Even on holiday, I'm thinking about Friday Flash Fiction. Watching the clock at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, an idea came to me for this updated version of the Greek legend about the guy condemned to push a boulder up a hill for evermore. Sorry about the shaky iPhone camerawork, but this is worth studying carefully if you've never seen it before.
Zeus stared angrily at King Dealios.
"Dealios, it seems that you haven't learned from your father Sisyphus."
King Dealios stood before Zeus, in chains but unbowed, chin jutting proudly, bleach-blond hair cemented across to cover his baldness.
"Don't waste my time. Sisyphus was a loser. Like you."
Now Zeus was truly furious: lightning flashed all around. "You're just like him – a lying, bullying, womanising, self-aggrandising fool! Who's the loser here?"
Dealios quaked in fear. "Look Zee, I'll cut you a deal – "
"Enough!"
"Please, Zee, don't make me push a boulder – "
"Enough, Dealios. Your time has come. For ever."
"Dealios, it seems that you haven't learned from your father Sisyphus."
King Dealios stood before Zeus, in chains but unbowed, chin jutting proudly, bleach-blond hair cemented across to cover his baldness.
"Don't waste my time. Sisyphus was a loser. Like you."
Now Zeus was truly furious: lightning flashed all around. "You're just like him – a lying, bullying, womanising, self-aggrandising fool! Who's the loser here?"
Dealios quaked in fear. "Look Zee, I'll cut you a deal – "
"Enough!"
"Please, Zee, don't make me push a boulder – "
"Enough, Dealios. Your time has come. For ever."
