Contraption Number 12

1

Freddy Frankfurt was worn down to the nub. He had a bad week at work, and all he could think about right now was picking up an extra-large Arctic Pop and a Charleston Chew before going home for the weekend. Freddy had enough! Since he didn't have a car, Freddy walked three miles to and from work - rain or shine. He lived in a Midwestern town with a population of approximately 20,000 and no public transportation. Today, it rained in torrents, and Freddy was soaked to the skin. Every step he took, his feet sloshed inside his sneakers, followed by an annoying squeak. Freddy's blisters had blisters, and each step was painful. His diminished height, chubby legs, and large protruding belly made him waddle when he walked. Several cars drove by on his way home, intentionally weaving into puddles, sending massive waves of dirty rain water at him – honking their horns and screaming insults Freddy did his best to ignore. Unfortunately, he was used to it. He had been the favorite whipping boy to adults and children alike since he began kindergarten at age five.

Freddy had been bagging groceries and herding shopping carts at Ray's Food Mart for the last ten years and hated every minute of it. The only reason he tolerated his job was to be able to support himself – he had no family that he knew of. He had been raised by elderly foster parents who had both died the year after he graduated high school. The worst part of the job was when it rained or snowed and Freddy had to round up the carts. The owner's son, Ray Jr. (or "RJ" as they called him), was supposed to help. Yet he was usually nowhere to be found, especially when the weather was bad, or one of his girlfriends showed up to see him. He would go missing for hours, and no one could ask about it, for fear of Big Ray finding out. No matter what his father heard from others, RJ could do no wrong. Big Ray dismissed most of the criticism of his son as jealously and gave it no credence. Any employee who dared say anything negative about RJ would typically find themselves working the next holiday or a shift that would be difficult on them for a variety of reasons. Big Ray knew that one day, he would retire and move to Florida, and RJ would take over the family business. An insult of RJ was a reflection on Big Ray, and he wasn't having any part of that. As the owner of the largest grocery store in town, the big smiling rotund man was a celebrity.

Freddy had spent the day limping through heavy downpours, helping old ladies to their cars with groceries for quarter tips, and collecting shopping carts. He had only seen RJ once, when he was on the phone with his feet up on Big Ray's desk. Big Ray was at a funeral for a high school friend and had left RJ in charge. Freddy knew that RJ would take over when Big Ray retired, and he cringed at the thought of working for the spoiled brat. He was everything that Freddy wasn't. RJ was given unlimited access to money, drove a brand-new car, and had dozens of girls chasing after him. RJ was likely one of the drivers that had soaked Freddy as he limped home in his sloshy shoes and battered body.

Now Freddy was in a long line at the gas station, picking up his Arctic Pop and Charleston Chew. He was only two blocks from home. While Freddy stood in the line, he noticed there were two people staring into the screens of the video poker machines. Both were middle-aged, a man and woman, in a trance. They didn't even appear to blink! Occasionally they would push a button, but that appeared to be the extent of their movements. Freddy was intrigued by their intense interest in the machines and also marveled at their sleek design and hundreds of moving parts. Yet it gave him the creeps as he watched their robotic movements. He wondered how much money they spent, sitting there, pushing buttons and watching the vibrant colors. Freddy found himself jealous of the person who invented the machines, and wondered how many millions of dollars resided in their bank account. He knew it was more than he would ever see in a lifetime.