Journals of a Revolution

“Marisa, turn it up will yah’?” Brian mumbled through the bagel that filled his mouth while simultaneously reading the paper and watching the news. Danny’s dad always did enjoy multitasking. It’s something that comes naturally from working in the military. “Give me a second,” Marisa replied. She put down the papers she was organizing and turned up the television with the remote next to her. She then returned to the pile of papers she had to review before the workday as was her morning routine. “After the poll done on our website this past month,” the anchorwoman began, “Presidential candidate Stewart Marshall is predicted to receive seventy percent of the vote, a staggering advantage over candidate David Stone.” “Good,” Brian said. “Guy’s a fuckin’ idiot.” He took another bite of his bagel. Marisa flipped her brown hair out of her face and looked at his dad with a shocked expression that would lead one to believe that she had never heard a word like that in her life. “Brian, don’t say that in front of Danny.” “Kid’s twenty-one. He’s heard worse, Marisa. Like pu...” “Brian!” Marisa yelled, cutting Brian’s vulgarity short. You could see a vein popping form her forehead. Danny continued to eat his cereal as if he hadn’t even heard the discussion. His eyes rolled at the argument that was about to ensue. “The kid’s almost done with college. You can’t keep babying him,” Brian debated. “Well, he’s still my baby, no matter how old he gets,” Marisa replied. Danny looked up from his cereal, mouth full. “Seriously, mom?” he mumbled. Marisa stood up from her station and walked to Danny’s spot at the table. She bent over and kissed him on the head and wrapped her arms around him. “Of course, baby. You always will be,” she said “Ugh, come on. I’m trying to eat,” Danny said as he nudged his mom away. Marisa let go and walked back over to the couch next to her papers and coffee. She seemed indifferent to Danny’s behavior until she said, “Look Danny, just because you’ll be living on your own in a few months doesn’t mean you can act like you own the place. You’re still under my roof.” “Sure thing, mom,” Danny said as he turned his attention back to the cereal. “Will you two quit bickering?” Brian interrupted. He turned back to the television screen and adjusted the volume to compensate for his family’s conversation. “More arrests in the recent protests in Boston,” the television told them. “A hundred protesters were hauled off to jail after refusing to move from the highway leading from Boston at around three in the afternoon yesterday. The protesters had been warned multiple times that they would be arrested if they continued to refuse and the officers held true to their promises. Still, some are saying that the arrests are unjust.” Brian chuckled. “Here’s where they find the biggest moron in the crowd who ends up all over the internet for his ‘inspirational’ rant,” he said. Sure enough, the television went to an interview with some scrawny hipster with an unkempt beard. “We can’t allow the public to vote ignorantly like we always do! David Stone is a coward and a criminal! Just because they couldn’t find proof that he had a part in the war crimes committed by others in his platoon doesn’t make him innocent! Myself and everyone else here will be damned if we let that guy run our country!” “Told you,” Brian said. “Guy’s dumb, but he’s no murderer. Arrest all of them, I say. They always get in the way of my morning commute anyways. It would probably clear up the damn coffee shop too.” Danny’s dad finished up his bagel and grabbed his jacket. He lifted his suitcase from the corner of the room and walked across the living room to Marisa. “I’ll see you after work, sweetie.” Marisa grabbed hold of the back of Brian’s neck and gave him a kiss. She backed her head away and smiled, “Alright, you be careful out there! I love you.” “Love you too. Catch you later Dan,” Brian said as he gave Danny a solid punch on the arm and began to walk away. Danny tried to swing back, but his dad was already a meter away smirking at him and waving. “Yeah, I’ll see you,” Danny said. He took another bite of his cereal and looked back at the television. “Why can’t these people find something better to do with their time, like working? They’re just wasting everyone’s time.” “They’re just standing up for what they believe in Danny,” Marisa said from the couch. She was still trying to get her papers organized and it was obviously flustering her. She took a break and sipped at her coffee. “There’s nothing wrong with demanding change or keeping something from changing. Maybe you should go to a protest at some point. You might learn something,” she continued. “I wouldn’t waste my time on stuff like this,” Danny said. “It would be easier to just keep your beliefs to yourself and just roll with the flow. A lot less people hate you that way.” Danny was never into politics, and it showed whenever he tried to present an argument. It also showed in his history and political science grades. Marisa looked worried and in a sense, hurt. “Surely you don’t believe that. Do you Danny?” she asked. “Of course,” Danny said as he took another bite. He never broke eye contact with the television. “It works in college, why wouldn’t it work in the real world?” “Danny,” Marisa said as she took a sip of her coffee and proceeded to cross her hands in her lap as if she was preparing to give a lecture. “If you never stand up for your beliefs, it doesn’t matter how many people you befriend, nobody will ever stand with you when you really need them and that’s a fact. People will just see you as another student and you won’t stick out as someone with an opinion like you should. If you don‘t agree with something, you need to stand up against it, or it may never change.” Danny slurped down the milk from his cereal, not giving anything Marisa said a second thought. “I’d love to chat about beliefs and junk, but unfortunately I’ve gotta get to class and do that,” Danny said as he put his bowl in the sink and went to his room. He opened the door and started rummaging through the avalanche of clothes to find his book bag. He moved every article of clothing around, but to no avail. “Dammit,” he mumbled. “Hey, mom! Is my bag out there?” He could hear his mom put her paper down and walk around the living room, then a few soft bumps on the wall. She looked behind the couch and yelled back to him, “Yeah, it’s behind the couch.” He walked out and to her outstretched hand with a book bag on the end of it. “You need to start keeping track of your stuff better. I won’t be here to find it for you forever.” She lowered her head to give him that look that moms love to give to their kids when they try to teach them a lesson. “Of course you will,” Danny said with a smile. “Love you, mom.” He gave her a kiss.