"The Man Who Hated the Moon" by Chris Ankney

Herman gasped and looked up from the floor. His mother towered over him, standing without a walker.

“...Momma?” He stood up, tears still falling from his eyes. “H...How do you feel?”

“Well, I really want to plant something!”

“Plant something?” he asked quizzically.

“Yeah, you know, gardening?”

“Oh, Momma!” Herman grabbed his mother and embraced her. He held her for a few moments. She was perfect.

Mother ran - not walked, ran - out of the house to scout out a good gardening spot. Herman went to his room to prepare for his date with Penelope. He was picking her up at five so they could eat before the movie.

Herman left the house fifteen minutes later, not forgetting to hug and kiss his mother before he did so.

Penelope and Herman enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Olive Garden, a restaurant that has been using its lure of free breadsticks and salad to keep its costumers coming back for over 70 years, before heading to the theater. The move ended at 9:45, and as they made their way to the exit of the theater they were deep in conversation.

“I can’t believe she let Jack drown like that!” Penelope said with anger. The theater they had gone to showed movies that used the old Technicolor, instead of the Nautica color system that was invented in 2010.

 “I know!” Herman agreed as they got closer and closer to the door leading to the moonlit parking lot. “And throwing away that jewel! What was she thinking?”

Herman held the door for Penelope, and then exited the theater himself. As he stepped out onto the sidewalk, he was immediately stricken with excruciating pain.

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