This continues the story about a young man called 'Fish'. In 2011 he quit his job because he hated it so much and ventured forth into foreign lands to seek enlightenment and a lifestyle where he could retire at the age of 26 (see A Short Story, A Parable, A Tale of a Man Who Hates His Job) only to find himself lonely and isolated and questioning what exactly he was doing with his life (Sink or Swim). Now, March 2012 the story continues...
FISH RETURNS TO THE CITY and is invited and obliged to tag along to various dinner parties with young adults his age. He doesn't really know any of them, at least he didn't really before and given the setting doubted he ever would. But his friends - the one's that he did know - thought they owed it to him to invite him to such places. He had gone for years without "regular civilized social interaction" and they thought a decent amount of reintroduction was necessary.
So he sat and ate his meal carefully with the cutlery, smiled and laughed when prompted, like all the others when they laughed - such wonderful and exaggerated laughs!
Everything with an exclamation mark!
The conversation so witty!
Sighs so poignant!
Jobs so interesting!
Holidays so brilliant!
The drama!
Excitement!
Excitement!!!!!!!!
He didn't feel at ease in such settings and wondered if anyone else at the table actually did. Amidst the conversation he scanned his eyes around the room at all the knick knacks and posters and paintings and statues and empty bottles of alcohol that should have been put in the recycling months ago but seem to like being left out on display.
"Why?" fish asks himself.
He finds himself at various friend's homes in the days that ensue. They have not seen him for so long and long for his company but soon he is sat down on their couch and a downloaded cartoon episode of the Last Airbender or something along those lines is put on. He watches as the Avatar who is specially skilled bends and manipulates water, fire, earth and air. She moves to the city where she wants to extend her skill and training but there is a protest in the streets and they chant desires to rid the city of Airbenders because they are detrimental to society and cannot be trusted.
Fish does not care for the show but his friends are enthralled. He looks out the window and thinks of suggesting doing something outside later otherwise he knows that another one of these shows will be put on after this one has finished. These were his geeky friends. This is what they always did. Bored, he googles the meaning of avatar. One of the meanings interests him;
2.
an embodiment or personification, as of a principle, attitude, or view of life.
The next day it is sunny and he rides a bus through town. On the bus half of the passengers sit staring into their cell phones and three quarters are plugged into iPods. Outside Fish notices that there is a coffee shop almost every four shops and they are all full with people sitting in front of them sipping their medicated beverages. He refuses to be like them. Reliant. Not in control. Suckered into and addicted to an expensive and unnecessary social norm.
The night before a news broadcast had stated that there were plans to send people to Mars because life is habitable there. There were already people in training for the harsh living conditions but they were excited that the place was 'liveable'.
Why send people to Mars when you can live somewhere like Arizona? is all he had thought about since hearing such news.
He wants to take all his clothes off in the bus.
It's the answer, he thinks.
No pretense. No hiding. The truth will set you free as long as you are willing to look at it. Everyone needs to do it.
But he reaches his bus stop and walks down the street and down a small garden path to his friends door and as he presses the buzzer he gets the feeling that he is an avatar.
He just needs to harness his skills.
He hears rushing footsteps growing louder and the door swings open and his friend, all dressed up, envelops him in a huge excitable hug.
