Fern is fine
By ice rivers
- 504 reads
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine.
George Fern felt fine. His feeling of fineness was not dampened in the least by the sobering (to some) loss of 100,000 Americans because George didn't know any of 'em and as far as he was concerned they didn't exist or were just made up by the anti-Trumpers.
Many years ago, George had been an avid outdoorsman but over the last couple of decades his back had gone bad on him and his knees were shot. George switched his avidity indoors. He still had his rifles but kept them in the house just in case humanoid "game" decided to invade the Fern residence.
George didn't want to go out. He had plenty of teevee and could look up almost anything on you tube.
As George had evolved into indoorsmanship, he came to realize how much he treasured personal space. George didn't like to have anybody hovering around him at any time, including his wife Fran. George felt the social distancing concept of six feet between was just about perfect although another yard wouldn't be bad.
George hated crowds. He hadn't been to a ball game of any kind in decdes. Why would he when he could watch the games on teevee. He didn't like barbers so his hair grew past his shoulders and beyond. Once every couple of years, George with the help of Fran (who couldn't take it any longer) shaved all of the hair off his head and went cue ball.
At one point, George kinda liked the community pool but now regarded it as a virus pit if there was a virus so the hell with that as well. Beaches? Are you kidding me? Full of people who couldn't afford cottages of their own, playing way too much volleyball amongst kids screaming awful sounds that mixed horrendously with the rapshit music pounding out or portable sound systems.
George had all the music that he needed right at his own home.
Shopping? George hadn't been to a mall in years. There was nothing in any mall that anybody actually needed and anything that they wanted was over priced. Grocery stores. yeah people needed food but Fran was more than happy to take care of that chore and provide George with some more private time.Fran did all the shopping.
He could even stay six feet away from Fran and claim that he was "protecting" her which she knew was bullshit as she too appreciated the extra space. Over the years Fran had grown to treasure George's private time. She knew she was his best friend and knew that she was his. George didn't have any friends and had driven away the few that Fran once had.
When George did go outside, he didn't tresspass any further than his own backyard which Fran mowed and maintained. The yard was fenced in. George could get in his 4000 steps each day by walking around the fenced in area.
Fern had plenty of music, plenty of teevee, plenty of sunshine. The kids were long gone and when they did contact home they contacted Fran who passed on the love and information to George which was good enuff for him. None of his kids nor none of their kids was sick at all. Everybody was healthy.
.Fran was getting her retirement benefits from her teaching career and they were both getting social security. Money was no problem.
If this was the end of the world, everything was fine.
Godamned it all.
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Comments
Great first line. I really
Great first line. I really enjoyed this, even though it neatly outlines a pretty alarming perspective. All too common, I imagine. Poor Fran too. Rachel :)
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