It's the year 2033. Jack has just moved into his nice new home. Like most other people Jack doesn't pay rent or mortgage, and owns his new home outright. He had considered staying at home with his parents for perhaps another year or two, but as he was now making enough money to comfortably support himself he had decided to take up his allocation of Universal Basic Space. Selecting a nice little apartment near the centre of town.
Jack earned his money in several different ways. One day a week he would work as a carer, helping to care for elderly people at a local care home. On Mondays he rented shop space in town, where he displayed and sold his artwork. Some of which he also sold online. Jack also occasionally rented shop space to sell some of the food produce that he and his friend grew on their vertical allotment.
Just five years earlier it had been announced that all citizens would be entitled to a basic amount of allotment space. To accompany the basic living space they were entitled to. Some plots being in tall vertical farms, others simply on the ground, out in nature. However, as Jack and his friend were so enthusiastic about growing food they also rented out extra space on top of this to expand their endeavours.
The centre of the town Jack lived in was like a beautiful sky-rising village green. The old architecture and buildings seamlessly intertwined with trees and flowers. The glass towers, once unused office space, now over-spilling with green green-housery, bee-keeping and hanging gardens. As he walked through the public orchards to catch the public transport he could hear the birds singing in the trees, along with the tweeps and bleeps of other people's mobile phones and devices.
Jack was heading to his brother's house on the outskirts of town. His brother lived with his wife and two children. He was ten years older than Jack and like his younger brother worked doing several different things and projects. His favourite being his current research into organic self-repairing housing and pluming systems. Work that had already borne fruit in several ways.
The home he lived in was bigger than Jack's, with a large circular garden surrounding it. The tall trees blending harmoniously into the distant, crisply-coloured countryside. Like Jack he had originally been given a basic apartment too. However, having saved up for several years he and his partner could now afford this more homely place, and had sold their basic apartments back to the public purse to help fund their dream. Their old apartments now being the new nests and first steps on the ladder for other younger people.
Jack was always impressed by his brother's place, but for now he was more than happy with his own little bit of private space. Like his brother he too had been saving up. However, his main concern was simply making sure he had enough money in the bank for a rainy day, just in case his sources of income started taking a downturn. Fortunately though, as he had no rent or mortgage to pay, and just had his basic bills, it was quite easy to do this, and he took great joy in being self-sufficient. Both currently and going forward into the future. Squirrelling away money, along with some of the food he grew, like acorns. In preparation for times of less abundance. Or for far-off old age and infirmity.
As he waited briefly for his transport a light rain began to fall upon his face. Though the weather remained calm and summery. As he gazed round at his surroundings he noticed a red fox skip through a far off hedgerow. His phone rang warmly just as his transport arrived. He checked the screen then stepped on board. White clouds rolling past the sky-scraping gardens as he looked back towards the town centre he was leaving..
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