"Just shit. I'm sick of shit. Everything is shit." He waves dismissively at the ball. "Eh, I'll get some next month." Or steal some at the right stop. Not like someone would throw their crank out over some stolen sports balls.

But then he adds, "Someone I was real fond of left."

Someone that made him realize the dangers of being confined in a space with people you might get fond for. A man he'd talked himself out of having feelings for 'cause it wasn't worth risking the friendship.

"And now that we don't know what's happening to people I cain't do all that much about it. I've been gatherin' intel on comin's an' goin's to leave for the Ministry, hopin' it works out."