THE PERMITA Story by tomovjunior Estimates of future The Permit A Short Story by Alexander Tomov Junior Somewhere in the future… Two men travel in a super modern subway. “Fasten your belts,” says the electronic voice. One of them hesitates. “Fasten your belts or else we can’t start,” repeats the voice. The man obeys. His friend watches him. “This is the last time I obey the order. If they refuse to give me a permit once more, I’ll break the law!” “Don’t. Law is sacred. Even by speaking so, you break it!” the other man reminds him. “I know, but there are limits to everything. I visit the director of the commission for the forth time. If he rejects me again, I’ll break the law and not only in words.” “Why is he doing it?” asks his friend and the train leaves the station in high speed. “He makes some stupid excuses.” “Such as?” “That he is not sure whether I have exhausted all my working capabilities, for example.” “Is this possible?” “No.” “Have you made the necessary brain tests?” “All of them. And they show that I am totally worn out professionally.” “Why doesn’t he give you this document then?” “Because it’s within his power to control people’s personal freedom, and this is absolutely illegal! He is a real criminal. He is ruining the perfect mechanism of our state!” “It’s true. That’s what people have fought for. Perfect democracy. Absolute freedom to dispose of people after they get played out!” his friend said with indignation.” “The idea is being ruined again because of people’s weaknesses. Have you read history? It has happened hundreds of times before one thousand years. Now the state mechanism is perfect, it takes all your fears away. The state offers you perfect conditions. When one fulfills his duty to it, one deserves to get the permit!” They didn’t talk for a while. “Have you realized that this is the only law for whose violation you can’t be punished?” asked his friend. “I have. That’s true. If you do it without the permit, the state is totally helpless.” “Isn’t this the fatal error of the system?” “Maybe. So far no one has ever dared to act without that document. We are not like the savages from the year 2000, after all! Our brain and our morals are cultivated. Especially after the fifth World War. “ “Will you really do it if they reject you again?” “I don’t know. I am having a heavy conflict with myself! As if everything returns to what it was thousands of years ago! And all this because of that upstart official.” “What do you mean - thousands of years?” “This kind of inner hesitation has already been described in ancient times by a playwright: Shakespeare. Have you heard of him?” “No.” “I am not surprised. He is not studied at school. Only a handful of experts know about him. So, he…” “Don’t go so deep into ancient times. We are another type of homo sapiens,” his friend interrupts him. “What does your family thinks about this?” “They all support me entirely. They mobilized themselves and used up all their emotions. This was part of the problem. All was organized and psychologically stable. No one expected that I wouldn’t get the permit. When I was rejected for the first time, it was a great shock. The whole order got confused. Suspicions arouse. My mother was totally devastated. She got arrested because she began to doubt the state order. She began to fear. After doubt always comes fear. At least this is how this madness, characteristic of the primitive people from the epoch of the first World Wars, is described in the textbooks. Things, not inherent to us. In other words, because of this insignificant detail my mother lost her absolute faith in the state!” “Have you missed anything? Maybe you have forgotten some of the procedures?” “No. I have certificates for everything.” “Did you consult a commission of psychologists?” “Yes. The conclusion was unanimous. They gave me their full support.” “I won’t forget how I said good-bye to you! I cried all night. Then I accepted our departure. I forced you out of my mind. I even forgot you. And then you reappeared. I won’t forget how you told me that you hadn’t got the document!” “I, too, can’t believe it yet.” The subway train was slowing down gradually. It was approaching a station. “Tonight they will give you the permit! Believe in that!” “Do you know what the worst thing is?” “What?” “I am going crazy. I feel like a primitive from the 22nd century. I have doubts and I am afraid! Even the speed of the subway train frightens me. If this is an unconscious fear of death, I am lost! Then they will really declare me mad, and I’ll never get the permit.” His friend was looking at him, terrified. “You have to get it! They have no right. A three-month delay of a suicide permit can cause a great stress,” he said indignantly. Translated from the Bulgarian by Margarita Dogramadzhyan
© 2009 tomovjuniorReviews
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tomovjuniorSofia, BulgariaAboutAlexander Tomov Jr. was born on June 3, 1982 in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. He is freelance writer and film director who is looking for realization abroad. His work consists of short stories and s.. more..Writing
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