A Lost Generation
Challenge 76
(a pink fairy armadillo, Mason
jar, Mount St. Helen, a Wii U)
"You still on that…thing?"
"It’s a Wii U, Dad."
"We, you, me?"
"Dad."
"A what?"
"A Wii U Gamepad to be precise. See, it’s connected to
the TV. You bought it, Dad, and you don’t remember what it is?"
"I got the latest thing for you but I didn’t know you’d
be on it all day and night. How about doing something else?"
"Like what?"
"Err, your homework?"
"It’s the holidays, Dad."
"No projects to do?"
"Done."
"How about your drawing? Why don’t you do some of
that?"
"Not in the mood. I’d rather play Mario."
"What about your…err…dolls?"
"Dolls? Dad, I’m fourteen, I stopped playing with
Barbie a long time ago."
"Come on, you must have some other hobbies?"
"Not really."
"Err…your postcard collection? I remember you used to
beg me to bring some back with me when I went on a trip."
"It’s up there. Haven’t touched them for months."
"There! Your rock collection, all those rocks on the
windowsill, including a rock from the pyroclastic flows of Mount St. Helen. Why
don’t we go out in the car and find some real interesting specimens over in the
gravel pits?"
"No thanks, Dad."
"What…what about pets? You were doing so well with
that…what was it?"
"A pink fairy armadillo, Dad. You could’ve bought me a
terrapin like any ordinary parent."
"What was wrong with a…a…what was it again?"
"A pink fairy armadillo. Wrong with it? I guess you
didn’t know that 95% of them in captivity die of stress and diet within eight
weeks."
"You had it for…?"
"Four weeks."
"I don’t recall…what happened to it?"
"The neighbour’s cat got to it. Look, I put what I
could find in that Mason jar."
"Yuck. Yeah, right, okay. Well, erm, what about that
embroidery stuff you had? You loved that!"
"Benny poked his eye with a needle and Mum threw it all
in the trash."
"Uh-huh. It was strange, that. He walked around for
hours with that thing sticking out of the centre of his pupil. He didn’t tell
us because it didn’t hurt. I worry about that kid…friends, your friends, what
about your friends? Why don’t you call one of them up, see what they’re up
to?"
"I’ve got seven of them online right now, on chat, and
I’m also playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl with one of them."
"Oh, right. Well, aren’t you going to invite them
over?"
"Four are out of state, two are in Europe and one is in
hospital."
"Oh dear, is she okay?"
"He. Bone marrow transplant. Not so pleasant."
"No, quite. Where’s your mother?"
"Out."
"And your brother?"
"Cycling around the estate with his mates. Want some
popcorn?"
"Err, sure, okay. So, what are you playing?"
"Thought I said. Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Wanna
try?"
"Err, why not! Hand it over."
"I’ll go and get some drinks."
"Hey! This is cool! Why didn’t you say before?"
"Where have you been for the last 10 years, Dad?"
"Have…hey!...have you got any racing games?"
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