Chatter chatter. 

D:  I think the idea is that we're better than nothing in terms of second opinions for Jer, and if you convice us you won't blow up Russia (That's metonymy.—J.) then he'll be faster to let you at them.
J:  Personally I think this is a useless line of questioning because if you would, A) you can lie, and B) I don't want you to know that that's on the table, and if you wouldn't, it's probably not great for our interpersonal relations.  Sorry about this.

"Yeah, no, I have basically no way to convince anyone I won't blow up Russia, anyone could say that even if they were super planning to blow up Russia."

MA:  If it were just that you might murder your parents we'd tell him to go for it.

"I'm not going to murder my parents. If they hear what's up about ghosts and want to be dead about it that's assisted suicide."

MA:  Yes, what I mean is that in fact, barely anyone wants to do that.  If the worst thing on tap was a little motive for one or two killings, we wouldn't be so on guard.

"Well, I don't want to blow up Russia, for all it means for me to say that."

J:  I appreciate that, genuinely.
D:  It's not enough to not want to do it yourself.  Do you have any experience with handling sensitive information?

"Not, like, sensitive in that it matters to other people."

D: Maybe something to read up on.

"Noted."

It's lighter outside, but with the walls of the room blocking the sun it's starting to get a bit hard to make out the writing at its current size.

J:  I think I'm less worried that you might currently want to blow up Russia than that you might someday be convinceable.  Or, yeah, not careful enough on letting other people know.

"I... guess I could concoct thought experiments in which I might want to blow up Russia, but I think circumstances might have to get to be pretty specific. And that might not be the kind of thing I want to go around telling people anyway, if I come up with ways to get me to blow up Russia."

D:  There are interpretations of what you just said that are very sympathetic and some that are a little concerning; do you care to elaborate?

"If... the zombie apocalypse... was happening to Russia... and zombies left, just, like, the worst ghosts, maybe you blow up all the zombies before they bite anybody? To choose an example that is hopefully not a thing any would-be war hawks might be able to set up."

D:  Thanks for clarifying.

"I'm not sure what worrying thing you thought I might be saying. Or was that it, are we concerned about the zombie apocalypse."

D:  I thought it was worth checking what kind of thought experiment you had in mind.

"Okay."

J:  Were you planning on coming back with your dad after dinner?

"I'm leaning that way. If we can find more batteries for the flashlight, I think we have another pack of them but I'm not positive."

J:  I was going to say that if you weren't, you should maybe take the ones you brought out of the CD player.  You look like you're having a little bit of a hard time reading.  Not that I really remember living night vision, maybe you're fine.

"It's getting to be a bit of an eyestrain, yes, and dinner's soon and I'm supposed to cook."

J:  I guess all the stores are going to be closed for Halloween, aren't they.

"I'm sure something's open if you drive all the way to Port Angeles but yeah pretty much."

J:  Then as much as I'd love a family music party I think you should take them with you.