Les Fragiles

Jeremiade is not a fool. She knows very well that her daughter, the perfect little housewife, and her son-in-law, chief happiness officer, are not as cheerful and well-balanced as they pretend to be. Nobody is. Especially not Jeremiade whose life is now reduced to making sure the hanging lamps are solidly attached and then crying on the toilet seat. Jeremiade works at Perfect Cleaners where she sells carpet shampooers and vacuum cleaners. Cleaning things relaxes her and helps her contain her tears in a world where the slightest sign of weakness is suspect. Since the country has been hit by an unprecedented wave of suicides, if one dares demonstrate any similar feelings, one risks being sent to join the Fragiles. The Fragiles are isolated, locked up and treated. Because if fragility is contagious, it must be eradicated. So, showing happiness is a matter of survival. But Jeremiade was never good at pretending...