#NaNoWriMo 2017: Day Eighteen

High Dependency

The previous chapters can be found here: https://medium.com/high-dependency

Chapter Eighteen

“It all comes back to land, see?” said Slim. “What you have wasn’t earned. The only reason why you had the money to set this place up is because your fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers waged war on other people. Property is theft”

“My parents haven’t given me a penny since I turned eighteen” said Jan. “I’m a self-made man”

“Oh-ho! Self made man, eh?” asked Slim, with a half-laugh. “How’d you get that good job in the first place, Jan? Remind me: where did you go to school?”

“I went to state school” Jan replied flatly.

“What, Colyton Grammar? That’s the best school in the country. You’ve got to pass tests and stuff to get in there. It’s not an ordinary school for the likes of me”

“Anybody can take the test”

“I expect you had tutors and things to help you pass it though”

“Yes. You’re right” said Jan.

“And now all you lot who think you’re a cut above the rest of us, meet up and discuss what’s best for everyone, while everyone else is not invited” said Slim, gesturing at Mrs. Firman, Arno, Thom, Jan and Laken, who were stood in the workshop with hand-drawn plans on the table saw bench. “You’re meeting up in the dead of night to discuss matters that affect all of us. Thick as thieves, you lot”

“This meeting wasn’t planned, Slim” said Thom. “It’s not like people weren’t invited. There were no invites”

“I see you lot talking all the time; making decisions together”

“You’re right, Slim. We did put money in at the start and so we’ve got a vested interest, but we’ve never used that as a stick to beat anyone with, have we?” asked Arno. “I think we treat everyone equally”

“Yeah, but some are more equal than others”

“To be honest, some people don’t put in as much effort as others” said Mrs. Firman.

“What’s she doing here then?” asked Slim, pointing at Frankie, who was lingering on the periphery. “She didn’t even help build any of this”

“The only house I saw you work on was yours, Slim. Frankie is my guest” Laken snarled aggressively. “Leave her out of this”

“Laken’s got a point. I’ve never seen you cooking or doing any gardening. What exactly is it that you do round here?” asked Mrs. Firman.

“You think you’re better than other people because you think you work hard, don’t you? You’re just being a bunch of martyrs. You love that feeling of moral superiority you get when you’re working and other people aren’t. You choose to work as hard as you do” replied Slim.

“Why do you choose not to work then?” asked Laken.

“I refuse to be coerced into wage slavery by social pressures. A hard day’s graft only benefits the paymasters and it’s undignified to prostitute yourself like that. Your suffering is self-inflicted”

“Everyone shut up a moment” said Arno. “Slim, you’ve got a point. Jan, you went to a great school. Laken went to boarding school. Thom, Mrs. Firman… I don’t know exactly how you came into money but you’re not short of a quid or two, either of you. I inherited a lump of cash. Yes, you’ve got a point. We’re richer than most and we didn’t earn it. There’s no such thing as a self-made man — we all profited from the circumstances that we were born into”

“Thank you, Arno. That’s what I was trying to say” said Slim.

“But what do you propose we do about it?” she asked.

“We need class warfare; wealth redistribution”

“Oh how droll” said Arno rolling her eyes. “Then we end up with different rich people. We’ll cause death and misery for untold millions and not achieve anything other than transferring the wealth from one set of families to another. The muscliest bullies will take what they want and the vulnerable will be trampled underfoot”

“That is utter bullshit. Haven’t you read your history books? Sedition only ceased to be a crime in 2009. The UK Government, the police and the army have been continuously beating down the poor to protect the rich” spat Slim.

“Most people just want to get on with their lives — they want to work and not cause a fuss” said Arno.

“But you lot are causing a fuss aren’t you? Who are you to sit in judgement over everyone and think you can decide who deserves to be rich and who deserves to be poor? Why’ve you got to try and put rules in place?”

“We’ll get shut down, Slim” said Thom. “We’re here figuring out how we’re going to redevelop the commune in a way that will allow us to get retrospective planning permission so that we’re left alone. Otherwise, people are going to try and come in and evict us”

“On what grounds? Some fucking politicians in London decide what’s best for the good of the country and we can’t live our own lives as we see fit. Now you lot are deciding what’s best for us too”

“We’re not exactly deciding” said Jan. “We have to abide by the rules, regulations and laws that govern us. We can’t fight the system”

“Look, we agree that all government is tyranny, but we’re not settlers of the New World. We’re not able to buy ourselves a plot of land and arm ourselves to the teeth like our American brethren. This is an experiment conceived of and founded by privileged educated wealthy middle-class people, in the back yard of the landed gentry. Everybody fucking hates us” said Arno.

“Speak for yourself. I’m from a poor working-class family” said Slim.

“Now who’s being the martyr?” said Mrs. Firman.

“Alright. Settle down” said Thom. “We need to get back to business”

There were pencil sketches on a large pad of paper, showing the existing plan of the commune. Twelve plots radiated away from the green, in a semicircle.

“The proposal is that we develop the other side of the track in a mirror image. We can build ten standardised ten metre diameter roundhouses for every family” said Jan.

“Why roundhouses?” asked Slim.

“Because we’ve got to use traditional building techniques and choose more aesthetically pleasing architecture” replied Thom. “It’s the only way that we’re likely to be granted retrospective planning permission”

“Only our house is likely to be approved. That’s why we need to build ten new houses. The old ones will have to be converted into barns and sheds” said Mrs. Firman.

“We’ve been saving up some money and there was a donation, but we’re still going to have a hefty shortfall. We need to put more money into the kitty every week” said Jan.

“I can’t afford any more” said Slim.

“You must have over twenty quid of disposable income every week” said Mrs. Firman.

“No, I don’t”

“Why not?”

“I spend it” he replied.

“What on?” she asked.

“Baccy”

“Well, tobacco’s a luxury. You’ll have to go without”

“Whoa there!” said Arno. “I’m not comfortable encroaching onto people’s lifestyle choices. We’ll be dangerously close to a totalitarian regime if we start telling people they can’t smoke”

“But it’s a choice” said Mrs. Firman.

“No it’s not” said Slim. “I’ve tried to quit and I can’t. I’m addicted”

“Addiction is a choice. It’s just a lack of willpower”

“If we’re going to start lecturing people on the morality of their behaviour and attempting to meddle in individual affairs, then you can count me out. I’m going to leave” said Arno.

“Seriously?” asked Jan.

“Yes. Dead serious”

The next chapter can be found here: https://medium.com/high-dependency