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Shea's Story Creek Star
Monday, 10 May 2010
One Millennial's Major Complaints

 

One Millennial's Major Complaints

By Charles Shea LeMone

Twenty-two-year-old Russell Weldon's fingers tapped at a steady rhythm. With his laptop resting on his thighs, he listened to Jay-Z rap through his I-phone headphones, composing a letter to his psychiatrist.

To Dr. H. W. Moorehouse

Saturday, May 8, 2010 -- Noon-ish:

I am writing in response to six-months of you hounding me to open up and tell you what I think my problems are. So I will school you here in print. Most of my problems start and end with my parents. Is that what you've wanted me to admit for so long? Well, to start, let's make it clear in no uncertain terms. I hate them!

My mother is the born liberal, tree-hugger type, as you may have already suspected, a college librarian, who is still trying to worm her way into me considering her my best friend. She is thick-skinned, determined in this lost cause. Nevertheless, I have to give her an A for effort. She likes repeating, “I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I made.”

Often I want to shout back at her, “Then give me the space to make my own mistakes. Okie-dokie?”

Various forms of this conversation have played out over the last eight years. That's when she caught me smoking a blunt in the garage one afternoon. And I'd be puffing on a big fat one right this instant, too, if my contact hadn't grounded me for two days running while waiting (like all the other pot dealers I know) to replenish his stash.

On the other side of the parental coin, my father, the junior partner corporate accountant, earns a D- for having tried to understand me. Lately, though, the only thing he'll discuss is why I've been unemployed for so damn long? Or how hard am I trying to find a real job and keep it for more than a couple of weeks.

About once a month, almost as regular as a woman's menstrual cycle, he lets off steam and threatens to physically kick my ass out the house. It's almost amusing the way his bifocals practically steam up; and his face turns so red it's almost blue. And dear, old dad also likes blaming me--his one and only child--for his high blood pressure and other health related issues. It's times like these, I wish I'd been born twins or maybe quadruplets to see how he'd like dealing with that.

If they think I confuse and frustrate them, it's only because they have no idea how much they have confused the hell out of me ever since I began forming my own opinions.  So what that I could not stomach college life for more than a year-and-a-half and can't keep a job? Do they have to broadcast it whenever I'm in earshot of their telephone conversations with concerned friends and relatives. Talk about being an invisible man, sometimes I feel less than zero. That's why I stay in my room most of the time. It's off-limits to them with it's own bathroom, too.

You may ask: why am I so angry and choose to be distant and selfish? I could write dissertations on those topics as thick as redwood logs. For one thing: look at the world they--and their generation--are leaving young people like me and any children we might have. They've polluted the skies and oceans and the land under our feet. So tell me who inherits those problems? From jump street, they've misled us about everything, duty, responsibilities, religion, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus, too.

Let's not even talk about the national deficit. I'll be lucky if I ever earn enough for a down-payment on a house, which does not get foreclosed on leaving me homeless with nobody to give a shit and without a pot to piss in. It's my brothers and sisters in Iraq and Afghanistan whom I feel the most pity for; killing and being killed and maimed, and getting psychologically screwed up for life because some politicians gave them the green-light to fight and kill. And who, but my generation is going to pick up the tab when Social Security and Medicare--and so many other entitlements--run out of dough? I'll answer that question. It'll be the suckers my parent's generation gave birth to trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

I have a cousin who is only twelve years older than me. For three years his widowed mother, all crippled and shriveled up, has been living in a cramped little house with him and his wife and three children. At the turn of the last century, life expectancy was 47 point something. Now people live forty years longer and more; and it won't be too long before every day of the week more and more people will be seeing their hundredth birthdays. As much as I try avoiding it, I can easily imagine tripping over a bunch of old prune faced people and their walkers—while trying to take a leisurely stroll in the park. Although I have no intention of ever getting handcuffed into maaried life, merely imagining myself in a similar situation, as my cousin, taking care of my mother, is a nauseating thought.

If everything I have written so far was all I had to complain about, I'd still be in college with all kinds of normal goals and plans that would please my old man. But that would be unrealistic; because all the complaining I've done so far pales to near non-existence, petty annoyances, really, next to my fears, the motivating factors that stir my life. My parents had contagious germs and the Russians and nuclear war to fear, the possibility of total extinction measured in odds. More and more, though, it has become clear to me that the doomsday scenario they feared so deeply is far less horrific, and all encompassing, as what I see coming our way in about two and a half years.

There is a big secret that governments, the NSA, and everyone in the loop do not discuss with regular people like you and me. But Nibiru, a planet the size of Jupiter, is hurtling through the cosmos closer and closer to our solar system day-by-day. Signs of it's approach are the increasing prevalence of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions--and a long list of lesser noted, yet, unprecedented natural occurrences and uncommon weather phenomena.

Coincidentally, the arrival of Nibiru, as a true, next-door neighbor in the sky coincides with the end of the Mayan Calender. Biblical passages also sagely predict lightening and thunder in the sky, a scorching of the earth and a cleansing by fire of the impure. Well, guess who the impure are according to the Anunnakai, the 80 to 100 foot warriors, set to swoop down and invade us during the mop-up process. And that, Dr. Moorehouse, in case you don't already know, will be our fate one day in mid-December 2012.

And all my father wants to talk about is me finding a job?

There are those I know who believe the Anunnakai created us with the advanced scientific knowledge they inherited from their creators. What sets earthlings apart is our ability  and our willingness to kill our own kind and everything around us; and even though we have been informed of our fate we remain firmly indifferent to the outcome.

It is also believed, by some, that there was one scientist, I shall call the Prince of Peace, who lobbied on our behalf many eons ago, which prevented another scientist, I will call the Prince of Darkness, from destroying mankind long ago. In an effort to save us in an allotted period of time, the Prince of Peace sent (what he thought to be) his healing messages and his wisdom by way of a long series of prophets, who attempted to teach homo sapiens to love and have compassion for one another. The Prince of Darkness scoffed at the notion that man could ever change his savage nature but consented to the experiment knowing in his heart that the Prince of Peace would fail.

If any of this is true, and I am a microcosm of mankind, the Prince of Peace, indeed, accepted a doomed mission. I know enough psycho-babble to realize that the label psychopath fits me like custom made armor. Because I know I could kill. Though I’ve never have done it, I know I'd kill if I was confronted with harm. I'd do it in an instant with no remorse. In fact, if I could, I'd kill the Anunnakai. What's more, if it was me against Him, and I could, I'd kill God.

Russel reread what he'd written twice while chuckling to himself each time until he came near the end of the message. Then he said good-bye to it before deleting the file—meant for his eyes only--with a click of a forefinger and a wry smile on his curled lips and a glint in his blue eyes. So far, he thought, the day had started out pretty well.

Now if his contact came through, Saturday night would be another blast. Once again he'd convinced himself that the best he could do was enjoy whatever life he had left to the max of his ability.

 


Posted by shealemone at 9:21 AM EDT

Monday, 10 May 2010 - 2:05 PM EDT

Name: "Anna"

This is an excellent story that highlights the sad truths of how the Millenial's
"20 somethings" actually talk  and act.  They want to blame everything on
their parents.  Divorce will always affect the children; however, they use
that as a permant hammer to hold over their parents heads for their
own shortcomings.  Millenial children do not want to accept
responsibility or accountability for actions they took as teenagers,
or even the ones they are taking now.  Binge drinking and doing
drugs and not getting a job has nothing to do with their parents.
If you want a nice life with nice things, learn a trade, go to college
and work for what you want and learn how to budget your money
so that you can afford things.  I have Millenial children and I am
to blame for everything, and even though they got everything that
was required for them to grow up healthy and strong with straight
teeth and played sports that is not good enough.  This generation
is very materialistic and me, me, me oriented.  The minute one of
their poor decisions comes back to bite them in the back-side,
they either blame it on the parents, or want to go running back
home for a free ride.  It is their turn to stand up and vote for
people to be in office to change what they don't like.  They
need to behave more responsibly and stop blaming everyone
but themselves.  Nostradamus claimed the world would
end in the year 2000, 10 years later we are still here.
Stop whining and complaining and get a job and make
your own future.  My generation pays into the system for people before me, the system itself is broken and that has nothing to do with the parents.  You want to blame someone, blame the open arms welcome to America policy where people can come here start businesses and never pay a dime into the "system".

Monday, 10 May 2010 - 10:48 PM EDT

Name: "Jaime"

Most of the young people I know are not this nihilistic and egocentric fortunately. They plan and work for the future so I really do hope the Mayans or whoever were wrong about the total destruction of earth. I still hope that the future can change and people will wake up to the really important things.

Monday, 10 May 2010 - 11:33 PM EDT

Name: "anonymous"

"... I'd kill God" when I got to that part, I thought wow, never read/heard those words before, this is some story.  Then it ended, all too soon!  Lemone always always has a way to captivate your attention.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 - 8:40 AM EDT

Name: "anonymous"

My characterization of “one millennial” is exactly that—a fictional account. However, this story is based on more than three years of listening to friends complain about their twenty-something sons in great detail. I feel fortunate that I have a loving, goal-oriented daughter and a god-son (both in their late twenties) who make me proud of their accomplishments as well as who they are as human beings. Every generation has its share of people like the character I created. Again, my first aim is to entertain.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 - 1:05 PM EDT

Name: "R.L. Tipton"
Home Page: http://thefiresidereader.blogspot.com

Oh, Shea! You have that wry sense of humor going again. I like it. :D

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 - 3:52 PM EDT

Name: "anonymous"

Russell may be a fictional character but still…  Once again, you have achieved your aim, very entertaining and thought provoking too. Please do not neglect Shea's Story Creek Star for very long.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 - 3:56 PM EDT

Name: "JenBethWright"

I agree with everything said above, especially about not neglecting you blog for too long. So keep the stories coming, fictional or real.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 - 5:09 PM EDT

Name: "Barbara"

Ah, has there ever been a generation in the history of mankind that has not resented the way the previous generation did things? this story reminds me so much of how we  felt in the '70's when I was coming into adulthood. A lot of the same issues, too! 

Wednesday, 12 May 2010 - 10:00 AM EDT

Name: "C. S. LeMone"

So right, you are, Barbara. In fact, I was surprised by how easily I was able to identify with Russell's rant from a fictionalized standpoint. I also realized that he was doing his best  to shock his doctor in his "pretend" letter. While writing it, I also thought about a line from an old  Dylan song: "If my thought dreams could be seen, they'd probably put my head in a guillotine.

Wednesday, 12 May 2010 - 2:27 PM EDT

Name: "jim"

 

Shea,  You're way too deep to think as shallow as the character you are trying to give voice to.  You've got the attitude nailed, but you're using way too much grammar and logic. It seems like the 2012 stuff is a distraction and needs to be in another story.

a bitty typo "getting handcuffed into maaried life"

 The overall rant in the beginning needs even more entitlement and self-righteousness to get to the level of satire at which you are so skilled. Like another commented - that just sounds like normal contemporary rant (though too literate, imo).

Thursday, 13 May 2010 - 7:32 AM EDT

Name: "JenBethWright"

I disagree with everything Jim wrote above. Maybe he should write his own story about a Russell like character and stop looking for flaws in a story I found to be right on the mark as satire that hits very close to reality and is also entertaining. And pointing out the error in spelling in BOLD PRINT is nothing short of RUDE!!!! 

You might want to consider deleting his comments and blocking him from making any new ones. I was surprised when you told me on the phone last night that this man is a friend. I thought he was just some frustrated grump who strumbled on your site. Tell him I said this the next time you talk.

Thursday, 13 May 2010 - 9:23 AM EDT

Name: "C. S. LeMone"

Dear Jennifer,

Jim Bier is a friend and retired college chemistry professor. He has expressed appreciation for Corner Pride and the short story A Testimonial--which can be found on my homepage. I have noticed, though,  that Jim seems to have the kind of mind that focuses on spotting fault-lines, so to speak. Therefore, I am going to leave his comment here. Nevertheless, the way you sounded on the phone last night, and the way you went after him this morning, does endear you to me even more.

Thursday, 13 May 2010 - 9:32 AM EDT

Name: "JenBethWright"

You know I love picking on you and do it better than anyone else you know. That's the real reason I took offense to that guy. He was trying to thread on my turf. You know us Philadelphians don't play that.

Thursday, 13 May 2010 - 10:06 AM EDT

Name: "jim"

JenBethWright,

 Guilty as charged!  I can't claim to love Shea nearly as much as you, but I do love, respect and admire him immensely for his heart, for his talent, and for his honesty and integrity.  A lifetime in academia has trained me to look for ways to improve anything, and I work fairly hard at doing that myself and sharing my perceptions about what I see.  Shea already knows that I am in training for the expressing appreciation thing.  I should have shared the typo privately, and that it was in bold is just the way it pasted, and I didn't try to retype or change it.  Thank you for your help on trying to avoid future rudeness!

Thursday, 13 May 2010 - 3:00 PM EDT

Name: "ViVian LeMone"

What you have written wrings very true of my sentiments that I've

felt and known for years to be very sad but true!  It's like you were

in my head reading my thoughts.  Wow!!!!

Thursday, 13 May 2010 - 3:26 PM EDT

Name: "C. S. LeMone"

Dear Sister 

I just mentioned you earlier in a message to Jim Bier. You were on a list that included Jennifer, Carl Sherrie and Jerome, all of who(m) get very defensive when they feel people are unduly critizing or taking advantage of me. I painted a picture of the way you came to my rescue many times back on Gratz Street, and how I can still see that lioness look in your eyes that made me feel pity for anyone you were about to confront.

P. S. I wish more young people felt, and expressed, the love we still have for our mother and father

Saturday, 15 May 2010 - 5:29 PM EDT

Name: "Cleo M.P. v.d.Berg"
Home Page: http://Facebook.com

Dear Shea, this is for the first time that I came to your page with poems and stories and read your "Millennial"...

Loved the way you described yourself in the guy Russel.. From the beginning  I could identify my adopted son with Russel, a hating parents' guy and not wanting to have to do anything in his world.  Unfortunately MY son got into the "addicted " business real deep and according to me he still is addicted, so I don't see him ever!

Anyways, your story was so far fun reading and I hope to be able to read more from your hand/finger/key/pen. Saw that you wrote a poem about the Afro-American, very nice! Must make more time for this, reading..SmileThanking you... 

Humbly me, Cleo(petra) Wink

Sunday, 16 May 2010 - 9:33 AM EDT

Name: "C. S. LeMone"

When I posted this riff, I expected protesting comments accusing me of lumping all millennials in the same bucket of rotten apples. Therefore, I am surprised by the comments linking Russell to real life young men. Consequently, I need to make a disclaimer using an old saying, “It’s the rusty wheel that gets the grease/attention.”

 

Furthermore, I speak at a local college now and then and attend other events where there are young people I rub shoulders with. Most of them impress me as considerate and polite.

 

However, I recently read an article written by a woman who adopted three young siblings (three to five years of age) to live with her and her husband. She said no amount of love shown to them was enough to change their hateful attitudes. She went on to say that all three children have reached college age and show respect and common courtesy to everyone except her and her husband. Could it be that some young people hold their parents to a standard that can never be met?

Sunday, 16 May 2010 - 7:40 PM EDT

Name: "Cleo"

No, I do not think so... this as reply on what YOU said about the hate of the kids towards their adoptive parents, ... What I think is, that they have been unwanted children from birth onwards when small, coming into this world. They cannot bond, no love, have not felt love, because mommy was not there... I wonder if those kids YOU are talking about, will be able to love another person for real, because some can put up an act very well, as my adoptive son did.. he could cry as if it was real and laugh even if he was not happy and he was not happy.. although we did and tried with him EVERYTHING to make him feel happy...   sad story 

He hates my guts because I do not give him anything anymore and he hates my late hubby too..  now, that he is dead!! Because my hubby provided him always with things he wanted.. 

Sunday, 16 May 2010 - 7:52 PM EDT

Name: "cleo again"

I can give you millions of examples of what happened to others with the same sort of... but this is not the place to do that and also besides of what you wrote.. one thing more...

Have you ever seen a video of a monkey or other baby animal left by its parent? It is lost, completely lost, and it will take maybe ages or non at all to make it feel good again, its a lifetime sentence!!

 

Monday, 17 May 2010 - 8:27 AM EDT

Name: "C. S. LeMone"

Very good points, Cleo.  My mention of the adopted children and their behavior was off track. Thanks for sharing more on this subject with us.

Saturday, 5 June 2010 - 5:08 PM EDT

Name: "Saverio"

What a complainer.

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