Fly, Fly Away

Story Sent in by Mika:

When Benjamin sat down to dinner with me at a nice Italian restaurant, he asked, "Were there a lot of flies out today or was it just me?"

I hadn't noticed any more flies than usual. "I didn't notice."

He stared at me like I was lying and said, "Okay. Just so you know, they were all over my car."

"Noted. Thanks."

After dinner we walked out of the restaurant and he led me to his car. He said, "Imagine this car, but pretty much covered with flies."

"Must've been pretty nasty," I said.

"They're not all bad. They... bring me things."

"What?"

"They bring me things. Like you, for instance."

"They what?"

He slapped his car and said, "They brought you to me, tonight. It probably would've taken a quarter of a million to carry you here, but somehow they did it. They brought me this car, my mailbox, and now you."

He waved his hand around his head as if swatting a fly away. "Here they come," he said at first with a smile, but then he thrashed his hands around like a cloud of them were attacking him.

"They're everywhere!" he shouted, "Every man for himself!"

He ran himself into his car with a thud, then opened the car, jumped in, and drove away. Moments later he called me up and asked, "Want me to pick you up?"

"I'm good, thanks."

"But the flies."

"I'm fine, they'll... they'll bring me home."

"All right. Goodnight, Mika."

We hung up and never went out again.