The Last One

The old man outlived everyone. His friends, wife, children. But he wasn't lonely. An old fridge buzzed hoarsely in the corridor, and - substituted for friends and family. The old man didn't remember when he last left the house. There was no need for it. A neighbour boy brought the products, and there wasn't anything else needed. The old man stuck to the principle: "Live each day as if it was your last". Every evening he lay down to die. Waking up the next morning he shambled to the fridge. It wasn't an easy companion. It would husk and jump, and then break off abruptly. It annoyed the old man. He couldn't predict the mood of his only friend. Every day he would sit down opposite the fridge and write: "8.00 - turned on; 9.15 - turned off; 9.47 - turned on...". Thus he hoped to comprehend the consistent pattern, in accordance to which his friend lived. That day started as usual. The old man woke up alive and headed to the porch. The fridge was in particular nasty. The old man got angry and switched on TV - for the first time in years. It changed his life forever.