Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2021
Tom Teti
Pages 118-136
A Change of Verbs
How much of your life is trapped in social norms? What would you say if you were free to say what you really thought? How would you live your life differently? In this work of philosophical short fiction, Simon in a married, middle aged, college professor. Inch by inch, day by day, over his life he has given up his freedom to social norms. He stays quiet in his true thoughts in the face of his wife, and his co-workers. One day, something changes, and he decides to “change his verbs.” He tells his wife what he thinks. He tells his students what he thinks. He says no to attending pointless meetings. In short, he releases himself from the social cages that he has created for himself, and he is happy. He comes home to his wife and, seemingly for the first time in years, is free to tell her honestly that he loves her.