The Pole Shift

Jimmy and the Life Pods.

It was Friday.  At school there was no sign of Macka or any work men.  The pods had been finsihed, they sat like enormous chrome bananas. Jimmy looked at Mr Knowles and the remaining six teachers. Miss Wright, who had just arrived, smiled at him. The smile held no acknowlegment of his budding manhood, it was just a smile. She was dressed for work rather than education.  She wasn't wearing makeup. There was practicality, rather than suggested sexuality about her.

                He walked around the three spherical pods, they suddenly seemed much smaller.  It dawned on him, there wouldn't be room for everyone. Fresh emotions washed Jimmy, like going outside and noticing a change in temperature through your skin, rather than being told is was slightly colder. He had a terrible drowning feeling, what if it was up to him to choose who populated the pods? The events of the day before nearly took over, he wanted to go home to his shed, to play Quake and have his Mum walk through the door and rattle on about something. He wanted to snoop through Alan's shit novel and tut tut at it. He took a deep breath and addresed himself in the fourth person, muttering:

                "This is a very difficult time for Jimmy."

                That Friday dragged on, the Macka dude didn't show up. All the kids and teachers had a good nose through the pods, sitting in them, gauging their strength with knuckles then hammers. They didn't gong, the thudded. Helen said:

                "I'm glad there is padding, wont we fly around? Bump our heads?" Jimmy pointed at some strapping.

                "Seat belts." He said. "It will be like a ride." He watched as Helen counted.

                "Jimmy there are only eight!" The others would notice that soon. He shrugged trying not to care, he said:

                "24 of us will have a chance then." Helen's face crumpled and she put the palm of her hand to an eye, padding at it, She whispered:

                "Will you chose me Jimmy?" Her almond eyes watered.  He was taken aback, his own worry that he would have to chose had been spoken aloud. He got defensive.

                "What makes you think it will be up to me Heren?" He squared off to her , letting anger show in the hope of ending her speculation.

                "You and that Macka man are always talking, he took you around the pods separately. He looks for you, he doesn't look at any of us, no eye contact nothing, not even with the teachers." She was right, the image of Mr Knowles traipsing after Macka formed a picture in Jimmy's mind. The way the teachers had all tried to interface with the supposed school councillor shamed Jimmy. Why should he be the object of attention, he got out of the pod. Forty or so faces turned to him, all hopeful, scared. They all knew. Mr. Knowles winked at him and it was enough to let him take a breath, the old teacher said:

                 "Jimmy has a hard task. Let's help him with his burden."