Digital Diversion 8
The Trident Plan
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Chapter 8 The Spiral
It was now very late. Jim was afraid to go to sleep. He made a pot of coffee and sat down in front of the PC. An all-nighter would be rough but it would complete his reset. He could even get to work early.
In the meantime, he could play his Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game. Logging in felt soothing to all the pains racked up yesterday. His character was ready. The expansive world awaited. He avoided quests as they could be at a critical juncture when he had to leave.
Instead, he worked on leveling, taking on stronger monsters and collecting better gear. He checked the clock insistently and when time grew close he logged off, reluctantly, and went to wash up for the day.
Jim prepared a thermos with the remainder of coffee, not that he needed it, already jittery and wired. He headed for the bus. He was early enough to look up what time the next bus was due.
He arrived at work early and started his mail delivery preparations nervously. Not a natural nervousness, but one fueled by caffeine. His hands trembled slightly as he handled the envelopes. He departed with his cart before any of the sorters had arrived meaning he risked multiple trips. Exactly his plan. To become visibly working from the morning.
The longest part of his first round was the elevator rides. But there were a few early birds who caught sight of the early mail-room deliverer. The majority of the staff aimed at arriving just in time for work, clogging the entrances and elevator halls.
He finished his deliveries before the rush hour and returned to the mail-room. Two sorters were warming up for their shift so Jim was right on time. To wait. Jacked up and no where to go.
He pressed his luck by begging the mail sorters for just his portion but was rebutted.
“You can’t go up until the foot traffic dies down. If you try to push that cart in front of someone running late, they’ll crucify you.”
“So what’s the point of showing up early?”.
“There isn’t any.”
“Then why do they ride me if I’m late?”
“That’s their job.”
Jim was on the edge of hysteria. But he had a plan. This was just a little hiccup. He’d adjust with an early morning break.
When the mail room started moving, Jim was coming down on the caffeine high, so he drank a cup or two to get back his drive and he somehow made it through the day.
He departed right at quitting time, dragged himself home and collapsed into bed. His plan was to reverse his hours off work. Sleeping on returning home. Getting up at midnight and starting his day.
He wasn’t irritated when his alarm went off, he was excited. Time for dinner and MMO. He’d play for a few hours, and get ready for work afterwards. He would be awake, fed, ready for a new day.
At first it worked like a charm, he even packed a breakfast to eat during the rush hour. It took less coffee, so his nerves were steadier. For a while.
He wrote a testimonial about it and sent it to Samuel. The response was disappointing.
“I was wondering about the time stamps on your emails. You are up at all kinds of crazy hours. Not going to do much for your social life. What happens when Marge’s art classes start up again?”
It was already true in some ways. He didn’t attend Group sessions but emailed in regularly.
Some mornings the game went long, and Jim ended up rushing to work. Taking shortcuts on laundry and personal hygiene. The days blurred together. Only the MMO was forgiving. Everything else was falling away.
He didn’t notice the moment he crossed the line. He only noticed how far away it was once he looked back.
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