It's In The Game

"What exactly is it?" Asked Tuesday. He balanced on the broken remains of a Doric column, then jumped to the broken tiles of an ancient floor. It seemed like the ruins of a Greek building.

"I'm not sure...but it's distracting." Wednesday mumbled, looking through a small leather-bound diary. He flipped through a few pages. "I think," He continued, "it started last week."
"Yeah." Monday said, as looked around. He spied a large wooden cabinet, and moved towards it. "It's like I have purpose, I know what I have, and need to do...but..." He opened the doors, and found a large assortment of wine bottles. He shut the doors closed, and stood there like he'd forgotten why he went there in the first place.
"But you just can't keep your head in the game." Finished Thursday.
"That's it!" Shouted Tuesday and Wednesday together.
"Total lack of focus." Tuesday spoke.
"Befuddled concentration." Added Wednesday
"And you say this started last week?" Monday asked Wednesday.

"What?" Wednesday replied helpfully, but totally out of context.
"This, um...thing..." Monday spied a shiny thing on the tile. He went over to it. It was an old coin. He picked it up and put it in his pocket. This made him happy.

A small beeping came out of Tuesday's jacket. He reached in and produced a P.D.A. He looked at it for a moment.
"Awww, shit!" He said.
"What?" The other's asked.
"Today's Good Friday! What'd we get Friday?"

"Umm..."
"Err..."
"Well...what'd you get him?"
"I forgot." Finished Tuesday.

"I have a coupon for a free haircut." Spoke Wednesday, holding out the coupon.
"I don't think that will do." Said Thursday. "It's hard to believe we forgot."

Just then a chunk of rock, kicked from a foot, skidded across the tiles. Friday walked up talking on a cell. He was laughing and enjoying his talk. When he reached the middle of the ruins, he spoke to the phone the closing line.
"Well, I'm here. So I'll see you later tonight? Great...until then!" He put it away, and looked at his four colleagues. They had rather glum expressions on their faces.
"What?" He asked.

There was a long pause. Birds were singing in the background.
"I got you a free haircut!" Said Wednesday with hopeful enthusiasm, holding out the coupon.

"Friday," Began Thursday, "We forgot this was Good Friday."
"Yeah," Said Monday, "Things have been happening...confusing things."
"I have to agree." Tuesday finished. "We're sorry, but it's just unexplainable. Something's been happening since last week, and we don't know what."

"Ah!" Said Friday. "It's cool. I know. I'm happy you've even noticed."
"What?" Asked Monday.

"I've got a date with Persephone later tonight."
"The wife of the King of the Underworld?!" Exclaimed Wednesday.
"Well," Friday shrugged his shoulders, "It's not exactly a happy marriage. She was abducted and then tricked into the whole thing."

"Friday," Spoke Thursday, "I'm not one to give you advice, but, this seems a little...rash."
"Look..." Friday paused, and walked over to the wine cabinet. He opened it and took out a bottle. He pulled a corkscrew out of his pocket, and un-corked the bottle. Then took a long pull. He took the bottle away from his lips, and looked confused. He pointed to the bottle he held and asked.
"Why didn't you guys start on this?"

Monday looked over at the cabinet. "See, that's what we're talking about. Lately it's been hard to know what's going on."

Friday took another drink. "It's like this." He said, "Persephone's been in the underworld for the last six months, and she popped back up last week sometime. So her mom, yaknow, Demeter - the Goddess - unleashes her powers, and everything starts growing again...starts living again...starts getting confused...because she kinda' has powers over...umm...biological urges. It's the kind of thing that makes you loose focus."

"Wait..." Said Thursday, "You're about to have a date - and if I know you - which I do...you might have amorous relations with the WIFE OF HADES! Friday, that does not sound like a good plan. When that guy gets pissed, I mean, he gets PISSED!"

The others nod in agreement. Friday looks at them for a moment, then walks around handing each a bottle. When completes this task, he draws them in with the "come here" crooked-finger gesture. The weekdays gather round.

"This lady's important." He begins in a whisper. "So important that the earth stops making life when she's gone. But contractually Hades has to let her go for six months - elsewise everything would die, 'cause her mom control's the force of life - dig?"

The four weekdays gathered in a tight circle around Friday (each with a wine bottle) nod their heads in understanding.

"So," Friday whispers, drawing them closer, "after six months in the Land of the Dead - which is not a fun place, I don't have to tell you guys. Do you think the first thing she wants to do is..." His voice rises up, "HANG OUT WITH HER MOM!?"

Friday moves quick - like Moe in the Three Stooges, and in a sweeping smack around the circle strikes them all across the foreheads. There are four solid "whacks" that ring out. All react stupidly - hands up to their heads, with dumb expressions of pain. All except Tuesday, who reflexively smacks the wine bottle across his skull. It shatters, and he falls to the ground drenched in wine, and falling glass shards.

"Persephone wants a good time, and we're going to make sure she gets it! So get your head in the game, and let's go!"


Happy Friday.