A World Without String Is Chaos - Chapter 37

Fred decided to quit his job at Fizzy Pop. He had saved up enough money, and he lost interest in making ads. More accurately, he lost interest in choosing ads. Fred had become the monkey that throws the dart at the bullseye, every time. As his last act as an ad man, Fred implored his boss to re-run the “marriage proposal” Fizzy Pop ad, his first one.

The ad team was surprised, then shocked, and then panicked at the news of Fred’s resignation. They had relied on Fred, and didn’t even realize it. Especially Mr. Belluci, the head of the ad department. He practically begged Fred to reconsider, but Fred remained politely firm in his decision.

Mr. White was furious. He had invested heavily in Max Powers’ bid for presidency, and Max Powers’ loss was a loss for Mr. White, too. Maria Cortez’s victory was a complete slap in the face. Mrs. Soda Tax was Miss President now. It was all too unbelievable. Mr. White didn’t even wince at the money spent, or lost, on campaign donations. It was the loss of face that got to him. Also, he loathed Maria Cortez and her holier-than-thou politics. It was corruption that greased the wheels in the nation’s capital, and no one, especially not the new President, will ever be able change that. Mr. White and influential people like him will make sure of that. At all cost.

The man in the red tie relayed the news to Mr. White that Fred decided to quit.

“Have him come to my office.”

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“Tell me Fred, what do you think of Fizzy Pop?”

“It’s the everyman’s drink of choice, Mr. White. People love Fizzy Pop.”

“Do you love Fizzy Pop, Fred?”

“I enjoy drinking it, sir.”

“No, Fred. Do you love Fizzy Pop? The idea? The dream behind it?”

“I don’t quite follow, Mr. White…”

“Sigh, I thought you’d be more insightful as an ad man. What we sell isn’t a beverage, Fred. It’s the dream. Happiness itself.”

“I understand, sir.”

“NO, you don’t. The peasants work and toil to spend money on our products. They live on our land. They watch our ads. They live and die for us. And they don’t even realize it.”

“…”

“We give ‘the people’ the illusion of choice, and freedom, but they live in our world. YOU live in our world.”

“This world is not yours, or anybody’s, Mr. White.”

Mr. White laughed at Fred, condescendingly.

“No one can beat random, Mr. White. Not even me.”

Mr. White stopped laughing.

“Yes, people follow rules and norms. And some people are more influential than others. But this life we all live, and share, has known no master or ruler. Human ones, anyway, and not for a lack of them trying. Influential people may try as they please to control any and all options available, to control the outcomes themselves, but it’s all too big. Too many strings attached.”

“We own this world, Fred! We own you!” Mr. White looked very disturbed.

Fred shook his head.

“Believe what you will, Mr. White. But a world without string, is chaos.”

“Please run the ‘marriage proposal’ ad again.”

Fred left Fizzy Pop.

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Mr. White wasn’t sure why he felt so shaken up by some employee’s words, but he was.

He wasn’t sure why he said all those things to Fred, either.

The things said during the meeting were replaying in his head over and over again on his ride back home.

A truck smashed into the fancy car he was in, and Mr. White died.

His last thought was in Fred’s voice:
for visiting.

“A world without string, is chaos.”