The Vision. Linda Blum

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The Vision - Linda Blum


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a day off today Mrs. Storm?” Mrs. Bright asked cheerfully.

      “Not exactly, I’m no longer working.”

      “Oh,” Mrs. Bright hesitated. “Sorry to hear that”.

      Judy could detect a hint of disapproval in her voice.

      “Did you get laid off?” she asked.

      “No.”

      “Did you get fired?” Mrs. Bright looked dismayed.

      “No.”

      “What happened?”

      “I quit,” Judy announced.

      “You quit!” Mrs. Bright said with a critical tone in her voice.

      Judy was only half listening. She was too focused on the way her eyes looked when she said the word quit. They seemed to bulge out and make her look like a fly. One that Judy was about to swat if she didn’t shut up and mind her own business.

      “Yes. I quit!” Judy said sternly.

      “What are you going to do now?”

      This lady was relentless. Maybe I should tell her I am going to become a stripper, she mused.

      “I am not sure. Maybe you should give me your home number and I’ll call and let you know,” Judy said sarcastically. . Mrs. Bright was about to say something when the sound of children arguing caused her to turn her attention to them. Thank God, Judy thought as she turned to give her son a kiss.

      “Mom! Not in front of my friends,” Jay whispered as he dodged his mother.

      “I’m sorry. It’s hard to turn off that mother thing you know.”

      “Well try, okay! It’s embarrassing,” Jay said.

      “Have a good day and remember....” Jay had already entered his classroom while Judy was still talking. “I put pizza money in your backpack,” she said to the air.

      Boy has he learned the art of ignoring his mother. I can’t wait until the teenage years, she thought as she headed towards the door. Outside she noticed other mothers standing in a group talking. Judy turned around and went the other way. She didn’t want to have to face another conversation about her lack of employment.

      As she drove home, she made a vow not to let other people’s opinions bother her so much. Her new pledge was about to be tested when she noticed her neighbour, Mrs. Finney, working in her flower garden. Mrs. Finney turned as she heard Judy’s car door slam. She started saying something, but Judy couldn’t hear her.

      “Pardon me, Mrs. Finney,” Judy said as she walked towards the front door.

      “Not working today dear?” she yelled.

      Here we go again, Judy thought. She definitely didn’t want to talk to Mrs. Finney. She was from the old school where one was thankful to have a job and stayed working at the same place until they retired. She had lived through the Depression, so her view on life was still based on those difficult times.

      “No,” Judy said scrambling to find her house key.

      Mrs. Finney said something else, but Judy still couldn’t hear so she waved and told her to have a nice day. As she unlocked the door, she was greeted by the sound of her phone ringing.

      “I heard you quit your job.” It was her friend Hope.

      “Yes I did and don’t go giving me a lecture either. I am in no mood,” she cautioned.

      “Hey don’t get so defensive! I was calling to find out what happened.”

      “How did you find out anyway?” she asked, roaming through her purse for cigarettes then stopped after she realized she quit.

      “Damn,” she said.

      “What’s wrong?” Hope asked.

      “What do you mean, what’s wrong?”

      “You just said damn.”

      “Sorry. I was looking for a cigarette, but forgot I quit,” Judy moaned easing herself onto the floor.

      “It was the best thing for you.”

      “Maybe I will just pour myself a drink.”

      “You quit that too,” Hope reminded her.

      “Double damn.” Judy frowned. “I am seriously considering starting those habits again.”

      “I won’t let you,” Hope warned.

      Judy knew Hope would stop her. She was her best friend and had been for years. She acted like a mother at times, driving her nuts, but she knew she meant well. They were very close and knew everything that went on in their lives. Through the good times and the bad they were there for each other.

      “How did you find out?” Judy asked again.

      “I saw Ren at the gym this morning and he told me.”

      “Oh”

      “Tell me what happened Jude.”

      Judy explained how they increased her workload, but not her pay. Then to top it off, a fight broke out between an employee and their boss. The police were called and both were escorted away.

      “Did you apply for social assistance?” Hope asked.

      “Yes. Ren convinced me that I should, reminding me that this insurance comes off every pay and is owed to me,” she sighed. “I know he’s right, but I hate dealing with government agencies. They make you feel like you don’t deserve the money. Then to top it all off, they tell you as you’re filling out the application that giving false information is fraud and punishable by law. It’s ironic how they want “we the people” to be honest, yet the government doesn’t seem to be.”

      “Did you behave yourself?” Hope dreaded asking.

      “I never gave them any grief if that’s what you’re asking.”

      “Ren seemed okay with this,” Hope remarked.

      “He didn’t feel it was safe for me to work there anymore.”

      “He’s right you know,” she agreed. “You hear it all the time on the news, some disgruntled employee goes on a shooting rampage at his work.”

      “I know.”

      “So what are you going to do now?” Hope asked.

      “Become a stripper. Do you know how much those ladies make?” Judy replied jokingly.

      “A lot,” Hope said. “The only problem is you’ll need bigger boobs.”

      “No I don’t,” she protested. “I got it all figured out. I would get boobs made to mould perfectly to my skin so they appear real. Then when I’m completely naked I’ll rip them off and throw them in the crowd to some poor schmuck.”

      “Euuuw,” Hope said.

      “I have no doubt some guy would take them home. They’d probably even take them to bed and cuddle them like a teddy bear,” Judy commented.

      Hope laughed. “The only problem is that Ren wouldn’t let you go into that profession.”

      “I ran the idea by him and he told me to polish up on my dancing.”

      “Well at least he’s being supportive,” Hope laughed. “But if the stripper thing doesn’t pan out what else do you want to do?”

      “Maybe I could be a superhero,” Judy replied dreamily. “I’ve always wanted to wear one of those cool outfits.”

      “Again, another job that requires boobs,” Hope commented.

      “I could stuff,” Judy said.

      “That’s blasphemy. A superhero never stuffs,”


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