Good morning, people! Sit down, sit down! I’ve got a little story to tell you my dearies! A short story from within the depths of my bookshelf is all… Now sit, relax, listen to me, for I’ve got a story for you all!

There was once a young little boy. This boy was no ordinary boy. He had the power to spread happiness to others around him! Everyone relied on this happiness to have that spice in their life. And this boy did deliver. He would spend every day of his life hopping around town, making people happy. Everyone greeted him as he hopped by. Everyone would stop doing what they were doing for the moment and greet the young little fellow. As he hopped by, everyone is filled with happiness for the rest of the day.

However the little boy slowly became bored of his daily tasks, and soon contemplated of finding his own happiness. Sure, he can spread happiness to others, but can he make himself happy? No. He contemplated this thought for days to come. People greet him again and again. He hops around town again and again. As he does this he thinks, will this cycle ever end? Will these people find happiness of their own?

However, there was this one fateful day. While he was hopping around town, he met this girl. She had golden hair, and had the most beautiful eyes! Her face was pretty, and she had the most beautiful dress. And this girl not only greeted this boy, but asked how he was doing. Fancy that? No one ever asked the boy how he was doing. They thought a simple hello would suffice, actually. So this man, finished with his hopping for the day, replied to the girl. He said that he was doing fine. The girl simply smiled at him, and said her name. She was named Elayne. The boy thought it was a lovely name! He shook hands with her, and said his name as well, a thing that no one asked of him.

He was named Jack.

She simply giggled a bit. The two talked for a while, then the girl bid him farewell. The boy was happy when he finished the conversation. It’s like he was a new man! The next day, the boy continued his daily routine. He hopped happily and everyone greeted him on the way. At the end of his routine, the girl talked to him again. They chatted for a while, and the boy waved goodbye once more. The conversations at the end of the hopping became a part of his routine.

Months pbum, and the two became closer to each other. They want to organize a date together, but they can’t pull it off without Jack canceling his hopping activity. It would mean that he would need to stop spreading happiness for a day. Of course he pondered for a bit. What would happen if he would stop spreading happiness to the town? The people rely on the happiness the boy emanates, and he knows they can’t do without them. But then again, he needs a break, right? He does his hopping everyday with no break. Surely he must need a vacation for at least a day?

And so the date commences. And what a fine date it was! There were candlelights, roses, and everything! Jack has prepared so much for this. Then he sat down. He waited. And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

An hour has pbumed, and he starts to worry. He starts to run towards Elayne’s home. However when he goes outside, he sees that the town is a wreck. Everyone’s fighting. There were robbers everywhere. He ignores the ensuing chaos and rushes towards her house. There he sees her father beating her up. He punches his face, and he goes down. He carries Elayne to the Hospital. When he reaches it, though, everyone’s too angry to help. His friend is badly bruised. He carried her to one of the rooms, ignoring the ensuing chaos. He then thought for a moment. Why is this happening? Why is everybody killing each other? Why?

Then it hit him.

He stopped hopping.

As soon as he realized that, he started hopping. He hopped from the room of Elayne towards the exit of the Hospital. He hopped from there to here, from here to there, from here and there and everywhere. He spreads his happiness frantically to the townspeople. This time, they didn’t greet him. After hours of hopping, he was finally back in the hospital.

The personnel are now taking care of her. However there was one problem. She is now in a coma. Jack couldn’t see her anymore because of that. He can’t even see her because if he even stops hopping, the chaos would start again. And thus, he runs away, deeply saddened.

Jack hops around town sadly, ignoring the greetings of oncoming townspeople. He payed no heed to them, as if he even stops for a moment to talk, chaos will ensue. As each day pbumes, his life becomes duller and duller, until the day he finally died. And it was a sad day. I guess the old saying really is true.

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.