Amy Dillon

ENG 484 Crash Course in the Short Story

7/25/17 Writing Exercise

Community well known to me/Trump takes over

                My neighborhood is inside of Chicago, although it is dotted with so many trees and full of so much grass that it could be considered rural.  I like action, I like noise, I like more than one car to pass by me (or my house) per day- that’s why often I go downtown a lot to do homework, catch up on reading, etc.- and during these times I go to the Dunkin Donuts on State and Lake.  A year or so ago, give or take, it was a good place to go- peaceful, not as much crime/violence, but ever since the Trumpites have taken over, I have been kind of scared to go there- I often fear for my life; or, at least, my mental well-being.  The corners used to be occupied by homeless people holding up signs- cardboard with sharpied words- “Please help in any way that you can,” but now, these corners, these sidewalls are full of Trumpites, demanding that the elite take over.  “Give us your money- our else!” was the sign carried by the latest Trumpite that had run in and out of the Dunkin Donuts.  The Trumpites want everything to go the elite, the rich, the 1%.  Now a days people that make under $40,000 a year don’t have insurance.  Trump has taken away food stamps, and money for those that don’t work.  The rich are richer than ever- and their power continues to increase.  I don’t see the poor people on the street anymore- it seems that the bigotry of the Trumpites has made them lose any pride the poor might have attained, before; now, it seems they don’t have the courage to beg for change, because it would mean that they’d have to face these new found enemies of theirs. 

                Yesterday morning, I went for the walk from the Dunkin Donuts to the bus.  On my way I passed a homeless person, in an alley, hiding behind a dumpster.  I walked up to her: a teenager with red hair and oversized glasses, and asked her if she was okay.  A tear ran down her cheek, as she looked up to me and said, “No, I’m not, because I know you’re one of them.”

                “What do you mean,” I asked.

                “I mean, even a good person, that cares enough to ask if I am okay is still a bad person.  You’re unethical, you’re a Trumpite.”

                “What can I do to make you not hate me?” I asked.

                She held out her hand.

                “Sit next to me,” she said.

                So I did, and we talked for a while.  I gave her a few dollars and told her to go to the 7-11 and get something to eat, or some coffee.  And this is the last time I had seen a poor person.  They’re not in the shelters- those are all closed down.  So where could they be, I wondered.  They are probably all in hiding, I decided, even though this seemed illogical.  But hey, in a place where the 1% has total control, anything is possible.