020: Ficlet: Simply Unacceptable

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Title Simply Unacceptable
Author lauratd
Rating pg
Word Count 400
Prompt 020
Characters Snyder, Larry


As the depressing retrospective of his life ended, Principal Snyder looked around to see where he was. He saw no pearly gates, but no fire and brimstone either. Perhaps this was limbo or a waiting room, but really there should be a reception desk or at least a sign. One thing was for certain. Whoever was in charge here had no proper sense of order.

He saw other people scattered throughout the room. Among them were several students. He recognized Larry Blaisdell which wasn't very promising. The boy was rumored to be a sodomite, and everyone knows where they go.

***
"This is simply unacceptable!" Snyder protested. "I led an orderly life, followed the rules, did as I was told. I should not be here. Hell is for truants and miscreants. Sure, I told the occasional white lie, but only for the common good."

Snyder loosened his tie as he felt the temperature rising. Perhaps this is how they roasted you, slowly, like frogs in a pot of water. He remembered his outrage at not receiving the prize he deserved for that science project. The rules never mentioned "cruelty to animals" disqualifying entries. And here he was again, being punished unfairly.

***
An athletic looking young man entered the room, ran over to Larry, gave him a big hug, then...

"Stop that right now!" Snyder ordered. "I won't tolerate that type of behavior!"

"This isn't your school, Snyder." Larry answered back with a canary-eating grin. As the boys left arm in arm, Snyder heard the sound of loud music and raucous laughter. Snyder was confused and concerned. Once again his understanding of the rules was incomplete. He reassured himself that if Larry could get into Heaven, his chances were good. Of course, he was a bit uneasy about all that noise.

***
One by one, the other occupants were greeted by loved ones. Though they exited through the same door, each person went to a different place. Sometimes Snyder caught glimpses of a quiet forest or a cozy kitchen with family members gathered around the table. Other times he heard snatches of children's laughter, music, or waves against the shore. When he tried to imagine who and what awaited him, his mind was curiously blank.

As everyone else, including much later arrivals, were guided to their destinations, Snyder had an uncomfortably familiar realization. Nobody was coming for him. He was simply unacceptable.

Comments

[skull-theatre.livejournal.com]

Poor, poor Snyder. This is tragic and yet darkly humourous - well done! You had some great lines in there!

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Thanks,

I felt a little mean leaving him there all alone, but seriously who would want to invite him in?

[boy-named-susie.livejournal.com]

Poor Snyder. You made me feel quite sad for him - poor unloved guy. That last line is a killer.

[not-purrrfect.livejournal.com]

Really great. :) Poor old jack@$$ deserved that though.

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Yeah he did sort of make his own bed there.

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I feel sorry for him too: not enough to let him go ruin Larry's fun though.

[lilachigh.livejournal.com]

Oh, that’s sad for poor Snyder.

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have a feeling he's used to it though.

Maybe with an eternity to think and "cry and learn and grow" he'll meet someone nice in the waiting room who will come back and let him in.

[xlivvielockex.livejournal.com]

You managed to do something I thought no one ever could, you made me feel sorry for Snyder, especially with that last line. What a gut punch. So great with the little bits of humor thrown in there and then that dark ending.

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Thanks, It started out as a funny little Snyder trying to boss everyone around drabble and then all of a sudden I realized I didn't know who should greet him, and then I realized who would want to and then I realized maybe nobody would and then as I had him sitting there waiting for someone who wasn't coming I saw him as a little boy waiting for his f-d up mom to pick him up after school or whatever and not showing and all of a sudden, not so much with the funny.

Of course some of us with f-d up moms who forget to show up for stuff manage to grow up a perfectly SANE (yeah, Ok, there was that one dismemberment, but that guy should have never cut in front of me in the express lane, he had 16 items and that's against the rules)

[divadea.livejournal.com]

Aw. This is good because it's unexpected (at least it was for me!)

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Thanks, actually the end was unexpected for me too. It's often like that for me I start them off and the characters just move right on past where I was going.

[rayruz.livejournal.com]

Poor Snyder.... did I say that?

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

yeah, I wound up feeling kind of sorry for him myself

[stretfordditto.livejournal.com]

Poor Snyder!

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to next week when I get to stop torturing dead people. It's been fun and all but I'm ready for some light summer reading now.

[zandra-x.livejournal.com]

Ah, you made me feel sorry for Snyder. 8 ]

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

He is kind of pathetic...

[wereleopard58.livejournal.com]

This is sad that he was left there no loved one to come and get him

[lauratd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was planning on it being a funny story but then it got all sad on me and there was nothing I could do.