Nye's "Are We Friends?"

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a great short story. It accurately depicts an awkward situation, as well as the likely response from the driver. Instead of demonizing the driver for making a prejudiced comment about Arabs, Nye gave the character depth. The way he apologized profusely to the protagonist illustrated the point that most inadvertently offensive comments stem from misunderstanding, not hatred. The situation continued to be awkward until the end of the story, which is also realistic, as an apology will not entirely alleviate the awkwardness, but rather dampen it. The conversation is tedious at certain points, and it also demonstrates the frustration that most people feel when interacting with different people. The feeling of tediousness and frustration is the reason why I think the best soundtrack for the short story would be I Need Some Sleep by Eels. Overall, I would give this story a four out of five stars.

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