be me
live in neighbourhood
boomer neighbours ask if I mind take up an odd job for summer
says they'll pay
fine.exe
next day I meet up where instructed
a grassy field, a boomer and a lawnmower
"okay anon, mow this piece of land", then turns 360 degrees and walks away
field is a flourishing ecosystem with different many shades of green and some patches of flowers
insects buzzing about and some birds pecking about
I don't want to ruin this, but I know they'll get pissy if I don't and will have someone else do it anyway
finish mowing the green field
the result is a green desert, a collapsed microcosm
pic related
boomer rolls by in their car
"looks nice anon, keep up the work"
Nobody even ventures onto the patch of land. At least 10~20 years ago, there were kids around to play there without risk of ticks and nettles.
Now it's just some desolate spot surrounded by the nest-egg homes of retiring boomers who can't let go of their desires for monochromatic, geometric shapes.