National Nothing Day finally arrived, much to the relief of Simon Tibbles. Since he could remember, he’d heard the same refrain.
“Simon, get your clothes off the floor! Simon, wash behind your ears!  Simon, walk the dog!”

It was Simon, do this and Simon, do that. But today would be different.
When he heard, “Simon, pick up your clothes,” he responded, “Not today, Ma. It’s National Nothing Day, and I plan on doing nothing.”

When he was told, “Simon, wash behind your ears,” he informed his grandma, “I can’t today. It’s National Nothing Day.”

Even when his father ordered him to walk the dog, he answered. “I can’t do anything on National Nothing Day, Pa.”

So Simon did nothing on National Nothing Day. But when a boy decides to do nothing, time decides to move as slowly as possible. While Simon sat on his bed doing nothing, mold crept over his filthy clothes now rotting on the floor. The dirt behind his ears was seeded by a passing breeze and prickly plants took root and scratched the sides of his head. And the poor, suffering dog relieved himself on Simon’s feet while Simon waited for the stroke of midnight.

© 2008 Elaine Hanna. Original for CCF  (Hanna grants CCF  first electronic rights for one month; CCF may archive the material indefinitely and include it in an eBook anthology).