February 2024 Flash Lit 2 (Second Version) - Control

“This thing doesn’t work,” Ethel said disgustedly, throwing the remote control petulantly at the ruffled throw pillow on the other end of the couch.

“Yes it does,” Joanie said, rooting it back out.  She turned it around, pointed it toward the TV, and pressed power.  The TV popped up an eye-scalding pink bathroom on HGTV.  Joanie wasn’t sure if it was the before picture or the after.  Worse, the volume was as high as it could go.

 

Ethel just harumphed.  “It’ll stop working.  I can never get it to go.”

 

“Do you need anything else, Mom?” Joanie asked.  Ethel didn’t respond, so Joanie repeated herself louder.

 

“You don’t have to yell, Joanie.  I’m right here,” Ethel yelled back.  “No, I’ll be fine I suppose.”

 

Which is how Joanie ended up spending the rest of the day cooking and tidying and paying bills and doing laundry to the sound of hammers and saws on the TV.