Author emulation

Disclaimer: Style of Annie Dillard.

Charater sketch: Nicole cook.

One Saturday evening Nicole bundled up near a fire place at a familiar mall. She was have a fun time and began to joke around until she heard children mocking her laughter. She decided to think nothing of it until she noticed that they began to multiply, or so it seemed.  Then the incessant mocking just was too much for her to handle when the parents got involved.  She would laugh and the children repeated. 

She would laugh quietly and again, repeated. 

It was then when she concluded nothing could be that funny.  She thought a simple dirty look would do them well, not-at-all.

The parents of the children thought it was funny, when they noticed that Nicole began to get angry, so the encouraged such behavior.  

“Let’s laugh as loud as we can for this picture,” a woman said. 

“Okay,” the children repeated.

Indeed, the children obeyed. Nicole has always been notorious for her bipolar disorder, and can be easily triggered, by just about anything.  So in fact it was quite the surprise she didn’t say anything for that long.  Remarkable self-control.  

The obvious thing to do would be relocating, but when temperatures are low and bipolar disorder is triggered that didn’t cross her mind. 

Time passed and it seemed the children would never leave, nor would they get sick of mocking her. She looked through the flames and saw an adult figure; she assumed and hoped a parent.  

When she finally made eye-contact she said, “would you keep your children on a leash please,” at least she said please, not all manners subsided. 

The adult didn’t reply, nor did the children. She laughed at the remark she just made, but how can one blame her? Then to her dismay the children and the parents still had the gull to mock her, and that is when blood temperatures began to boil.

Nicole decided that enough was enough. She got up from the fire place and walked around the island to the other side. 

“Seriously?” she questioned the parents.

Just then confrontation was inevitable. Conversation moved back and forth with impending insults and the occasional display of disappointment.

“These children are five and ten years old and you have the nerve to insult them?” The woman questioned Nicole.

“I wouldn’t have to if they were taught some damn manners.” 

“Talk about manners, swearing in front of children,” The woman snapped.

Nicole decided the fight was a lost cause and walked away. Just as she surrendered the woman kneels to the children, and says “this is what not to act like when you are seventeen years old.”

Nicole looked back at the group and heard the woman tell the child to repeat after her, “Take a picture it will last longer.”

So much for manners in society.