[Their sense of confidence was nice while it lasted, but here it is now, slowly circling the drain.

It's like taking a test they studied all the wrong things for--not that they'd remember what that's even like.]

< I, uh... I guess you could say we're all pitching in. And we're just kind of bringing it in ourselves as far as transport goes. And we uh... Um... That is... >

[They shove their hands into their pockets as deep as they can go and shift awkwardly in place]

< I delivered some quartz recently. >

[And that turned into an experience in and of itself.]