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Strength

John Ragusa

    Whenever he was at the beach, Norman Whittaker stared longingly at Millicent Wendorf, his next-door neighbor. She was nothing less than beautiful; she looked gorgeous in a bikini. She had curves that you wouldn’t believe. She was a perfect specimen. But she only kept company with strong, muscular guys, not weaklings like Norman. He wished his physique was more impressive. He could ask Millicent out, but he knew she would just laugh at him. He was a skinny little runt; why would she go for him?
    Norman didn’t have the courage to approach her and introduce himself. He was sure that he would panic and run off. Then he’d never want to face her again, because his embarrassment would be too much for him to take.
    Norman wondered if Millicent would go for a brainy man. Maybe she liked intelligence as well as brawn. But then she met Marvin, a guy who was smart as well as strong. So Millicent would stay with him and continue to ignore Norman.
    He envied the men that Millicent fancied. They didn’t know how lucky they were.
    If he had muscles, he’d stand a chance with Millicent. But he’d never be strong.

    Norman realized that the only way he could get Millicent interested in him was if he started eating healthy food and doing exercise. He began lifting weights, too.
    The only trouble was that he was miserable doing these things. He missed eating junk food, and exercising made him tired and fatigued. Working out with weights left his muscles feeling sore. There had to be some other way to get strength.
    Norman considered taking steroids, but he decided against it. They were simply too dangerous. He didn’t want to risk his health to get muscular.
    He would have traded places with the men Millicent liked; he’d be so much happier if he were one of them.
    He tried to get other girls to notice him, but they were more uninterested in him than Millicent had been.
    Norman hated to look at himself in the mirror. He was so puny, a brisk wind could have knocked him over. He was pathetic.
    He worked hard to get a higher salary, thinking that Millicent would date him if he became rich. But she still took no notice of him.
    Norman felt like he was the unluckiest man on Earth. But he wouldn’t remain that way, because he bought a lucky rabbit’s foot. He wished on it that he could become strong. There was a chance that he would get what he wanted.
    The next morning, he woke up and noticed that his physique had changed. He was now full of muscles! His wish had evidently come true.

    He tried lifting a table to test his strength. He was able to raise it high above his head. There was no doubt about it; he had become a strongman. He couldn’t be happier.
    He was sure that Millicent would go out with him now. After all, he was big and strong, the way she liked men to be.
    Now he would only have to summon the courage to meet her.
    That afternoon, he went to her house and rang the doorbell.
    She answered the door. She was instantly impressed. “My, but you’re a well-built man. Didn’t I see you before, when you were skinnier?”
    “Yes, that was me. I started working out and running, and now I’m a new and better man.”
    “I like your new look.”
    “Thanks. Say, I was wondering if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”
    “Sure, I’d love to.”
    “Great! I’ll pick you up at seven, all right?”
    “That’s fine. I’ll be ready then.”
    Norman was now ecstatic. He would finally date his dream girl as he’d always wanted to. Fortune was smiling upon him. He was suddenly a joyful man.
    He really owed his change to the rabbit’s foot. He’d keep it with him from now on.

    That evening, Norman wore a tuxedo and cologne. He picked up Millicent and took her to an elegant restaurant.

    “Do you like this place?” he asked her during dinner.
    “Oh yes. It’s a great spot to eat.”
    “I knew you’d like the food they serve here.”
    “I’m enjoying it a lot.”
    “I’ll only eat the healthy foods they serve here. That way, I can stay in good shape.”
    “It’s amazing how you went from being a runt to a big, strapping man. It’s a wonderful improvement on the way you look.”
    “I like my new look, too. I don’t appear to be weak anymore.”
    “Wait until I tell my friends about this! They’ll be stunned.”
    They finished their excellent dinner together, and then Norman drove her to his place.
    “This is the perfect site for romance,” Millicent said.
    “It’s a fine spot to make out,” Norman said.
    “I feel so happy to be with you right now.”
    “I’m delighted to be with you, too, Millicent.” He put his arm around her.
    “I like your touch,” Millicent said.
    “This is like being in heaven,” Norman said.
    Things began to get romantic there. They kissed each other passionately, and Norman felt like Rudolf Valentino.
    However, he didn’t know his own strength, and when he embraced Millicent, he inadvertently crushed her to death.
    He is now serving a ten-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter.

    He yearns for the good old days when he was weak.



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