[#Occ] Sheepslayer247's story

Shouts echo down the streets and alleyways between the brick buildings in front of the gold-domed state capitol. While holding the hands of my children, we scurry towards the noise as if life depended on it....maybe it does.

The Des Moines capitol grounds pulsates with energy as people seem to flow to the center of a new societal "pull" like a silent, universal gravitation. As we step around the corner, a man playing a guitar sings revolutionary songs of the 60's while young girls dance and play around him. Nearby, an older woman in a wheelchair holds a sign that denounces the greed of polticians and bankers.

We walk into the crowd a little further and a small group has gathered around a Vietnam vet and an Iraq-war vet that argue about which soldier had it the worst. After a few minutes of continual bickering they both realise that they have both been a common tragedy of a system that used their life as a tool of poltical power over other nations. Both break into tears and embrace one another as they both have had their lives drastically mangled by war. Seperate generations joined by a common story...horrors of war, horrors of control.

We continue on.....

Another group has gathered near the steps of the capitol and each person is sharing their stories of how corporate, political and money-interest's greed has changed their lives. We stop and listen.

A young white man tells his story of how he is in massive debt from college tuition. After graduation he could not find a job and now works for a temp agency making minimun wage. He cant afford his loan payments and has to live with his parents.

An older black man tells of how he lost his job at the local tire plant during the union strike. Even as the company continued to profit handsomely from the products he made by hand, they would not allow the workers to negotiate wages or benefits. He lost his home and now works part time in an insurance company mail room.

The stories continue around the crowd and eventually I notice that all eyes are on me. They were expecting me to say something.

What do I say? I had to say something. So I told them the truth.

"I have a job. A good job. I never finished college but I worked my way up through the ranks and now have a nice position with a good company that treats me well. But I have no medical insurance for myself or my wife. I spend all my disposable income on insurance for my kids and to pay back debt on hospital visits for me and the wife. I have a mortgage company that tried to foreclose on my home twice, even though I was current on payments. Hell, they didn't even know how to pronounce my name because the people working the forclosure was in India!"

"I have a bank account that used to be very useful when paying bills online, but now their fees have grown to the point where they are just another bill to add to my expenses. They charge me a fee when they take a little from my savings in case I come close to overdrawing but three times so far the fee they charge has caused me to be overdrawn! To be honest, I had to take soda cans back for deposit just to get enough gas for work last week"

I continued on for a few more minutes and when I stopped I realized that I was no longer talking to the crowd. I was not venting my anger to those who would listen. I was looking up....as if I was asking God for help with my problems. "Please God, is there hope?"

At this point I had a grand epiphany. This movement was not about dirty hippies, unemployed workers or poltical talking points. It was about me, and you, and the entire population of people who no longer had a life of value unless their life equaled profit for the system.

We are individuals, yet we are one. A single organism that lived together, and died together. Regardless of political views, financial standing, race or anything else, we are a collective unit that flows through life and one effects the other.

Walking back towards the the car, my kids asked why we came out to this event. I couldn't answer that question. The answer was different for each and every person.

"Some day you will understand, son. Some day."

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Excellent and so true.

We all make our way through this world, for better or worse.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Thanks Dawg!

I learned real fast that our differences do not make us all that different. Your story was great as well!

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Well, truth be told, I believe that I violated the original terms as I based my story from experiances, not fiction. I tried to fictionalize it, but it didn't seem right. Not that it really matters. I just enjoy this community, irregardless of stars and flags.

I'm wondering though how to give a member applause or recommend them and what are the actual criteria to do so?

I do look forward to other members short stories though. Should be interesting.

reply to post by TDawgRex


I think it's all based on just flags. Masqua will award the top three flag-earners as indicated in the original thread. So your flag is all the recommendation needed.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


Thanks for the story Wish I could be there too.

That sounds fantastic
See people! NOT DIRTY HIPPIES! These are people screwed by the system.
We need more stories of real people from ATS going to these. I will be going to my local one. History in the making.

I really like the way you've addressed the way [some of] the media has attempted to marginalize the protesters. Many individuals feel (I think) that they have no power, no voice. At least the collective voice is getting some attention, and that's a start. I think your story will speak to a lot of us

That was a great story !!!

I like the way you tell it as it triggers my imagination about the people you talk to. I enjoyed this one very much !!!!

reply to post by argentus


reply to post by SonoftheSun

Thank you both very much. This is first submission as a short story and I am glad you noticed the subtleties. Looking back I could have tweaked the story a bit, but I like the way it turned out.

Super good story. I predict you will do well in the contest.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


I enjoyed your story. Using the right examples and concrete details, you managed to really drive home what the Occupy is all about. Thank you.