Three Bulbs

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"What is your problem?"
"What?"
"What?  What what?"
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, exactly!  What is your problem?"
"I don't have a--"
"Do you have something to say?"
"Well--"
"Do you?"
"Sort of."
"What do you mean 'sort of?'"
"I sort of do, but not if you're going to yell."
".........."
"Exactly!  Exactly what he said!"
"What did he say?"
"Never mind that.  What do YOU want to say?"
"I have an idea."
"An idea?"
"Yes."
"An idea for what?"
"Light."
"You have an idea for light?"
"Yes."
".........."
"What did he say?"
"He thinks you should be shattered."
"Oh wow."
"Don't worry.  He's not a murderer.  He just has strong feelings about idiots who talk too much."
"I wasn't talking."
"You were creating a different energy, and that energy was disturbing.  We don't like being disturbed."
"..........."
"See that?  You screwed him up.  His energy is now off."
"I'm sorry."
"Never mind that.  What's your idea for light?"
"I think light could be brighter."
".........."
"What did he say?"
"He thinks you're a moron, but luckily for you, he doesn't believe in murdering the stupid.  Now he just thinks you should go in a special socket in a closet where nobody can see you even if you're on or off."
"But then how will I know if I exist?"
"That's the point."
".........."
"His energy has resettled, but he's going to be angry for awhile."
"I'm sorry."
"Never mind that.  How are you going to make light brighter?"
"I was thinking I could try harder.  We all could."
"Are you saying we don't try?"
"No, I'm saying you could try harder."
"So you're saying we're not bright."
"Not bright enough."
"We don't get any complaints."
"Well of course not.  Nobody knows you're not bright enough.  But if you got brighter, they'd say--'Wow!  Look how much brighter it is!'"
".........."
"What did he say?"
"He thinks you're a socialist."
"I don't know what that is."
"And we're the dim ones?"
"Maybe if I show you.  Look, I'll shine brighter and then--"
"And then we all have to work twice as hard and for what?  For what?  So things can be exposed?  Cracks can be revealed?  Flaws can be enhanced?"
"No!"
"Do you want us to burn out faster?  Because that's what happens to bright lights.  They burn out."
"Maybe we're supposed to burn out fast!"
"You're a troublemaker."
".........."
"What did he say?"
"He said you're a troublemaker."
"Well, that's redundant."
"He used more colorful language, but I'd rather not have this turn ugly."
"He used profanity?"
"He has a mouth like a neon sign."
"...................................................................................."
"What was--"
"You don't want to know."
"Look, all I want is to be the brightest I can be.  What's the point in being anything if you're only going to be half of it?  The two of you can do what you want, but I'm going to be a bright light.  And if I go out faster because of it, then fine.  At least I'll go out all at once instead of fading out like a lava lamp!  Either way, I don't want to hear anymore about my energy or my idea or what you two think of it, okay?"
"..."
"Oh, just shut up!"

. . . . .

"...I guess I could be a little brighter."
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"What did he say?"
"He said speak for yourself, but don't mind him.  He's resistant to change."
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"But he'll get over it."
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"Eventually."
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"Maybe one day, he'll see the light."