“Ah, Randy, my old nemesis,” Sammy said as he strolled over to Randy.
“Look, kid, just because I beat you in the spelling be 3 years ago doesn’t mean were, like, archenemies or any thing,” Randy said as he put his sunglasses on.
“That’s a matter of opinion,” Sammy said curtly.
“So, what brings you to me, dude?” Randy asked.
“I want to talk to you about the moods of verbs,” Sammy said with a mischievous grin already spreading across his face.
“Do you mean the indicative, subjunctive, and imperative moods?” Randy said with a victorious mask of his face.
Sammy was awe struck. His jaw dropped, and he stuttered, “H-h-ow d-d-id you know what I was talking about?”
“Well, my foe,” Randy said in a mocking tone, “you’re not the only one who knows about verbs. Did you know that the indicative mood indicates, or states, something? It is also used to ask questions.”
Sammy, recomposing himself, stood up straight, and said, “And I suppose you know the subjunctive mood describes a wish or condition that may be contradictory to fact?”
“Naturally, Sammy dear,” Randy said sassily, “It can also be used to describe situations unlikely to happen or impossible. It is often used in clauses that begin with ‘if’ or ‘that.’”
Sammy, now breathing and gasping like a fish, stood up and pointed a scrawny finger and Randy saying, “Yes…but the…imperative mood –”
“Yes, yes, it states a request or command and always uses the present tense,” Randy interrupted.
Sammy, now grasping at straws said, “A mild imperative is followed by a period… but… a strong is followed by an exclamation point.”
“Let’s do an example, is that good with you Sammy?” Randy said, now towering over Sammy as he sunk to his knees.
“I-I-I,” Sammy stuttered.
“Good. So, Sammy has been beaten. This is the indicative mood because it is stating something,” Randy said as he smiled.
“If Sammy were beaten he wouldn’t know how to use the subjunctive mood… This is the subjunctive mood because it is stating a situation unlikely or impossible to happen!” Sammy said as he slowly got to one wobbly knee.
“You be cautious, Sammy! This is the imperative mood because it is stating a command, and it’s using the present tense! Hahaha!” Randy yelled triumphantly as Sammy collapsed back onto the concrete. “You never could beat me, fool!” Randy said, “I always was, still am, and always will be you intellectual superior!”
Randy then hopped on his bike and rode home, away from the mental mess of the person lying on the ground.
Two hours later, Sammy was stumbling around the beach mumbling to himself about verbs and nonsense, his last grip on reality completely shattered after his battle.
YOU ARE READING
The Verb Story
Short StoryLook, I know a bunch of you will see the title and be like "Eeew verbs. I am NOT reading about THAT." Well, give it a chance, will you? I promise it won't feel like you're in school. So, I'm going to let the description be after this, to see how man...
