masterwordsmith-unplugged

Why? Because the place lived up to its name.

Double standards.

The Sheriff of the village, in true Sheriff of Nottingham style would be busy chasing after pretty damsels in the fields while his Deputy would be the one holding the fort. The Sheriff's name was Rob because he loved to rob his people. The clueless man did not know until much too late that his Deputy was not only eyeing his position but also all his girlfriends.

Because he hardly talked to his Deputy, Lyle (who is accustomed to lying through his teeth), the two of them did not know what the other had said and so ended up confusing the poor villagers.

If Lyle said it is fine for damsels to wear whatever their hearts desire, Rob would throw them into the dungeons unless of course....If Rob said that the lads had to go for swordplay, Lyle would change the policy again and send them off for another task.

The same happened with regards to taxes and other land policies. The strength of one's position in any case was directly related to each villager's alignment to either lawmaker. Some got away with serious crimes such as plundering their neighbour's home while others were sent to the dungeons for the smallest misdemeanour.

In a state of utter confusion, the villagers were fed up of reeling in a world of double standards, double talk and double everything except for double wages.

Despite all the God-given potential that the villagers possessed and the wonderful resources of the land, the people of Doublestandardsville lost their will to work or to live. Slowly but surely, despondency robbed them of the motivation to work. Some had given up hope of ever seeing any change in their land.

One fateful morning, a young man came to the village. Gerard was his name. Sauntering into the town-square, he could not help but notice the deep frown lines on the foreheads of many villagers and how many went about their tasks without much communication.

"Excuse me, sir, can you please tell me..." he started to ask one old man but before he could finish his question, the old man put his hand to his mouth and said, "Shhhhhh be careful what you say, young man" and promptly walked away.

Stunned, Gerard walked towards a tavern and heard some young lads scolding another villager with words so crude that his ears turned red.

Walking away, he asked an old lady, "Ma'am, why is it that some people can be so crude and rude while others do not even dare to speak to me?"


The old lady looked up from her hunched position and said quietly, "Young man, don't you know this is DOUBLESTANDARDSVILLE? It is the land where some can do or say whatever they want and be glorified whilst others are penalized for the smallest offenses. You should leave. Don't you realize that there are no young people in this village?"

With that, she shuffled away, hunched by the heavy baskets of fruit she was carrying.

Gerard looked at her back with mouth agape. As he walked around the market area, it slowly dawned on him that Doublestandardsville was not the place for him. He left that day itself and achieved much fame and fortune in a nearby tiny village filled with hardworking villagers who were once inhabitants of Doublestandardsville.

And what became of that horrible town? The last he heard was that Rob and Lyle are still fighting for first place in the town, each always trying to outwit the other.

*This is strictly a fictitious piece that I wrote on a boring Saturday afternoon. Any coincidence to any person, dead, alive, or to be born or any land/village/place is a horrible coincidence.

What do you think would happen to Rob or Lyle? Who is the greater evil in Doublestandardsville? Do leave a comment to share your thoughts/views. Thanks! Have a lovely weekend.