Short Story: Filth and Wine
This story is a work of fiction and is Copyright 2010 Brandon Franklin. You may not copy or reprint it without my permission. However, I encourage you to share it and link to it if you like it.
"So what do you think about how everybody's on the Little Purple Pill nowadays?" she slurred from across the table, limply waving her cigarette around before taking another drag.
"I don't know. I guess I hadn't really thought much about it," I replied, completely disinterested in this latest in a long stream of inane utterances from my dinner companion.
"I just can't help but ask myself if anybody's even thinking for themselves anymore, you know? Or are they just letting their psychiatrists make all the decisions for them." I was barely paying attention to her at this point, but I feigned interest by producing a muted grunt of implied agreement. At this moment, our waiter appeared and placed our plates on the table in front of us. My companion had ordered a large steak.
"It's obvious to me that most people are just not taking stock," she said condescendingly as she put her cigarette in the ashtray, then unfolded her napkin into her lap and picked up her utensils. I sighed to myself and picked up my glass, wondering how many drinks it would take before I was no longer irritated by this woman.
I watched as she cut a piece of meat and shoved it into her maw. A cow eating a cow. Disgusting.
I looked at my plate. My food was attractively presented. By this time I should have been starving, but the presence of this cretin had caused me to lose my appetite. I wondered if I should force it down? I supposed there was no getting around it...
Suddenly, everything went blindingly white. I squinted against the sudden brightness, then watched the smiling face of a young man appear as my eyes adjusted.
"Alright sir, your time is up. Please exit the simulation capsule."
"Already?" I said, pleadingly. "It feels like it's only been a few minutes."
"No sir, it has been a full two hours, as agreed," he cheerfully replied. "I'm glad you've had an enjoyable experience, but if you'll please exit the capsule..."
"Can I book some additional time today?"
"I'm sure that'll be no problem, sir. Just talk to one of the representatives at the front desk where you came in."
"Okay, great!" I stood up, stepped out of the padded capsule, and eagerly made my way back to the booking desk, mentally calculating my finances along the way. If I postponed grocery shopping for a couple more days, and skipped the skiing trip in November, I reckoned that I had enough credit available to buy another hour and a half of simulation time!
