Behind the Z

 

The door closed behind me as I left the apartment. The sky was grey and cloudy, but there was no rain yet. The wind was calm for once. The air was chilly. I walked along the buildings towering above me, grey on grey.

I didn't want to leave the warm comfort of my apartment, but I had no choice. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, or so say they say. I nodded to a neighbor as I passed him, and crossed over the street. It wasn't going to be a long walk.

I'd done this before, and I would have to do it again. I guess that's just how life goes. Can't have something without nothing. And everyone else is in the same boat. Still, today, I really didn't feel like it.

I'd been lazing around for too long. Smoking joints, drinking whiskey, browsing the internet. Nothing good would come of it, but I couldn't stop myself. The dirty dishes started having an ecosystem of their own, but I didn't care. Fermentation would just cut down on the heating bill. And there was no one here but me, so who would care ?

I crossed another street. Getting ever closer still. It wasn't that bad, when you started thinking about it. I mean, we do have it made, pretty much. Then again, we can't stop complaining, no matter how good things are. Guess that's just the way we are.

I put my bag in one of the lockers, and turned my key. I heard the one-euro coin fall into the slot. Tomatoes, salad, pasta, and some canned tuna.