the softness of the carpet beneath his sock-clad feet.  He chose to focus on this, this seemingly trivial detail: a sensation of solidity that was also soothing.  Later, far from the sight of his father’s words on his screen, he would think about that sensation.  He would think about it, looking at it from as many angles as his as-yet-indeterminate state of mind would allow, and think also of the absurdity of what was happening, right now.