"Men must be accompanied by Women"
Jon's jaw dropped in disbelief as he watched the news unfold. The admittedly attractive newscaster, barely seemed to conceal a giggle, as she announced the new law mandating that men must be accompanied by women at all times in public spaces, purportedly for the safety and respect of women.
The broadcast switched to various shots of gun slinging female operatives patrolling the streets.
Finally the camera switched back to Susan in the studio. "Stay safe out there boys", she said with a parting wink.
Could this be the doing of his friend Karyn? He needed to find her immediately!
But before he could set foot outside, the sound of heavy boots heralded Zoe's arrival. She looked over his shoulder, a sarcastic smirk playing on her lips. "Planning to step out, Jon? Looks like you'll need your big sister's blessing now."
Jon's plea was urgent. "Zoe, this is serious. I have to see Karyn. It's really important!"
Jon watched as a slow sly grin spread across his sister's face. "Fine, I'll escort you to Karyn. But I'm not doing it for free. Clean my room and maybe I'll consider it..."
Jon reluctantly entered Zoey's room and discovered the vast herculean task that lay before him. Her clothes were piled high, makeup was strewn across every surface, and a sea of shoes, books and vinyl records covered in dust.
Meanwhile Zoe simply stretched out on her bed, eager to watch her brother get to work.
"Make sure you get every corner, Jon. We wouldn't want to delay your meeting with Karyn, would we?"
Determined to get through the ordeal, Jon began tackling the mess and eagerly dived into the nearest pile only to gingerly re-emerge holding up a black lacy bra. Trying to avert his eyes, he awkwardly attempted to fold it and the rest of her underwear, as he felt the gaze of his sister burning into his back.
Next, he moved on to the makeup. For a girl whose entire style was goth, his eyes widened at the sheer quantity and array of products that filled the floor.
But before he could throw them into a drawer, Zoe was all too happy correct him, insisting on a color-coordinated arrangement of the various shades of black, much to her amusement.
After navigating the cosmetics, vinyl records, books, and an endless array of shoes and clothing, Jon was mentally spent but he powered through, driven by the need to see Karyn.
Once finished, Jon flushed with frustration and exhaustion, announced, "I've cleaned your room. Let's go see Karyn. Now!"
Zoe slowly climbed off the bed and admired the room with smug satisfaction "You know, Jon, you make quite the spirited little maid. Perhaps we should make this arrangement more permanent," she teased.
