Happy Hannah
Hannah didn’t mind that she was fat. She didn’t even seem to notice, the way she strutted about on her two short legs, eating anything she felt like—which seemed to be everything. She didn’t give a damn about the future; to her it was just an extension of today, as today was of yesterday. She didn’t analyze the meaning of life, so long as there was food somewhere in sight.
People thought she was dumb. She never joined in on intellectual debates, she seemed so easily entertained. They were sure that anyone who could be satisfied with so little must certainly be stupid. Secretly, they envied her just a little. Fat, happy Hannah, who didn’t know the meaning of despair, the frustration of hopeless dreams, the long run on the turning wheel to achievement which went round and round and round… and yet, without even trying, she seemed to have gained the ultimate goal: contentment.
She was desired, too. Without spending hours fussing over her grooming, despite her lumpy, asymmetrical face and round, plump figure, she was chased. Men made little clucking noises when she passed by and tried to get her to come home with them. They wanted to catch her, hold her, taste her; but she was smarter than all that. She always just shook her head and retreated to some place where they would leave her alone.
Hannah never saw him coming, creeping toward her from behind, his eyes lustfully rolling over her large rear-end. She walked along the pathway slowly, oblivious to his scent. He called her. She turned around, saw his face and knew better. She began to run as fast as her tiny legs would carry her short, plump body. She knew she had been shot before she heard the rifles’ crack echoing throughout the forest. Her dying breath was happy. It was just another day, after all.
Panting, he carried her thick, heavy corpse into his rusted pick-up truck, back to his house, where he proudly displayed her in front of his family. With a little seasoning, Hannah made for quite a meal, with sides of mashed potatoes and gravy. They topped the feast off with pumpkin pie and from the smiles on their faces as they toasted to a “Happy Thanksgiving,” some of her happiness must have rubbed off on them.