The Day Nothing Happened

This is the beginning of a story that I am working on. It is similiar to Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series. I hope you enjoy!

          "A day is what you make of it" or at least thats what the inspirational billboard deperately trying to instill a little carpe diem in a lack luster generation was trying to say. I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of droves of  dark souled adolescents reading the sign and complaining that "life is just so not fair". Don't get me wrong I think the board is about 75.89% correct. People sit around most of their lives wanting to blame their condition on some external force, whether it be the Devil, their next door neighbor, or increased levels of green house gases in the atmosphere. I just think the idea of trying to change someone's mindset the same way you would peddle a soft drink is a bit prepostrous.

          The light changed from red to green allowing me to leave behind the philisophical internal monologue on the efficasy of optimistic billboards. The summer sun continued to wage epic war with my Subaru's AC unit, but at least for now the unit was holding its own. The sultry voice of Colby Colleit singing about true love filled my car as I made my way toward the the facility of voluntary bondage also known as my job. I will be straight forward about it, I hate my job. Corporate propaganda tells me that I am making a difference in people's lives by being a part of the company and that kind of job satisfaction is priceless. Well, I personally am here for a paycheck and nothing more. I love to help people and they are right when they say we make a difference but I am willing to wager that if the paychecks stopped coming in that all of us good Samaritans would find a new cause to work toward.

          I learned long ago that companies only want to try and make you feel like your making a difference when they don't want to pay you very well. I work as a tech at the Grehstol Psychiatric hospital in my hometown of Carverton TN. In case any of you are wondering what a tech does the answer is whatever the rest of the staff do not want to do. Whether it be taking patients to relieve themselves or cleaning up those that did not wait for your help in getting to the bathroom. Yes being a tech is grand if you like smelly bodily fluids and minimum wage. 

          I looked at my watch, noticing that I had five minutes to get to work and approximately 10 minutes of road left. "Right on time as usual" I whispered. My stomach grew tighter as I neared my destination. My mind was haunted with the phantoms of yesterdays terrors and by the premonition that today would be no better. It goes beyond the horrible tasks that comprise my daily duties, there is something else, something far worse. I feel as if my life is being sucked out of me from the moment I arrive until the moment I stagger out in the evening.

          I park in the front lot of the building and make my usual mad dash to the time clock with badge in hand. Partially winded I slide my badge into the scanner nd hear the beep that for the past several months announces to the world that my time is not my own. Oddly enough I notcie that I have arrived on time. It has never ceased to amaze me that no matter how far behind schedule I am that I always make it here on time. Oh well, I shall have to ponder my daily distortion of the space time continuum later, now its time to see which unit I will be spending the next eight hours or so on.

          Whispering a prayer I approached the assignment board, begging not to have to go to Unit A again. When I was hired on at the hospital I was stationed in Unit H, also known as the rehab ward. It was my favorite unit. I felt like I had a real chance to make a difference and on the bright side of things, these patients didn't wear diapers. Don't ask me why but I can always tell when the board will have a message of damnation for me. Call it intuition, esp, spider sense, or just a warning beacon in my head that lets me know when I am going to get screwed, I already knew that I would be on diaper patrol tonight. Like a sinner's prayer on judgement day, my pleas went unanswered as I saw my name under the label Unit A, which of all things was below the same inspirational message that I had scoffed at earlier. "A day is what you make of it ".

 

    

         

Reviews

[TL Boehm]

People sit around most of their lives wanting to blame their condition on some external force, whether it be the Devil, their next door neighbor, or increased levels of green house gases in the atmosphere. I just think the idea of trying to change someone's mindset the same way you would peddle a soft drink is a bit prepostrous.

Nice start - but that statement above is stellar...a mantra...wonderfully stated.