I KNOW THE LENGTH IS A BIT EXCESSIVE, BUT THE INPUT I’VE RECEIVED IN MY PAST ENDEAVORS HAVE TRULY HELPED IN SHAPING MY WRITING. I WONT EXPECT YOU TO READ ALL OF IT BUT CAN YOU PLEASE JUST READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
The double glass doors at the front of the building were tinted black. They were massive, like the entrance to some early century monastery. I was standing outside smoking my last cigarette. I crumbled the sad empty package with it’s surgeon general warning and threw it into the garbage bin next to me. The sun was steadily going down. The wind was the quite whispers of ghosts and the growling in my stomach was a reminder that I had skipped yet another meal. Somewhere in the distance a car backfired.
What was the point of all this? I wondered.
What was I doing here? when would the Nazis running this failing enterprise, known as humanity, realize that we’re so knee deep in shit that we have no choice but to kick off a few nuclear black cats and start over.
I didn’t know it, but I was smiling then.
oh yes, I thought. We could sleep in caves until the break of dawn and travel the vast country side hunting for game. Naked six figure earning c.e.os cooperating with chauffeurs and McDonald cooks. All armed with slings and spears, united by necessity. A pure brotherhood brought upon by hunger and desperation.
I checked the time. There was nothing but a naked wrist with a pale discoloration. The crime scene chalk outline of a cheap Casio watch which now was owned, along with my TV and cd walkman, by Big Phil’s house of trade and pawn. “We’ll rape you and smile as we do it.”
I was smoking the butt now. I flicked it and went inside.
The inside of the building was fresh, well lit and almost inexplicably larger than the outside would lead you to believe. There was no security guard or secretary with rainbow colored, manicured shovels for nails. Just a man, a janitor by the looks of his faded blue jumpsuit, moping the floor. He moved nimbly about even though he appeared to be in his mid fifties.
“Excuse me..”
He looked up. His eyes were deep set and curious.
“Yes, sir.. How may I be of assistance?” He asked, smiling.
His voice was soft and calm but in it you could sense overwhelming confidence.
“See…” I started “I don’t have an appointment, but I wanted to see if I could have a minute with the man upstairs. You know, if it’s possible. If he’s not too busy.”
“Too busy?” His laughter was deep and booming. “No, no, no, of course not. Walk this way.”
The elderly man in the faded blue jumpsuit led me upstairs, into a corridor.
My stomach was still rumbling. I wanted to ask him for a cigarette but at the last second decided not to. Even if he had one he probably wouldn’t give it to me. People now and days don’t care about anyone but themselves. All over the world minds are being shut down and reconditioned to follow and consume. Men and women are incarcerated in their homes, prisoners to their lives. Our culture has raised perfect slaves. An entire race of sheep too comfortable to question, too entertained to think and too self centered to realize that ninety percent of the world is suffocating and breaking under the weight.
Finally we came to a door.
He opened it and welcomed me in.
“Go ahead and take a seat.”
The office was small. A large desk was stationed in the center. On it was an ancient type writer, a Garfield paper weight and a medium size crystal bowl filled with an assortment of colorful candies. There was a large executive chair on the driver side of the desk and an identical one for the guest.
On the walls were hundreds of pictures. Literally hundreds. Pictures of dogs. Pictures of little boys playing baseball. Of birthday parties and weddings. There were Polaroids of first days of school, of promotions, engagements, slumber parties. There were pictures of trees, flowers, stars, houses, cars, streets, and Chinese food buffets. Some were in black and white, others in crisp colorful high definition.
“Now, how can I be of assistance?”
I hadn’t noticed that the elderly man with the warm smile and the curious eyes had taken off his jumpsuit and was now sitting in a navy blue business suit across me.
“I..”
There was that smile again, “candies?” He asked. Pointing to the glass bowl and it’s colorful content.
“Uhhhh, oh..yeah, thanks.”
I grabbed a red jolly rancher and quickly put it in my mouth.
“Another one for later” he continued.
“Yes, thank you.”
So, how may I help you?
“Short staffed?”
“Excuse me?”
“never mind.” I replied.
“I have a question and I was wondering if you could help me.”
"Well, I’ll try my best."
He was leaning forward now.
"I want to know why were here? What’s the meaning of life?"
"Ahhh", he relaxed back into his chair. "Yes, that one is classic, indeed."
