The Big Red Button

A button named Phillip just wants to be pushed.

        There once was a secret U.S. military base, where they made all kinds of secret weapons and harbored secretly found aliens, in the deepest darkest room, miles beneath the ground. In that room was a control panel, with nothing but one big red button.  His name was Phillip, Phillip the big red button. 

                Phillip was a depressed button.  He was all alone in that big room with nothing but a table and chairs where the generals and president had their secret meetings every Monday. He always expected one of them to push him, but thy never did. You see, it is every button’s dream to get pushed as many times as possible, but no one ever pushed Phillip. Months went by and no one would push Phillip.

                Phillip just couldn’t believe that no one would push him! “Any day now, someone will push me.” Phillip told himself confidently “They have to. I mean, why else would they install a button?” Many more weeks passed, and still no one even seemed remotely interested in pushing Phillip.

                Phillip couldn’t believe it. No one was going to push him! He became very angry. “What’s wrong with you people? Don’t you know you’re supposed to push buttons! Hello? Can’t you hear me or all of you just stupid?” He ranted and yelled for days, he even yelled at the president. Anyone who came anywhere near Phillip was screamed at and yelled at. “Doesn’t anyone want to push me?” But no one did, they all just continued on with their work, despite the yelling.

                Phillip realized if he wanted to be pushed he would have to take matters into his own hands. A simple employee named Roger was working nearby when he heard a voice whisper “Hey you, yeah you.” Roger approached the control panel where the strange voice was coming from. “Hello,” said the big red button. “Want to be my friend?” Roger was quite startled by Phillip. “Umm,” Roger said.

“Don’t worry, I’m friendly!” Phillip smiled

“I don’t think I’m supposed to be talking to buttons; I’m supposed to be working.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Would you be interested in having a new friend?”

“I guess.” Roger looked about nervously. His manager would surely yell if he caught Roger socializing.

“Well, I’ll be your friend! All you have to do to win my friendship is just one little task.”

“What do I have to do?”

“Push me.”

“I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”

“Why not? I’ll be your friend.”

“I have to get back to work”

“What? No please, just push me!”

“I can’t.”

“Please, just one little push! I won’t tell anyone!”

“Sorry, I can’t” Roger scurried off in a hurry.

“FINE! I don’t need your friendship! Just go away and never come back!” Phillip began to sob. He just couldn’t take it anymore. No one was going to push him ever, he knew it was true. Phillip wished so dearly that he was a doorknob, a doorknob gets pushed every day. Phillip began to cry, and cry. He was so depressed, why wouldn’t anyone push him? Poor Phillip. His dreams had shattered all around him and his button heart was crushed. Phillip spoke to no one in the days that followed. All he did was weep and sob over his pitiful life.

                Finally, one fine day Phillip had a revelation. He realized that it didn’t matter if he never got pushed. He had made it all the way through his button life and had become the centerpiece to this control panel. Even if he hadn’t achieved all his lives goals, he had still achieved much. Phillip was proud of his life. He knew that he was a grand button and didn’t need anyone to prove it by pushing him.

                Phillip was so entranced by his new level of understanding, that he didn’t notice the commotion that was happening. Seventeen armed men came bursting into the room with guns blasting. The room exploded into chaos as the intruders burst into the government base attempting to overrun the room. The president was rushed away as the base soldiers held off the attackers. The intruders were quickly winning.

                Perhaps it was accident, or perhaps it was to prevent weapons from falling into the wrong hands, either way, a soldier’s hand came down upon Phillip. He had finally been pushed. ‘I’ve been pushed.” Phillip gasped “I’ve been pushed! I’m so happ-“

And the base exploded taking the soldiers, the room, and Phillip down with it. Although it was a catastrophe, Phillip the big red self-destruct button had died with joy in his heart.

Reviews

[RiffinTiff]

Nice perspective, never think of what it's like to be a button until you see their thought process lol

[Goat]

Thank you for reading it! Poor Phillip.

[Marie]

This is a very updated sort of children's story, isn't it? There've been little trains that could, little bears that wanted friends--and now a button that wants to be pushed. The point is clear. Why create a button if it isn't to be pushed?