Conversation

“What is your value, Bill? You have to have value now. What is your value? And until when?”

“What are you talking about,” as Bill continues painting the living room wall. What do you think, Hon, how does it look?”

“I like it. Let’s just do one wall. So, what do you think our value is?”

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘what our value is’ and in what context asks Bill”

“As a human being.”

“That’s a pretty big context, don’t you think? Narrow it down.”

“I’m talking about the pandemic.”

“Oh shit, Hon, I’m done with covid, wonkyponky and whatever else is coming down the pike.”

“Well, our country is not. The world is not. It’s the constant focus. I’m tired of it too, Bill, but I honestly believe they want us all dead.”

Bill laughs.

Hon picks up a roller to start helping Bill, but she’s not looking enthused, she pushes the question. So?”

“Okay, I’ll take the bite. Watch it Hon, you’re going to get paint on your clothes. Use the applicator instead of the brush. Maybe you’ll have better control of it.”

Hon uses the applicator, and it’s a little sloppy, but it feels like a sponge and that she likes. “Well, I think we have lost the value of humanity. I don’t really think we’re all that special.  Think about it. When we see masses of people, we don’t actually care, I mean we do, but I think it depends on the actual event. How can we care for each individual when in a mass of people? Why do you think the news always uses a specific story? To make it more personal so people can see themselves in that one person, in one way or another.  Bill, do we have more applicators, I think this one is done.”

Bill hands her an applicator. “Well, back to your first question. I think human beings are extremely valuable.”

“How much?” Hon asks.

“You mean in money?” Bill stops painting, puts his hand on a spot of the wall he already painted. He looks at what he just did, and looks at Hon with a withered look on his face.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t think there’s a price you can put on a human being.  Every human being has value, whether it’s to the parents, or to society. Either way, humans are valuable.”

“Then why is society willing to get rid of people.  Then why are governments and politicians trying to destroy society? And not just in United States, this is worldwide. So why and look how it’s panning out. The when is happening right now.”  Hon stands back and looks at her work. The wall molding on the ceiling and floor is painted white. “What do you think?”

Bill is afraid to ask, it might open a door he doesn’t want walk in to, “about what?”

“The molding,” indicating with her hand the work she just finished.

“Looks good, I like the new molding, it’s more decorative,” Bill says thankfully.

“Back to human value, because I really value humanity. I like people. Bill, look at what is happening to society, being forced to take medication people don’t want. A pandemic’s timing and the ‘humans’ involved in making it. Various countries are releasing prisoners so that the public are open to random violence and mayhem.  City riots termed ‘people just expressing themselves’ but really destroying people’s businesses and lives. Mixing cultures so we do not continue whatever culture we came from.”

“Uh, you’re going a little overboard now. Mixing cultures is not a good thing? You think it diminishes a human’s value?”

“No, Bill that’s not what I’m saying, it doesn’t diminish humans, but it does cause chaos and anxiousness amongst each of the cultures. And which culture should be the dominant?”

“Dominance, really, there has to be a dominant?  Why can’t every culture be dominant in their significant way? You know at first, I thought when you brought up value I thought you meant in money.”

“Okay, well then let’s go there.”

Bill grimaces, and rolls his eyes and starts looking around for the paint mixer and turpentine. Hon sees it in the hallway, and goes out and brings it to him.

“Ah, shit. Why did I bring it up?”

Honey says and laughs, “Hmm you forgot.”

He smiles, and thanks Hon as she gives him the mixer and turpentine.

Honey is excited and loving every minute of the conversation. Bill, not so much. He knows she likes to talk about current events. It could be about anything.

Honey stands looking out the window and asks “Bill, how much do you think a person, for example someone like Elon Musk, versus my value?”

Bill’s jaw drops open. “What the hell, Honey. You’re two different types of people contributing to society. You’re just as valuable as he is. And I know we’re not talking about money. Just because a person is a billionaire doesn’t mean that they are worthy people. To me, you are worth more than Elon.”

Honey says, “Aww, baby I love you too” and goes to Bill and gives him a love bite on his neck. He likes that.

Then Honey continues, “But what I mean, think about it. Think of what he contributes to society versus what I contribute.”

Bill stares at her with the ‘what the fuck?’ face.

Honey responds immediately because she knows she hit a note and now the discussion is uncomfortable, but she keeps going anyway.

“Honey, what do you think is my value? To you? To society? Because I think I am valuable.”

“It’s not about you and me, Bill. I mean it is in the larger scheme of things. What I’m thinking of is how much does a human being contribute to the planet. Are we supposed to exist to only procreate?  We’re not rodents, creating many for no reason other than that’s what we do. Are we here to create pleasurable lifestyles?  Marketing and advertising’s is part entertainment to promote pleasure, of whatever type. Some cities are totally open to opiates, pills and smoke. Then why are we here? Why do we need so many people? And why are we killing each other? It doesn’t matter the tool – gun, knife, opiates, each other.”

Bill stops painting. Honey stops talking.

End

 All rights reserved. No part of the short stories or Conversation may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the author, “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” and email to storeetalks@gmail.com