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Bob Jones stared up at the roof of his grandmother's house. From his sprawl position on his bed he had a wonderful view of a stain left by his attempt at painting the room. That alone was the perfect reason not to clean up. Once again he failed.That could be the synopsis of his life. Thus he started the self condemnation.
It was not malice, or incompetence at least from what he could remember of his past. All he did was everything. Bob followed his heart, from one interest to the other. He did art, drawing gaming, reading chemistry, comics, manga and more. The problem, as far as he could see, was that he could never stay with something. Sure he had passion, burning bright but never enough to not allowed for him to say doing something. At the first frustration, the first issue, he simply gave up to move up to another interest.
It was a constant through school, the constant changes of club and issues truly annoyed his parents. Apparently, bob had potential, but his own fluidity had ruined it. They wanted him to at least have a goal for something. But bob couldn’t never handle it. This was until the end of highschool were his parents drew the final line. Bob winced at the memory of the argument. He could still hear the disappointment in his parents' voice.
“You couldn’t do one thing for a week. Give us a goal, something you are working toward, anything, please.” His mother pleaded, looking at bob while eating dinner. They even cooked his favourite lasagna and roast chicken.
“I‘ll figure things out. Relax mom” Bob retorted between bites of the lasagna.
“None of that. You have talent, I have seen you talk about your passions. But at the first sight of a problem you yield and you run off. All we are asking is a goal, something you want to work towards at least.” His father said. The brawny man always sat square at the head of the table and with a simple, calm expression. Those hands were callus and rough but Bob knew sometimes they could strangely gentle.Sadly that was not today.
“Sorry dad. I really don’t yet,” Bob spoke, looking down at the rest of food.
“Damn it, boy, you need something. Listen. You are going to college and by this time in four year you will be working to at least give yourself something. “ His father yelled standing up.”We have a fund and you will at least get something done”
Blinking away the tears bob turned on his bed, the messy rectangle that elevated him away from much worse mess on his floor. That moment haunted him. College was hell, and he hated it all. The classes felt long and tedious , the commute pissed him off and all he felt like a waste of space through it all. Still he had at least stuck with it and for the first he could say he complete it kinda off. That was the last time his parent were happy for him. Now they wouldn’t even mention his name in a swear.
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Instead of job hunting, he had ran.Packing all he had escaped, dashing off in the direction farther away from his parent. But that was a failure. All Bob could achieve was homeless. It was only for a month but was without the worst month of his life that only end with his grandmother finding him. She took him in , despite everything and he was luck to have her but she had her own challenges. His rumination on his failures and other disgraces was interrupted by a voice.
“Bob, dinner is ready. Come out and have something. You still have the yard to clean up.” rang out a older female voice spoke.
Grumbling, Bob rolled off his bed. With a zombie posture he moved to the door slapping on the first pant and shirt he could pick out. It was the slow, bitter walk of a man who truly felt he had nothing left. Lumbering forward to , he left the damp, stuffy room to enter a much cleaner place, one which put his inaction to shame. That was to be expected for Bob comparing him to anyone else felt wrong, especially his grandmother.
Grandmother Dexter was the polar opposite of Bob in every way. The old frail woman had always gotten up early, cleaned, prayed and always left her house spotless.Her clothes were always put together, and she was never seemed messy at all. Life had been rough on her but she never bowed out, always facing it with a stiff upper lip. She had seen many generations and was a guiding beacon all her children and grandchildren. Well, all those except bob. Her gray hairs were neatly made in a bun with her frock that had daisies. She liked daisies.
Her rules were always clear, and she had set things she always did. One should be clean and alway be ready for the world. Breakfast was maded with a cup of coffee and a bit of ginger.The house was swept thoroughly, then mopped up by midday.Then she would read a book or two, only to make dinner. Finally she would enjoy her shows watching for four hours before bed at 8pm sharp.
Bob sat at the table in the cream colour wall the window limunitating his own washed up face. Staring down at the rice and peas with fired chicken he simply grined with frustration. What could have pushed her to make something for him ? She didn’t even eat chicken. Bob though.
“Have you started job hunting yet ?” She asked her own food beside her as watched the news.
“No not yet. Can’t really do that with my current state. “ Bob replied.
“Well, clearly if you spent some of that time to clean up your room maybe you would be a bit better off. “ She began.
Another routine , that constant argument. He hated it and for once he cut it off at the legs. Bob standing up moving back to the coffin of his room.
“Before we start this, I got a possible job on monday.” Bob growled on his way out.”Can’t eat. I am turning in and yeah, I already lock up the place.Night”
Grandmother dexter watched him go. She had found him,on the street with cold vacant eyes and if he was her grandson, she would have left him. That fire he once had was smoldered under years of expectations and demand. Her son, bless his heart, tried but he could never quite give bob that strength. But at the end of the day, she would help him, even his parents wouldn’t. But her biggest problem, it seemed, Bob wouldn’t even try.
Back on his bed Bobby doom scrolled on Facebook taking pictures and other random information from the internet. He simply read hoping it would drown out the thoughts. It never did.
But one this day the world changed. At exactly 12 am the planets alined and a sudden light consumed the world. Bob would have very different challenges far stranger that merely looking for work.
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