New Goal

Free write exercise results in New Goal. Tried channeling George Saunders.

How can they believe that nonsense? All lined up chanting, marching like ants. All holding pre-made -

Oh man.

That Natalie?

Natalie Weaver? That shouty face, seen it before, years ago. When she fakes angry, like when I ate the last cookie one time. Every time.

Unbelievable, but it isn’t. I should go talk to her, tell brothers and sisters-in-arms I must parley. They urge no, but I didn’t ask permission, just told them.

I talk to Natalie. She is at new company. I am at same old company. She works fifty hours a week, doesn’t get paid enough. I work forty hours, get paid just fine. Blah blah blah. Why this conversation? We used to adventure, in the sandbox, at the movies, the world was always bigger than it was. Now standing here, talking about nothing we want to talk about. We draw lines around ourselves and color inside them. No color over edge, someone probably doesn’t like that color, but truth: color all over the place, but make excuses. Please no. No color = no possibility, personality. Good thing we can’t stay in lines. What if no lines? What if all color mixed? All turn brown? Or all swirly like oil in parking lot? Swirling maybe fun.

Screw this, I say, let’s get coffee.

But I’m here to show my support, to stand for something I believe in, she says.

Me too, but if each side loses one, we’re even.

Done deal, we go get coffee.

What if whole world even? New goal. Make whole world even. Will probably be protestors against. New goal. Stop protesting.

Author's Note

Received a prompt of a man and woman meeting on opposite sides of a protest. Had about 10 minutes to write. Results above.