit by the river.

“Sensei,” asks Magpie, “is desire is the same for everyone?”

“How do you mean?”

“People are different. Different countries, different cultures. You know, rich, poor, strong, weak, young, old. Everybody desires, but I wonder if all desire feels the same.”

The master skips a rock. “Never thought about it. People are attached to different things, but does it feel different? Hmm. Good question.”

“How did it feel to you?”

Wheel reflects for a moment. “I grew up working class. We always had what we needed, but not many luxuries. I guess it felt like a sort of jealousy. Maybe … hunger? What about you? Your dad was a lawyer, so you had stuff, right? How did want feel to you?”

Magpie slips into the water. “You know how when you’ve eaten too much? Imagine that, but you’re still starving.”