Healthy Hell 3,000 to 8,000 words
It was the government, well it was the local government, well it was traci the mayor and a couple city council members but they drew up plans that they would allocate $1000 a month for a couple senior youths to oversee a small organizing program for some of the derelict young teenagers. There were kids that didn’t go to College and didn’t get jobs and she just felt like they should know each other and do some push ups and having some meetings and get something on their resume. It was really a small under taking but it required some footwork to find some people and Jill was someone that they found with some family problems and she was willing to participate so they asked her to join and now she’s in the Public Allies too.
The Public Allies is a friendly title for a group of people that run a branch of Americorps and Jack and Jane got their marching orders from Americorps and they sort of just watered down the orders because it was just a couple kids but they got the point and they organized the kids and got the funding from the city and wrote the reports and handled everything really they were just trying to be professional friends.
“Report to Saint Margaret Mary Field in 15 minutes.” is what it said on my smart phone. It made a beeping noise like an amber alert. I figured I would flake. 20 minutes later I get a call on my phone that I’m missing from a drill. So I get my bag and get my swag and head over to Saint Margaret Mary Field. They just wanted to check in with us and show some authority. They figured we’d do push ups, sit ups, and squats. As people were showing up we we were getting involved in the calisthenics. I was 19 years old living with my folks not going to school they were scooping us up like we didn’t have anything to do. I blog. I play basketball at Bising Court. I don’t need to do this. So i’m doing my push ups and it’s occurring to me this has something to do with the internet. They were forming a militia and drafting local teens to be a part of it.
“These kids started off doing nothing, we’re all they hope they have to make it into the job market.” said Steve
“I know right. Government work.” said Jane.
“You hear they started making love at work in secret?” said steve.
“No.” said jane.
“yeah . a supply of next generation condoms came out … so the spare office is the passion pit. “ Said steve.
“Alright, duly noted.” said jane.
“I think all the youth showed up.” said steve
“Yeah it looks like our entire omnicon is here.” said Jane
“The kids think we’re forming a militia? It’s what you call it it’s just scooping them up the ones that didn’t go to school or get a job yet it’s just pulling them out of themselves and getting them some experience this isn’t the end of their life and it’s not the start of it it’s just a government program i get leadership training they get job experience we help them with their resume’s and that’s that.” said steve
Jake was standing there he wasn’t involved in too much. He wanted to know if he could go over to the play ground and work out there. Steve told him yeah man yeah man just stick around we have workout in a few minutes.
So eight kids from the neighborhood that fit the description of needing to be in a militia were standing in a field and Jane and Steve were in charge of getting them to do their workout for the get together.
So Steve starts off …
“We’re just doing jumping jacks today. So do 50 jumping jacks and then you can leave it’s a quick day. We’ll be sending you emails with the communications that get us to the next point in our development. It’s not like it raind but the weather is gloomy so we’re not really doing too much today. Next week though we’re doing smart phone photo shoots so bring your smart phone next week and we’ll be posing and taking photographs that are otherwise hard to get. We’ll be on safari posing with each other.” said Jake
“Steve some of the kids are talking about how we’re wasting their time just having them show up to do jumping jacks.” said Jane
“Come on kids, you’re in the same neighborhood as we are. We spend time at each other’s houses. We know each other. We went to the same school. We’re older and this is our precinct and we know you you know us. This is INTERNET MILITIA this isn’t MILITIA. We’re just keeping checking in with you and keeping you loosely organized so that if someone doe something like write a screen play there are people that can help them act it out. Or if you want help with a song or music video we can help with that too. We’re here to develop content for the internet and it’s not like it’s bootcamp.” said steve.
“I did 30 jumping jacks. I felt lazy today.” said a girl.
“That’s fine. The point was just to show up. This is a government program but it’s a light weight one. We have certain criteria to meet and showing up is the criteria we gave you something to do and we laid down plans to do photo shoots next time we meet. We’re just here for the fiber of the neighborhood which is you kids that your parents signed you up for this.” said jane.
“You want to go to the pit??” said steve.
“No. No i’m going to the pit with Steve.” said jane
“You could go to the pit with me.” said steve
“I know i could go to the pit with you but i’m going with steve.” said jane.
“Fine i’ll go to the pit with michelle.” said steve.
“You can’t go to the pit with michelle.” said Jane.
“Why not?” said steve.
“Because she’s going to the pit with Mike.” said jane.
“You’re telling me i can’t pit with anyone?” said steve.
“You got no one to pit with.” said jane.
“This is bullshit.” said steve.
“It’s about the kids jake.” said Jane.
“I know i want to practice making them” said steve.
“No jake. Not you.” said Jane.
“That’s harsh.” said steve.
It was 2080 and Saint Margaret Mary field was still a field and the golf course was still a golf course and North College Hill was still interested in being North College Hill to North College Hill. This was a government program brought down by the mayor’s office of NCH she had some spare change to pay some twenty somethings to help some teenagers with their online profiles.
Jill didn’t have a smart phone. She had never had one. She was always too young to have one. She had to share her mother’s phone when she wanted a phone.
“Alright Jill. Go over there with Jane. We have your smart phone for you. It’s government issue. This is the new reality we have to have you in communications with us for this to work. We’ll be holding night watches where we meet in a chat room and hold group there. Just getting used to the infrastructure.” said Jane.
“So this is my phone now I get a phone.” said Jill.
“You get that phone and if anything happens to it let us know.” said Jane.
“I’m geeked it’s hard to use though like all the other guys are used to their phones i never used one before it’s still in the packaging right now. I’ll take it home and show it to my ma and let her know that the government looked out for me again.” said Jill.
‘Please do that that would mean a lot to us if you could spread some good cheer.” said jane
“Alright.” said Jill.
“Okay everyone now that we have JIll squared away and we did our exercises there’s not much else to do we’ll be meeting in the chat room soon to have our meeting and practice using a chat room but otherwise we’re done for the day.” said Steve.
Jill didn’t have to walk far they met in North College Hill and she lived in North College Hill so she just had to walk a couple blocks to get back home. North College Hill had a couple restaurants it had a gas station it had a grocery store named Krogers and it has a lot of houses people lived in and really it was a nice place to live aside from the gun shots that happened from time to time it wasn’t too bad.
“Ma they gave me a phone.” said Jill.
“Who gave you a phone?” said Laci Jill’s Mom.
“The officer at Public Allies.” said Jill.
“Who’s going to pay for this phone?” said Laci.
“I am with my stipend.” said Jill.
“You can afford to pay for a phone? You can afford to pay rent be nice if you started chipping in around here.” said Laci.
“Ma I just graduated from high school and i got a job that pays a stipend.” said Laci.
“That ain no real job you ain working at McDonald’s making no twenty two dollars an hour. You ain making McDonalds Money. Be good for you to get a job that pays right and has you serving people. This government thing it’s flaky it’s run by kids it’s for kids it’s nothing. It’s an expenditure it’s a waste of your time.” said Laci.
“I like it. We’re having a meeting soon on the phones and practice being in a chat room.” said Jill.
“LIke I said i’ma talk to your father and we’re going to see about you paying rent now that you work for the government and get that stipend.” said Laci
Jil went into her room and reached into the draw and into the sock and around the ball of paper and grabbed her hidden sack of dro and she put it in her pocket and then she put on her skull cap with the panda ears and she walked out of her room.
“Where do you think you’re going?” said Laci
“I’m going out just to do some thinking , I’m really sorry.” said Jill.
And Jill made her way 4 streets over to where Jane stayed and she went up and knocked on his door.
The door opened and Jane was like “Hey.”
Jill said “hey, wanna smoke some trees?”
“Yeah, that’s like a special treat.” said Jane.
“I know right. Can I come in?” said Jill.
“Absolutely. Hey don’t mind the mess it’s just sis living.” said Jane
“Oh you have a bean bag chair … mind if i sit there?” said Jill
“You can sit on the bean bag chair. “ said Jane.
“Takes me back. Hand me the serving tray.” said Jill.
Jill began to break down the weed and she packed a bowl and lit it up.
“Here. You can have the rest I just needed this one hit away from my folks.” said Jill.
“What happened with your folks?” said Jane
“Ma said I have to pay rent. It’s like she’s upset I have a job with the government.” said Jill.
“Tell her it’s a real job it prepares you for public service and gives you some spacial awareness in life.” said Jane taking a second to hit the bowl and inhale real deep.
“She ain hearing none of that, she’s just on her bullshit. She’ll probably forget to charge me rent too I just needed to air out and get some of this shit in my system since I can’t smoke it there I came here. I think you do good work at Public Allies I think it’s a nice program.” said Jill.
“Thank you. I’m not actually a FIRM believer but it reaches a unique demographic youth that didn’t go to college or get jobs and that group of people can have a resume too. We’re real low key since it’s sort of a pressure draft situation that the mayor signed you all up for everyone in NCH was signed up to public allies that graduated from high school and didn’t a traditional time expenditure.” said Jane
“Yeah maybe you could take us on a field trip to the recording studio. I’ve been working on a song.” said Jill.
“You sing?” said Jane,
“I try to. I put effort into singing.” said Jill.
“We could go to Ultra Suede in Blue Ash I could take you.” said Jane.
“That would be great i don’t have a ride.” said Jill.
“I can take you. Yeah no problem. We’ll do it after a sesh next week. Your song is ready right?” said Jane..
“No it’s not finished finished but when it’s done I’ll tell you and then you can take me.” said Jill.
“Okay you let me know when it’s ready and then I’ll take you.” said Jane,
“Let me hit that pipe one more time.” said Jill.
“It’s got like one more hit in it but you can have it.” said Jane.
Jill held the hold with her thumb and burnt the weed and inhaled real deep and got a good amount of weed in her system.
“I just want to think about going to the recording studio for a while. You mind if i stay here for a couple minutes?” said Jill hitting the bowl again.
“You’re fine. You can’t stay the night but you can camp out for a little bit.” said Jane.
Jill started to pack the bowl again and she put the weed in her pocket she wasn’t going to smoke more than two bowls and Jane wasn’t trying to get too high but it was the kind of night where you could just tell the world was on ice it was the kind of night where parents needed you to be grown because they ain intend to have you and it was the night friends were friends even though you ain know each other so well but that was changing too.
“Sweet.” said Jill.
“How far along are you with your song?” said Jane.
“I have a hook … “ said Jill.
“What’s the hook?” said Jane.
“I know that’s right i’m miss china white.” said Jill.
“What are you trying to say?” said Jane.
“I don’t know i listened to the radio the other day and just decided to write a song. I’ve written songs before but i never WROTE a song i have that hook it sounds nice when i say it and that’s all i want from a song i want it to sound nice when i say it.” said Jill.
“Okay, you just let me know when you’re ready.” said Jane.
“Look I think I’m going head out. Ima hit this bown one more time and then I’ma leave.” said Jill.
“Yeah fine, I hope it works out with your parents.” said Jane.
“It always does she just gives me the impression we need some space is all.” said Jill.
Jane turns on the Television and Jill sits and watches it with her.
Jill packs the bowl one more time and then sparks it and takes a real inhale and holds it holds it holds it holds it and releases.
“You want to hit this?” said Jill.
“Yeah. Yeah YOU get to spark up with your leaders no one else does. We knew you in high school.” said Jane.
“I got a long life of smoking weed ahead of me don’t I.” said Jill.
“You got as much weed as you want to smoke.” said Jane.
“Alright I think i’ma head back to the crib.” said Jill.
“Cool. It was nice having you over.” said Jane.
Jill picked up her things and headed out the door saying good bye to Jane. She was high as donkey kong and focused and she was just going to lay in her bed and go to sleep when she got home. Her folks were going to know she smoked weed but since she’s not in school, it’s legal, and she’s an adult they can’t say much. They can make her pay rent though, they can do that when she get sher check from Public Allies who just got done being a Public Ally to her as a Public Ally it’s nice ot see how people can behave and support each other.
She got to her house at 6923 Mearl Avenue and went on the front porch and sat down and pulled out her pipe and smoked one last bowl of weed. She just chilled out. It was a red brick house and the steps were clearly concrete and there was a little front lawn and the back yard was big and there was no tree in the backyard like there used to be. The porch swings around back and there’s a closed in patio room that they just had built.
Jill leaned back and inhaled and picked up her phone that’s right ther was a meeting tonight in the community room online. She picked up her phone and clicked in from the Public Allies application and the meeting was already in progress. It was a light weight meeting just really chatting but it was another compulsory duty they has as shang hai’d members of society. They were pulled into this organization since the government identified them as having too much time on their hands so they just got recruited by North College Hill Mayor’s Court.
“What did I miss?” typed Jill
“Not much.” typed Jack.
“When’s the next meeting?” typed Jill.
“We meet next monday.” typed Jack.
“Alright well, I’ll be there at 9am in the field on Monday but i’ma dip right now I been smoking and this is creeping me out being on the computer.” typed Jill
“It’s creeping you out?” typed Jane.
“Yeah, it’s uncomfortable using my smart phone at night knowing it was made my rich kids looking to make more money.” typed Jill.
“Jill you really know how to … Jill just … just … just get out Jill … i’ll talk to you on monday.” typed Jack.
“Cool.” typed Jill.
And the Monday Jill fell in line with her squad at Saint Margaret Mary Field and got to work listening to the whistle and doing her push ups, squats, and jumping jacks. Jack himself was standing there knowing he had a future in the Public Allies this wasn’t it for him he had regulations to write and he had discourse to be a part of he knew that much he was reading a lot now that he was in this position leadership manuals and business essentials he was reading books like that to stay on top of his credentials as a government official. Jane was certain she was going to graduate school. She already had her Bachelor’s in Political Science which led to this and she knew she had a future as a Professor.She did most of the talking here with Public Allies she gave all the speeches and she had a good voice and she had a good demeanor and she knew she was going to succeed at graduate school. Jill wasn’t doing anything not yet she knew she just wanted to smoke weed. She was going to stay in Public Allies for another year and just do this. She might go to college and she might go get a job but she was definitely going to smoke weed. She didn’t know how else it mattered. She was so young she had a high school diploma she did well in high school and she could just put things off right now she just knew she could put things off she knew she could she knew she could design a life for herself that suited her age group. Her ma was on her about money but Public Allies SAID she could hang on another year if she wanted to do this go into junior leadership and she was just going to do that she was going to stick with this local program that was easy and she was going to put off the adult things and maybe make a right decision in her life for the first time she knew it wasn’t even that she wasn’t ready she was just having a good time smoking weed and she wanted to do that her pops smoked weed he smoked weed with her he was cool with her staying at the house he knew she was young ma was a little tense all the time because she didn’t think it was a good idea to dip out on college like that but at the same time her pops knew her weed habit and he was cool with her being young and avoiding responsibility which is what she was doing and really that’s todays story it’s the story of Jill and a snapshot of her life and the weed she smoked because she was our main character it all happened to her and because of her and this is how it is when you’re young.
