Natural Forces, Chapter Three

Mans best friend my Ass.

Later that day I found myself at Calumet Park, browsing indeed.com on my android tablet, looking for the next place I would be denied employment. Host/Hostess, Restaurant Server, a Hanger ? What the hell was a Hanger? The description under the title read ,

“Hangs defect-free glass straight on moving tongs with tin side facing the east wall.”

Does the person reading this really know where the East Side Wall is, or even care ? What the hell kind of description was that? However, it did catch my curiosity, I mean if this was their title for a Job Description along with its duties I couldn’t wait to see what else they wrote.

A Day In The Life Typically Includes

• Picks up moving glass from the conveyor or from the spares rack, holding it by the corners
• When picking up glass from the moving conveyor visually inspects glass. Rejects glass if any defect are found and notifies cutting line technician, quality assurance technician, and supervisor immediately.
• Hangs defect-free glass straight on moving tongs with the tin side facing the east wall.

Ha, there was that East Wall again, how are people suppose to know where the east wall was if they have never set foot into the building? The list went on and on listing braindead tasks for zombies, including, and I kid you not, “Does all other duties as assigned.”

Have you ever driven by a car wreck ? You know what I mean, even though it would be best for all just to slowly drive on by, you keep your foot on the brake driving even slower, twisting your head to try to see the gruesome scene for yourself. Well, that’s how I felt reading this, I just had to see how it ended.

What You Will Need?

• Completion of primary school with related experience or three-month related experience and/or training. High school diploma or GED is preferred.

O my god, do you mean to tell me that someone who dropped out of school when they were 9 or 10 could do this job?! Had this company never heard of robotics?

I won’t bore you with the other requirements needed for this position, such as the ability to understand and speak basic English, and Add. Yep that’s right, Add. 1+1=?

I laid my tablet upon my lap to take in the surroundings thinking to myself, “What the hell, that’s probably where I will end up.”

I watched an old man walking his dog and how he interacted with it, mumbling to it, patting it on the head, and a few of those “good boy” thrown in, you could tell they had a history together. The old man sat himself down on a bench across the cement walkway from mine, we seemed to be the only ones in this area. The dog itself was, well as far as dogs go, rather handsome, I believe it was a Golden Retrieve. It had a brown leather collar which had those little silver dog bones around it. Judging by the mans attire, stained tan corduroy pants, untucked brown shirt and a green tweed jacket, I figured he was probably a widower, and given the deep lines on his face and the grey in his thinning hair I would safely say he was in his late 70’s. He looked familiar to me, perhaps I had seen him here before, walking his dog, getting his daily exercise..

“What are you still doing here?”

The voice came from the man, however his lips had not moved.

“I said, what the hell are you still doing here!?”

I was so transfixed on the mans mouth I had not noticed that his dog had moved forward, out in front of him, now standing in the middle of the path between the old man and myself. The leash had gone tight and the mans arm was outstretched as the leash acted like strings of a marionette. I looked at the dog, it was looking at me.

“I know you can hear me, I know you can, and I know you have been giving the message, so I will repeat once again. What are you still doing here?”

Ok, that was it, this was totally fucked up. It felt like a thousand needles all pierced my skin in unison, the hairs on my arms stood at attention, I felt nauseous. The dog took a step forward causing the old mans arm to reach out even further, and his body, his unmoving body, leaned forward.

“I know you humans have limited brain functions and tend to speak without saying anything, however I am sure that the question I posed upon you, which was comprised of only six words you can understand.” At this point the fur on its back stood up, it took another step forward which caused the old man to lean even more forward until gravity took hold and he fell with a thud on the cemented walkway, lying unmoving and still.

“So, for the last time, I will ask it again, and after, if I do not receive a reply, I am going to rip your throat out. What are you still doing here!?” The last word “here” ended with a deep growl accompanied with a barring of white teeth.

I bolted.

I flat out ran, my body was shaking so hard that it was difficult to run with any fluid motion. I heard deep booming barks behind me and I wasn’t sure if I was being chased or not, nor had I any inclination to look, I just ran.

The Retriever ceased its barking, the leash still tight, the old man still laying motionless on the ground, watched the crow land at its feet. The two looked at the fleeing man and then at one another.

“Perhaps the throat ripping was a bit too much eh?” The crow said to the dog.

“Hm, well, maybe so.” The dog replied. “But I think we are getting through to him.”

The two continued to watch the fleeing man. The crow then did its crow hop thingy, and turned in the direction of the dog, the two looked at each other.

“Perhaps, “ the crow exclaimed, “We should call upon, The Squirrel.”

The dog tilted its head back and replied,

“You really think that’s necessary?”

The crow turned its head back in the direction of the fleeing man and answered,

“I’m sure it won’t happen again, you know, what The Squirrel did last time? I’m sure he’s in control once again of himself.”

“Well, I do hope so.” The dog said. “For the last time we called upon The Squirrel it didn’t turn out so well.”

“Yea yea, I know.” The crow concurred. “However that was what, 13 years ago, and like I said, I’m sure he’s got control of himself by now.”

“Well, “ the dog replied, “I do hope so, it was a mess.”

The two looked at each other, then turned their attention to the Old Man lying on the concrete walkway.

The crow turned to the dog and asked,

“Had he been with you long?”, the dog took a few moments before answering, then replied,

“Yes. Yes he was.”

“Well” the crow said as it ruffled its feathers, “I’m sure you’ll find another.”

With that, it took to flight, and left the dog with its old man to himself.

The dog slowly approached the old man, laid at his side, licked his face, and patiently waited.