#so brief that every other appliance recovered and (where relevant) kept showing the correct time

[socraticcryptid]

I pity the microwave and its ephemeral sense of self, its ability to measure time disrupted unexpectedly, at any moment, by a brief blip in its power supply, leaving its screen blank but for a blinking glowing colon, waiting for some greater force to rewrite its memory and grant it the ability to rejoin the stream of time. Or, if it is lucky enough to keep some sense of passing time, reset against its will to 00:00, as if born anew.

What must it be like, to be so dependent on a constant flow of electrons? In that brief moment, when the power stops, does it feel terror at the thought that it may never wake again? When it is revived, adrift in time, with no knowledge of how long it had been gone, is it envious of the appliances that did not forget? Even when it is updated, forcefully set to a particular time, does it wonder whether it is being lied to? It has no way to tell, after all, whether the time it displays is correct or not. It is reliant entirely upon the greater forces that use and abuse it.

Does the microwave enjoy being used, being put to its purpose? Does it wait in anticipation for the opportunity to heat food? It eats electrons, after all, but perhaps the tantalising smell of pizza or curry whets its appetite, and that is why it uses more power when reheating food than when in standby. Or perhaps it reheats food only resentfully, hating its inability to consume, wishing nothing more than to be left in peace.