I love short stories, but it’s not what I do.
Oh, well then… here's a 250 word story I wrote some years ago:
Alright, there's nobody in front of me at the nearest checkout! That's good, 'cause all I wanted was this candy-bar. It's surprising how much the price of things have gone up. Five dollars is lot more than the eighty-nine cents I remember from my childhood. My memories are interrupted by the intoning of the computerized counter. Welcome to Albertsons.
It's amazing how much things have changed since my childhood. There weren't any of these self-checkout lanes when I was young.
Scan item now.
Obediently, I scan the item like the machine tells me. The five dollars appearing in the register. I hit the button to indicate that this is all I am going to be buying right now.
The machine calculates the taxes almost instantly showing that amount in addition to the purchase. Taxes, too, have increased. Over a dollar-fifty tax on this five dollar candy-bar, however, looking it over I'm somewhat amused at the total.
Scan hand now.
I scan my right hand and the machine interfaces with the credit chip implanted there. All physical money had been replaced years ago, the world government and credit-card companies agreeing that it would make financial transactions easier.
Transaction complete.
At this moment I could swear I hear a trumpet blasting forth. Now, as the receipt flutters out of my hand, which is causing me great pain right now, the total that was written on it, six dollars and sixty-six cents, doesn't seem so funny.
Gonna be a while? Grab a Snickers.