The sound of the drums caused everyone in the store to stop what they were doing.
“What in the …” Tamara stopped ringing up her customer and looked over her shoulder toward the front entrance.
The small marching band began to play and about twenty “customers” began to dance and sing.
Everyone else in the store froze on the spot and watched the ensemble.
Tamara turned to her customer. “Can you make out what they’re singing? I’m too distracted by the swinging umbrellas.”
The customer laughed and nodded. “The umbrellas really do add a little something, that’s for sure.” She tilted her head and listened. “I think they’re protesting.”
“Protesting what?”
The customer shrugged, but continued. “I think your company gave money to some political cause.”
“Really?” Tamara checked her watch. Only one more hour before she could go home. “Do you know what cause?”
“I’m not sure, but I think I read it was Prop 8.”
Tamara nodded. She wasn’t surprised. Nothing surprised her nowadays – the world had gone insane virtually overnight. “Right.” She continued to watch the spectacle a few moments before noticing her boss on the phone. She guessed he was calling the police.
“Well. You know what they say about opinions,” Tamara said and the customer laughed again.
The group began dancing and marching out of the store. Everyone remained perfectly still and watched them until the door closed, then as if on cue, they all started moving again.
It was business as usual.
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This short-short was inspired by this video.
Fiction under 250 words.
Write From Karen 