Some are happy being unhappy

     Francesco Adatto was a clever, but naive young man who always believed he could make of his city a better place for everybody; well, at least he thought so. He was not aware that his critic behaviour was annoying and stressing the other people because in this city everything was actually going perfectly fine: the citizens sometimes complained about small things, but they were satisfied with what was happening mostly and did not think change was necessary. Adatto was the only one who could not mind his own matters; he always disturbed others with his comments like the time when they were suffering hunger due to the irresponsibility of the mayor and he said all of them together should have asked for his resignation for incompetence.

     Other day, Marcellina's people were complaining about the delay of the mayor in giving money for education and health and Francesco Adatto was there to told people that they had to fight for their rights instead of just complaining about them to the mayor, –such a stupid comment–. In fact, the citizens started insulting him back because they did not want to make an effort taking care of that job when the major should answer to their critics doing something. Hence Francesco Adatto recalled them of past events when the mayor had robbed money or had let buildings and bridges half done. "You don't deserve that, you are great people, you deserve a better mayor, don't you think?” –He said–. Francesco still did not understand he was wrong.

     He had everything to lose, he was in that age where you are too old to be with kids and too young to talk with adults, so nobody really paid attention to what he had to say and when they do, they realized he just was not thinking correctly. Francesco was going through a hard time, it was not easy for him watch his beloved city fall apart because of an incompetent mayor and the people who supported him, though deep inside, he knew everybody was not to blame, some people just blindly believed what Venerdi promised or followed their political position and did not vote for the best candidate but for the one their party said and that was not their fault, they were fooled.

     

     Other day, in the middle of one of the heated discussion he used to held with other citizens, Anna Saggezza, a thin old woman, calmly asked Francesco if he wanted to talk while the others still waited for Seth Venerdi, the mayor. They sat on a bench and begin to talk about the ideas he had:

-          Why do you try so hard on the same speech? –Asked Anna–.

-          I just want people to be happy and corrupt politicians to answer for what they have done –replied Francesco-.

-          Maybe we are happy that way, we suffer once in a while but, at least, we have a roof over our heads and food on the table. You are thinking in something that is too big; maybe you are the one who is wrong, you always say that people should work on what they want, people should have time for their families, people should have access to high education, people should have a day off from work once a week minimum, people should do this or that, but maybe it is not as bad as you think. Look: we have jobs, we work twelve hours a day and get paid for that, yes, we get payed much less than other citizens in other countries, but they are just lucky or more prepared. We have a day off once a month, no days off at all would be worse. Look the bright side, the city gives us education and health, we must wait days for a painkiller, but the day will come. We are already happy.

     Adatto could see why people was fine with that but resisted to stop thinking that so much more could be done if politicians did not work for themselves but for the people; life quality would be better, you would not need to wait months for a painkiller or get exploited in a factory for a fraction of what you really deserve but nobody listened and just shouted at him. Adatto felt frustrated even more every day and sometimes he just went back home with anger tears rolling down his cheeks because he never fully understood why people was so mediocre and coward.

      He also created an institution in which he wanted to show people the positive effects that his city would have with a good political functioning, he would also show them improvement plans and he would even show himself as a good candidate to replace Venerdi in power. He made a huge effort making banners, billboards, and knocking door to door to communicate to the citizens that this institution would be open to them when they wanted to know his ideas and have constructive conversations, but again they treated him as a crazy person. Then, he built an entire school where he would teach kids what he knew and why he believe he was right, but when people ignored him again, he started to feel he was actually a crazy person and he got tired of convincing others to change and he made the decision to stop trying and insisting on a lost cause.

      Francesco Adatto slowly but steadily started losing his ideals, he would not try to convince people to change anymore and just watched them complaining; he ended up working twelve hours a day for a misery with only one day off once a month in a beautiful restaurant; with a roof over his head and food on his table but having the wonderful life in Marcellina that Anna sometimes shared with him on a bench.