in the gathering dusk

by nick nelson

mister brown had just purchased the town but seemed to be having second thoughts. he had hired phil wilson, who had lived in the town all his life and knew everybody, as a guide and consultant. as mister brown and phil wilson walked around the streets in the gathering dusk, they saw a lot of people just hanging out in the streets, standing on corners, or sitting on boxes in front of stores. “who are all these bums?” mister brown asked. “don’t they have homes to go to?” “some of them do,” phil wilson told him. “but they just like to hang out.” “why?” “it’s just what they do. it’s what they’ve always done.” “why don’t they go home and watch tv like decent hardworking people?” “maybe there is nothing good on.” “i don’t like it. look at that guy over there - the one in the orange shirt. he looks like a serial killer being brought into a courtroom. and he is just staring into space like a monkey. who’s he?” “oh, that’s maurice - he’s the mayor’s brother. he’s quite harmless, i assure you.” “the mayor’s brother! maybe i need a new mayor.” “you bought the town, sir. you can do as you like. but if you want my advice, which is what you are paying me for, you might be wise to tread carefully.” mister brown grunted. he took a cigar out of his pocket and lit it. it started to get darker. but as they walked around, cutting down side streets and then back up to the man thoroughfares, they continued to see people on the streets. “look at them!” mister brown repeated. “all of them, just hanging out!” most of the people were silent, although occasionally they heard a voice. but nothing that sounded like a fight or a serious argument. “this is terrible,” mister brown picked up the thread of his discourse. “i did not know anything about this. i didn’t see anything in the papers, or online.” “there has been some notice,” phil wilson said. “ authorities worldwide are starting to notice a pattern. at this point they don’t think it is anything serious, just a blip in the irresistible march to a symmetrical, balanced and manageable human population.” “that’s great, just great. but does anybody have a cure?” mister brown persisted. “some think better television and video programming might be the answer.” “better tv programming! i thought they had that down to a science.” phil wilson shrugged. “maybe. but i, myself, if anybody were interested, take a more long term view.”. “oh?” “yes, these people are, as you point out, just hanging out. but , really, what does any living creature, or any entity in the universe, do but just hang out - hang suspended for its brief existence between an unknown origin and an incomprehensible future?” mister brown took his cigar out of his mouth and looked at it. “you know,” he said, “you might have a point there.”