Ripped Pants

(Fiction/Literature)

July 17th, 2002

Unnamed City

...

Running down the streets of the busy city, a man in a typical office uniform was panicking that he was running late for his job.

"Stupid alarm clock...falling to the floor and breaking... I told her that it would break...eventually" The office man said in between his breaths as he ran across the street with his work building in sight.

He was about to head into the building when suddenly the man tripped on a rock and fell into a rose bush.

"You gotta me kidding me"

The man lifted himself up and he attempted to pluck out the thorns on his legs. And just like that, the man's pants had a huge tear in them.

"WHAT THE HELL!" The man yelled out in anger as his usually paste-y white face turned a red hue.

The city people passing by couldn't help but stare at the man with a huge tear in his pants. Some even held their giggles and looked away as to not interact with the man as he was known to have a temper.

The office man was clearly extremely embarrassed as he shamefully had no choice but to walk into the building with a torn uniform.

Everyone noticed the tear, but the other office workers made sure to keep their mouths closed or else they would be hearing a guaranteed earful after work.

However, one employee couldn't help but giggle.

It was a 37 year old woman named Sally who knew the office man. She knew he kissed up to their boss and was known to encourage their boss to fire employees who crossed the line with him.

"Susan... Don't reach for the telephone" Another employee whispered softly next to her "I know what you're up to and I don't like it!"

"Hush up Jeff, I'm only going to tell my friend about this because she needs a good laugh" Sally whispered back "I'm not going to call all my friends, I'm too busy with sorting data reports anyways"

"Sure, but don't set him off okay? One of us could get fired for this" Jeff nervously said

"I know what I'm doing Jeff" Sally smiled.

"Wait... what's with the red box Sally?"

"Sh! Mind your business Jeff, it's for my friend. A woman walked up to me today and asked me to deliver them to her"

"Huh, weird."

"I saw what was inside and I'm telling you I'm going to win a bet Jeff" Sally sighed nervously.

...

That evening, the office man called a taxi home, threw his torn plants in the master bedroom closet, and went to watch some television to let off some steam.

A few minutes later, the man heard his wife laughing in the kitchen next door.

"Ugh... Why are you laughing? I'm watching the television right now!" the man said in a cranky tone.

"I can laugh when I please...Now would you please let me finish cooking the lasagna?" the wife teased as she checked on the nearly ready lasagna.

The office worker got up from the soft couch and peered into the kitchen.

"No need to be so "new age" about women doing what they want, I just wanna know why you were laughing so loud?"

"Aren't you extra persistent today? I just heard Sally from your work tell me about your ripped pants, that's all-"

"Ugh, don't listen to her. She just made that up for gossip"

The wife looked at her husband's red face.

"You know I can tell you're lying, right?" The wife sighed in disbelief "Your red face gives it away like always"

"What's with you today?" The office man grumbled as he left the kitchen and headed upstairs to shower before dinner.

After his shower the office man showed up at the dinner table with the whole household gathered around and he stayed silent.

"So, no complaints today Dad?" the eldest daughter asked while refusing to make eye contact.

"... I guess I have one to ramble about" the office man sighed.

"Is it your ripped pants?" The youngest son laughed as the mother and daughter stared in disbelief.

"We told you not to bring it up, and you did anyway." The daughter said in a dry tone.

"Ugh, I told you that my coworkers hate me for no reason, so they make up random rumours to tell other people!"

"And Sally and I grew up together! She's never lied to me for the past 25 years we've known each other" the wife huffed

"Well, no more talking to Sally I guess!" The office man said angrily "She always makes up lies about me and other people! Like Jeffrey from work!"

"You hate Jeff with your guts! And you can't tell me who to talk to!" The wife exclaimed as she got up from her seat.

At this point the two siblings took their food to the backyard to get away from the conversation as far as possible. The eldest daughter worried about the two as she wondered why her mother cried before her dad got home.

"She just joked about your ripped pants this isn't shouldn't make you as angry as you are! " The wife yelled "This isn't middle school! Grow up!"

"I DIDN'T RIP MY PANTS!" The office worker furiously yelled as he slammed his fists on the table and broke his glass plate.

The wife immediately ran upstairs and locked their bedroom door.

"Hey! Come on! Open up!"

The office man slammed the door over and over as the wife in a panic tried to find the pants.

Under the bed, out the window, behind the television, she looked until she peeked in the closet and found them.

"I found your ripped pants! Just admit it already!" the wife yelled

The husband did not reply back. He only knocked.

"I knew Sally was right again... Just like always. I should have listened to her when she begged me to split up with you."

The wife leaned against the door sombrely.

"She even told me you cheated remember? Multiple times too. She even told me last month you even hooked up with multiple women in their 20's. I look like I've allowed you to do all of this."

The woman began to cry out of shame and embarrassment.

"Even my cousins knew you lied about your whereabouts. I just didn't want to believe you lied like how you used to. You told me that you wouldn't cheat again, I really tried to make you feel secure and I even gave up my full time job so you could work full time without worrying about the house-"

"I'm telling you those are lies! No one in your family liked me so of course they did everything they could to keep you from me!" The office man yelled

"Every single of my cousins on my dad's side live around the city so they know what you're up to. Today Sally brought me a box and inside... there are photos of you hanging around strip clubs from the outskirts of town. Those days you told me you were working and even Sally thought you were working overtime - "

"They... They're lying to you!" What if they're fake-"

"They told me about the camera settings and none of the photos were tampered with. I know what you look like and they definitely looked like you, one photo even showed you dancing with your new office uniform from 3 years ago."

The wife got up from her spot, after 40 minutes of silence she brought out her luggage.

"I know splitting because of pants seems petty. But to me, the stupid pants tell me that you never stopped lying to me or our kids about being faithful."

The office man said nothing and only sighed in shame.

"Kids! Pack your stuff! We're leaving!" The wife yelled to her kids in the backyard.

"You can't leave me!" the office man punched the door over and over again.

"Watch me." The woman said as she called the police. "It's over between us and I never want to see you again."