Harper's Spring
📖 ONE-MINUTE FLASH FICTION
This short piece is dedicated to my brother Al Ackerman, who inspired it. Cheers!
The finches are building their nests in the ivy this morning. Their song announces that it is spring.
And Harper’s not getting out of bed to face another spirit-crushing day at the office — the office where each day is the same as the day before, full of bickering and pretentiousness, and columns of specious numbers glowing on the screens. Harper quit the firm yesterday, and has decided to re-group. No more petty sniping of colleagues! No more arrogant, condescending supervisor. No more coffee pot that no one ever washes! And best of all, no more working eight hours with no feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day. Five years in college, and it came to this – feeling undervalued, unmotivated, joyless. But everything will soon change!
Monday morning Harper begins intensive training as an apprentice, learning to operate heavy machinery, joining the working world of bulldozers, forklifts and back hoes — physical outdoor work that exercises both brain and muscle. Where every day the honest result of one’s labor is apparent and satisfying.
The finches are building their nests in the ivy this morning. Their song announces that it is spring — a perfect time for Harper to re-design her life.
Great story. My nephew did someting like this, he dropped out of college after two years and is now an electrician, making very good money. Getting into a Trade is a great career path for many and AI will not displace your brother's or my nephew's job.
OK, I will climb off of my soapbox now.
I hated working in an office - it was too confining . I went back to school and became a psychologist which led to years of a rewarding career even after retirement. I agree with Linda, though, there was squabbling, in-fighting, and pettiness there as well.