by Stephen Gray
The old rotten house on the hill had seen better times. Most of its present dwellers had allowed it to descend into a state of disrepute. This house, which had once been admired and its former tenants dignified and respected, was now a garbage can with four walls. The rot was apparent for all to see. Most of the present tenants were doing nothing to bring the house back to its former glory, but were instead piling up more filth within its confines. There were a few who still had some sense of decency and morality. But the majority had allowed the muck to accumulate for so long that it had become natural for them to accept it as normal. Others looking on from the outside could smell the pollution and see the dirt within the house. But who were they to say anything? For they had no power over its inhabitants.
Some of those within the house supported perverted lifestyles. Others thought criminals should have a right to privacy. Still others believed it was okay to kill the child in the womb. This was a house where men married men and women married women. A place where they discussed child pornography but did very little about cleaning it up. They were all talk and no action. Anything was acceptable to most of those living within. One of the residents even had everyone running scared and he was able to get anything he wanted at anytime. He was known as the house bully and no one dared offend him. He was an unpleasant example of the power of one. Occasionally a few decent occupants spoke out, but were easily subdued into silence by ridicule and name calling. Courage was not a permanent resident here. But it was known that corruption had a place here and that it had become part of the house’s decline.
Some of the house’s inmates believed in looking after one’s friends, and would hand out contracts to them. Other residents of the house would look after faithful servants and give them accommodations in the upper chamber of the house. There the faithful servants would receive large payments just for being present to do their master’s bidding. There were huge amounts of influence and money within this rotten abode. Taxes were forgiven for friends of friends. Other monies were handed over to special interest groups who had influence with the house’s dwellers. Conversation in the house was always ongoing and many subjects were discussed: politics, taxes, society, war, but indexed pensions for the residents was always a sure winner.
The house was one big politics discussing family, though there was a faction within that had more say than others. These were known as the ruling family. The ruling family had had control of the house for a long time and had done nothing to stop the rot that now permeated throughout. But out of the house’s degenerate structure a voice of the ruling family spoke out. He said he was dedicated to cleaning up the house. Some cynical people outside the house were filled with wonder when they heard this. For this voice of the house’s ruling family had been living with the filth and corruption for years; he had made no attempt during that time to restore the house to cleanliness and decency.
Some said that he had a credibility problem; but in this house that was an asset. Who needed credibility when principles no longer existed? The lack of principles was quite common in the house and some tenants would do anything or say anything to be accepted into the family circle of the ruling family. Loyalty was not a virtue here. This was a house where treachery was a way of life and lies and hypocrisy were constant visitors. This was a place of rot and of the rotten. No wonder the house smelled. But still this was home, this old rotten house on the hill.
Stephen Gray
Dec. 12, 2003.
graysinfo@telus.net website http://www.oocities.org/graysinfo
Some info on the Author: Stephen Gray is a writer and researcher on various topics. He published a newsletter for 11 years exposing the misuse of trade union time and money.