The Anthem of My Discontent

The smart speaker blinked red again. I’d told it to play “calm jazz,” but instead, it launched into a loop of 80s power ballads. By the third chorus of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” I was halfway through my second cup of…
The smart speaker blinked red again. I’d told it to play “calm jazz,” but instead, it launched into a loop of 80s power ballads. By the third chorus of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” I was halfway through my second cup of…
Clive glued a bicycle wheel to a microwave oven, then taped 37 empty soup cans to the handle. ‘It’s a kinetic art piece!’ he shouted, despite his neighbor’s cat knocking over a jar of hot glue. The sculpture wobbled like…
The man returned home to find his tabby sprawled across the keyboard, paws batting at the Enter key like it was a laser. He lunged for the cat, but the feline pivoted, tail flicking the mouse into a puddle of…
Dana’s parrot, Gary, perched atop a stack of self-help books, screeched, “I am a golden retriever of joy!” Dana groaned, slamming the cage door. Gary squawked, “I am a laser pointer of success!” A neighbor pounded on the wall. Gary…
Gary stared at his phone, jaw clenched, as the TikTok dance trend blared through his headphones. The clip showed a neon-clad influencer doing a series of fluid spins, all while a dog in a tiny sweater barked in sync. Gary…
The drip-drip-drip of the kitchen faucet had a rhythm like a metronome set to annoyance. I’d tried everything: tightening the handle, whispering apologies, even placing a half-empty bottle of lemon oil beneath the sink like a sacrificial offering. Nothing worked.…
Gretchen taped a banana peel to her forehead and declared herself ‘The Artful Dodger’ before knocking over a jar of glue. The garage smelled like turpentine and regret as she attempted to fuse a bicycle wheel with a disco ball,…
Whiskers, a cat with a flair for drama, stared at the fridge, tail twitching. “It’s been whispering to me,” he hissed to Biscuit, a dog who was more interested in napping. “You’re just hearing things,” Biscuit replied, yawning. But Whiskers…
Jane stood in front of the mirror, hands on hips. ‘I am unstoppable!’ she declared. The mirror reflected her questionable gym attire. Suddenly, her dog dashed in, knocking over a lamp. ‘I am calm!’ she yelled, as the lamp shattered.…
Kevin stood in his living room, fingers twitching like a caffeinated spider, as his phone played the latest TikTok dance trend. The song was called “Renegade,” and it sounded like a toddler trying to conduct an orchestra. His roommate, Jen,…