PACMAN

A 125 WORD SHORT STORY

J. Marshall

The husband whispered to his wife while she played a game of Pacman on her smartphone.

“Baby, are you ready to talk to Phillip?”

Their son Phillip was seated at the table, scarfing down his large Thanksgiving meal.

“One second,” the wife said.

“But he’ll be done soon.”

“Just one second,” the wife repeated, making Pacman eat a flashing blue ghost.

“He’s almost finished,” the husband urged.

“One dang second, baby.”.

“Done!” their twenty-three-year-old son announced. “See you next year!”

The son hopped up and was gone before they could stop him. They heard the front door open and close.

The husband abruptly fell to his knees, lifted his fists into the air, and bellowed at the ceiling,

“Nooooooooo! Goddamn you, Pacmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!”