Nanoprep 2016 Day 5: Bok Bok
By Robin de Voh on 2016-10-15
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Because in today's economy, even Harold had had to make difficult choices. He'd had a good job at the car plant, but after it was sold, he had been part of the workforce that were soon deemed 'unnecessary'. Honestly, Harold couldn't disagree with the new owners. The job was mostly good because he used to have a few hours a day to just watch videos on the internet. Family ties and buddies helping each other out had been rather commonplace over there.
But after a few months on unemployment benefits and trying his hardest to find a new job, he found out that after 12 years of doing a job he hardly needed any skill or motivation for, it was a tough sell. He was deemed too old at 43, too unskilled for skilled jobs, too skilled for unskilled jobs. He'd had to turn down job interviews because the drive or the bus fare there would just be too expensive. Once they had offered to compensate for travel time, so he went. Then he had to pay for his own lunch while there, and the net result was a loss. Motivation had become less and less to go on like this.
His wife increased her hours to make sure their kids could afford the luxuries teens simply require nowadays. You know, shoes that are 'on fleek', whatever that means. Harold had stopped trying to interpret teen-speak years ago. It was hardly the same language anymore.
But money was getting tighter and Harold's expectations went down alongside it.
So when a job came along that he wasn't enthusiastic about but he was immediately accepted for, he discussed it with his wife shortly, but she was extremely opposed to the idea. She said that it would bring shame upon the family. Harold retorted that being on unemployment benefits did the exact same thing. It would give them financial room to breathe and get back to where they could start mending things. But the children, she said. The children will have to understand. Or they'll have to accept shoes that are 'off fleek'. Harold really didn't get it, but he needed to make a point.
She relented eventually. They told the children. They screamed and yelled but after a day or two, they saw too that it was necessary at this point.
Harold called to accept. As of the next week, he would be the new mascot for the chicken factory across the street. His chicken suit would be delivered during the weekend.
So that's why the chicken crossed the road.
Because he's gainfully employed and putting his ego aside to take care of his family.