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| Humane Relations; Short Story | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 15 2016, 08:41 PM (10 Views) | |
| Vick | Oct 15 2016, 08:41 PM Post #1 |
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Humane Relations Author's Note: This story is originally written for Twitter and has been kept in its original format. I am generally interested in being critiqued on style in terms of grammar, word choice, dialogue, how I portray the characters, how I describe the environment and the like. Original: https://twitter.com/sonderworkshop/status/742407923117105152 More at: https://twitter.com/sonderworkshop https://www.tumblr.com/blog/sonderworkshop “I just don’t think there’s a reason to have a romantic partner in this day and age,” he said to his friend sitting across from him. Ray tilted his head and squinted his eyes, trying to discern an ulterior meaning to Alex’s statement from his expression. After a brief pause Ray then said, “I didn’t realize you were that kind of person, are you that lonely?” “No, it’s not loneliness,” Alex replied as he motioned around the café. “It’s just everyone’s basically ‘immortal’ now.” The owner of the café was hunched over the counter. It was a slow day but peaceful, with enough customers to just get by. “Look at ol’ Sol there, he opened this café 75 years ago and doesn’t look a day over 35,” Alex whispered to be polite to Sol. “Oh yeah, always thought it looked good on him. Don’t understand people that take the treatment as soon as they’re legal.” “Growing up a bit isn’t too bad,” Ray said. “Sure, but we now have a way to stop us from growing ‘too fast’,” Alex remarked. “We have a way of slowing our aging, improve our immune system, and living to almost unheard of life spans,” Alex added. “We can still die but we can really maximize what we can accomplish in this world with such long life spans.” “And that’s why you don’t see why having a love life can be an option?” questioned Ray to his old friend. “You make it sound like I’m emotionless,” Alex said while chuckling. “It does hurt when you call someone cold-hearted.” “I don’t know Alex. You have always been cold and calculating,” Ray replied. “From what I’ve seen you are pretty ‘inhuman’.” Both men stared with animosity for each other, without flinching or blinking. Suddenly, a chuckle bursted from both men. “If I was cold, I probably wouldn’t even bothered helping you get over...” “May... I think?” “May today,” Alex finished. “See, since the last time we were here you dated, broke up, and then forgot her name in that short amount of time.” “The last time I saw you was a week before you started dating her,” Alex added. “Honestly, that was my bad,” Ray said. “I was trying too hard this time after dating Megan, but this is for your benefit man. ‘Last time’ was your last time out.” “‘You are pretty ‘inhuman’, being able to keep your nose to those papers for days on end,” Ray said. “Seriously, Ray? Ouch.” Lifting his gaze from his coffee, Ray looked up at Alex. “Huh, oh sorry I meant it’s impressive.” “‘Right’,” replied Alex. “Okay now you’re really being ‘cold’”, Ray exclaimed quietly yet quickly. “But what is your reasoning for not dating?” “I don’t think there really is one true soul mate, just people. Just interesting and complex people. It’s great as it is.” “It’s both a pleasure and a curse. Love can last long but I wouldn’t say forever. It can even evolve yet still fall off.” “I love a lot of people. Some more and some less but I wouldn’t want to give that a way because one passionate mistake.” “I don’t want to create sides against my friends when we can have so many years together, life would become a curse.” “I also don’t want to use a stranger just to learn the pleasure of love, only to have hateful opinions of them.” “The complexity of people and how surprising even an old friend can be means that things change. Even ‘soul mates’.” “And as far as I’ve seen, for most people that change in someone that they were pulling for, for so long, is painful.” “I know I can’t get rid of all the variables, but I’m in love with many people so passionately and whom support me in kind.” “I think it’s fine. There’s not one friend I could choose and would want to use for such an experiment or fleeting desire.” A pause followed the speech as Ray thought about what he said. “Of course you would think this deeply on it,” Ray said. “Well it’s not like we’re being pushed to be fathers anymore, let alone be good one’s so I guess it’s fine,” Ray added. Siping some more coffee Ray continued, “Just remember with even a long life or even true immortality, you can still lose.” “Just because you are immortal, even if everyone else was immortal too, things can still change, just like you said.” “You’re gonna lose a bunch of the possible opportunities just by trying to make the ‘right’ choice.” “You may last but not everything else will and by that admission, you’re still cursed. So make the best of it.” “As you know, there’s a lot of people who’d call me an ‘asshole’--and once you stop laughing I’ll continue. You good now?” “People call me ‘choice names’ because it seems like I only seek pleasure, only to throw it all away once I’m done.” “I--I’m just afraid of losing people, people who could change this endless life of mine. If I don’t a possible ‘us’ dies.” “We’re not ‘inhuman’ and we’re sure not ‘gods’ yet, we’re humans with a new lease on life and we’re gonna fuck up.” “Even if we do mess up or lose something, if we’re still standing long after, we may appreciate it in the long run.” “Ol’ Sol probably knows this café won’t last forever, but do you think he’d ever truly wish he never opened it?” “I have broken up with a lot of people, but in exchange I was pushed to the next part of my life.” “See ‘geniuses’ like you and ‘assholes’ like me have never gotten this opportunity before and we’re working out the kinks.” “We’re still eating food when there’s more efficient ways to get what we need and we sure aren’t living in a perfect world.” “There’s many things we don’t ‘need’ in life, but if you told me to stop drinking this cup of coffee, I might kill you.” Alex tried to hold in his laughter as Ray continued, “We need to enjoy what we have and what has changed, Alex.” “I wouldn’t say you’re wrong, hell I’d buy you a drink before the universe ends if you’re still single and happy by then.” “It’s what I like about you man, even what people would call an ‘inhuman’ decision can have a humane desire,” Ray said. “Well I wouldn’t ‘completely’ right you off as ‘inhuman’ either, Ray. You have some noble qualities too,” replied Alex. “‘Ha ha ha’... Thanks Alex. Well, it’s been a fun day but I think it’s time for me to leave,” said Ray. “Same,” said Alex. “Where you going?” “To be an ‘inhuman’ asshole. You?” “To be an ‘inhuman’ genius, of course.” “Well,” said Ray. “I’ll see you at the end of the universe then.” Both men said goodbye to Sol as they left. Sol, who’d had been patiently hunched on the counter, smiled as they left, unsure how his business will fare in the future. #HumaneRelations |
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