Can YOU Believe It's Butter?
un-de-un
Once again, the routine began. Every morning, he would press the snooze button on his alarm for an extra 10 minutes of sleep, finally plopping out of bed onto his cold tile floor at 7:30. He would slip some pants on over his boxers, and head into the tiny kitchen to fix his usual breakfast: a bagel lightly toasted spread with cream cheese and, when he felt adventurous, butter. He had been consuming this same breakfast for the last 24 years now, never varying, even for special occasions. He hardly ever had to think in the morning. Now that Tricia had broken up with him, he had no one he was forced to entertain. The routine continues.
Tricia found Arthur's lack of spontaneity charming at first. She thought she could liven up his world just by living in it. She was spunky and outgoing, and didn't like to sit still or be quiet. She didn't realize that Arthur dulled people down eventually - that he was impossible to have fun with. Yet she stuck by his side for a little over a year, taking him places (when it fit into his daunting schedule, of course) and trying to get him to experience new things. He wouldn't have any of it. He claimed he would be over stimulated by anything he wasn't used to, and this turned out to be pretty accurate.
One disastrous morning, Tricia thought she would make Arthur breakfast in bed. She woke up spectacularly early to get to his house before he would wake up. She toasted two wheat bagels- one for each of them- and covered them in strawberry jelly and peanut butter. She poured two glasses of orange juice and carried the tray into Arthur's room. Slowly, as to not disturb him, she turned off his alarm clock and sat next to him in bed. She set the tray in her lap and leaned over to Arthur, gently waking him.
"Get up, sleepyhead! I made you breakfast. I hope that's alright. It's just bagels and juice."
"I'd love a bagel right now. Just a plain one, right?"
"Of course! I got it straight out of your kitchen."
Arthur reached for his plate; eyes still mostly shut and brain barely functioning, and took a large bite of the bagel sandwich. He chewed for a few seconds, then snapped up and alert with a wide-eyed look on his face. His sudden movement had thrown Tricia off-balance, so she was now sprawled on the floor beside Arthur's bed.
"What- what is this!? Is this peanut butter? For breakfast? Where's the cream cheese? I can't believe you! Not even regular butter! What's wrong with you?" Arthur's outburst surprised even him.
"I just w-wanted to surprise you. I got everything out of your kitchen; I thought that would be okay! I'm sorry." She pleaded and tried to reason with the man, but he wasn't having any of it. After a fantastic breakdown, he told Tricia to leave.
No one really knows if he expected her to show up at his house again, but she never did. He didn’t seem too affected. In fact, to a casual observer, he would seem quite content. Arthur had his ever-present routine, and it kept him satisfied. He grew mildly important in the company where he worked, but they knew him well enough to not make him travel much. All in all, Arthur lived well - lonely, but well – for the rest of his days. Until eventually, the routine ended. On that bright June morning, Arthur somehow knew he wouldn’t see another day. So he lived his life bravely that day, and ate a bagel. A bagel with jelly and peanut butter.
Tricia found Arthur's lack of spontaneity charming at first. She thought she could liven up his world just by living in it. She was spunky and outgoing, and didn't like to sit still or be quiet. She didn't realize that Arthur dulled people down eventually - that he was impossible to have fun with. Yet she stuck by his side for a little over a year, taking him places (when it fit into his daunting schedule, of course) and trying to get him to experience new things. He wouldn't have any of it. He claimed he would be over stimulated by anything he wasn't used to, and this turned out to be pretty accurate.
One disastrous morning, Tricia thought she would make Arthur breakfast in bed. She woke up spectacularly early to get to his house before he would wake up. She toasted two wheat bagels- one for each of them- and covered them in strawberry jelly and peanut butter. She poured two glasses of orange juice and carried the tray into Arthur's room. Slowly, as to not disturb him, she turned off his alarm clock and sat next to him in bed. She set the tray in her lap and leaned over to Arthur, gently waking him.
"Get up, sleepyhead! I made you breakfast. I hope that's alright. It's just bagels and juice."
"I'd love a bagel right now. Just a plain one, right?"
"Of course! I got it straight out of your kitchen."
Arthur reached for his plate; eyes still mostly shut and brain barely functioning, and took a large bite of the bagel sandwich. He chewed for a few seconds, then snapped up and alert with a wide-eyed look on his face. His sudden movement had thrown Tricia off-balance, so she was now sprawled on the floor beside Arthur's bed.
"What- what is this!? Is this peanut butter? For breakfast? Where's the cream cheese? I can't believe you! Not even regular butter! What's wrong with you?" Arthur's outburst surprised even him.
"I just w-wanted to surprise you. I got everything out of your kitchen; I thought that would be okay! I'm sorry." She pleaded and tried to reason with the man, but he wasn't having any of it. After a fantastic breakdown, he told Tricia to leave.
No one really knows if he expected her to show up at his house again, but she never did. He didn’t seem too affected. In fact, to a casual observer, he would seem quite content. Arthur had his ever-present routine, and it kept him satisfied. He grew mildly important in the company where he worked, but they knew him well enough to not make him travel much. All in all, Arthur lived well - lonely, but well – for the rest of his days. Until eventually, the routine ended. On that bright June morning, Arthur somehow knew he wouldn’t see another day. So he lived his life bravely that day, and ate a bagel. A bagel with jelly and peanut butter.
♠ ♠ ♠
Duh-duh-duh..........This came from the line "I can't believe it's not butter"
Doesn't have too much to do with the stuff I put on my rolls, but I had fun writing it. I didn't take it as seriously as the plot might suggest, so you shouldn't either.