The service attendee directed me to sit in the visitor’s lounge while my car received an update.

I sat in a dark grey leather chair — slightly oversized for me. I pulled out a book and began to read.

I first began to notice NBC news on the first television. An anchor with a loud pink suit speaking loudly about something. Another anchor joined in. They spoke with the excitement of someone surprised that their friends threw a birthday party for them. “You guyyysssss!”

On the other television a father responded to interview questions about his daughter. I think his daughter participated in a Zack Brown camp. That must be why the interviewer spoke to Zack next.

Both televisions were loud, but could not compete against the voices in the repair bay adjacent to the visiting room. Men yelling back and forth at each other. Metal clanging against metal.

The two television sets, the men, and the metal were defeated by two competing background music (BGM) systems. One channel for the visitor lounge, the other for the sales floor. The dealership’s open floor plan meant there was no separation between the sales floor and the lounge. Why were two channels of BGM being sent to the same space?

Why did the music beat the men and metal?

Why did the men and metal beat the televisions?

Why did my book lose?