Short Story / Jack

Jack

      ”Jeez” Jack said relieved, haphazardly throwing his keys at the small antique table next to him. They jingled as they landed with a thud on the brown shag carpet next to Aluicious, the tuxedo cat. Aluicious let out a startled cowl of disapproval, and with an air of cold, feline snobbery, drifted from the room. Jack was quite the collector of old stuff. He liked that it reminded him of somewhere else like puzzle pieces to a time machine. His house had plain white walls except for on 24 by 36 patch of lichtensteinian beauty known as Maybe. He came home to her every day. Her boldness and simple features enthralled him since the first time he saw her. She was his last love.
     Jack slinked over to his Mahogany, duct-taped leather Couch. He collapsed on it, sat upright, yanked off his old gray and yellow New Balance, and kicked them in a corner. Then he put on Wheel-of-Fortune. He laid down to watch the rabble spin the pretty wheel. Each successive click added a weight to his already heavy eyelids.
    He opened his eyes and looked around and saw a little Jack with huge disapproving eyes staring back at him. The stout little man staring back at him couldn’t have been older than seven. He had auburn hair and wore the same sweater his older doppelganger wore. On his feet were little bright red boots with the red ranger on them with white detail and black soles. On his legs were a pair of Khaki cargo shorts with the pockets pulled out.
    ”Why did you waste me?” the little boy asked openly. Jack looked at the boy Startled at the blunt innocence with which the boy posed the question. He blinked. When he opened his eye the boy was playing with a Tonka dump truck. “Well?” the boy asked frustrated.
    ”How do you mean” asked a defeated jack.
    ”Why aren’t you an astronaut? And you haven’t killed one dragon or saved one damsel yet? What’s up man? And I also noticed you’re not wearing your ninja suit.” The Childs little voice was filled with frustration, and it betrayed his fragile state of mind.
    ”Well” jack began, “I grew up.”
    ”Yeah and?”  The child said precociously
    ”When people get older they realize how stupid they are as kids and get new dreams.” As the words left passed Jacks lips, the child’s face morphed into an unintelligible array of crushing pain, and Anger then tears erupted from his eyes.
    ”Ya-you-You’re st-st-stupiiid” cried the child between sobs.
    ”I didn’t mean it kid” Jack pleaded but little Jack proceeded. Jack Looked away in frustration. When he looked back before him there was a tire swing and in it little Jack swung silently. “Well at least he ain’t cryin” Jack though.
    ”I heard that” The kid shouted perturbed. “You’re a loser” said the child. “You’re an ugly, fat loser and no one will ever love you… and you smell like poo!” Then the little Jack ran off sobbing. Jack started after him. He had to reach the child and explain. But while Jack ran he realized he had nothing to explain. What the child said was true. Nobody loved him. He was out of shape and overweight. And He smelled terrible. “Jeez I am a lo-” He stumbled in his dream and awoke on the floor. Seinfeld was on. He looked up and Saw Maybe. She was stunning… and paper. He got up and tried to find something to do. Slowly he came to realize there was nothing. He had no goals. So he went to his room, and into the closet.
    Aluicious was hungry. Stupid human thought the cat. He always forgets to feed Aluicious. So Aluicious went on a search. Aluicious looked everywhere. Even behind the refrigerator. Wow the human is good at hiding. If Aluicious couldn’t find him behind the refrigerator where could he be? Finally Aluicious found the human. Aluicious was so glad. Now Aluicious could eat! Aluicious batted at the humans dangling feet. I guess the human is sleeping. Stupid lazy human. What a funny way to sleep. Hanging from his neck like that. He better feed me. So Aluicious sat at jack’s feet. Aluicious stirred only occasionally to think of how silly humans were especially his human

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