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Jimmy was often grateful that he lived alone. Today was one of those days. As soon as he was in the door, he tossed his phone onto the couch. It bounced off the cushions onto the floor as Norman came padding into the room.
“One sec buddy, I’ve gotta take care of this.” He held up the laundry and sped into his room. He tossed it onto the pile in the corner of his room and turned around to give Norman the bestest boy the bestest pets ever. “Hey buddy! How have you been Norman?!” His cooing voice fell on deaf ears as Norman rolled over on his stomach. “Where’s Flick?”
A small mewing noise came from the kitchen and Jimmy sighed. He scooped up Norman and walked into the kitchen. He was shocked to find Flick stuck in the light fixture above the table. There was an amazon box on the counter near where the fixture would be. Perfect jumping distance.
Jimmy muttered some vague curses before grabbing a chair. He set Norman down on the ground and climbed up to pick up Flick. The poor kitten was covered in six layers of dust and was sneezing uncontrollably.
“Flick! What were you thinking?!” Jimmy scolded the furball as he stepped down onto the ground again. He pushed the amazon box back so it wasn’t so close to the light fixture and walked off into the bathroom.
Flick protested forlornly at the sight of the tub.
“I know, I know, but you’re covered in dust. You’re a stinky smelly boy. It’s bathtime. Come on.” Flick mewed sadly and Jimmy set him in the basin.
It was a battle that ended with several deep scratches Jimmy had to patch up, as well as a disgruntled cat that refused to look him in the eyes. Norman looked awfully smug, and Jimmy didn’t have the energy to bathe him too so that would have to wait for tomorrow.
He collapsed on his couch, soaked shirt and Band-Aided arms. Norman curled up next to him. His stomach growled and he should probably make something for dinner but he’s too tired. Just as he was about to turn on the TV and surf Netflix, the doorbell rang.
Jimmy groaned, sinking deeper into his couch for a moment before standing. The person at the door had begun knocking vigorously. Jimmy sighed and looked through the peephole. Upon seeing a familiar head of pink hair, he unlocked the door and walked off. Lizzie let herself in.
“Jimmy, Lizzie won’t tell me why we’re here. She cut our dinner early for this.” Joel plopped down on a weathered leather chair. “It better be good.”
Jimmy shrugged and walked into the kitchen. He pulled out something from the freezer and tossed it in the microwave. When he turned back, Lizzie was giving him a disappointed look.
“What? I haven’t had dinner yet. Flick got to the dust bunnies.” Jimmy sat at the kitchen table, waiting for his food.
“You really need to learn how to cook Jimmy.” She sighed, defeatedly and sat across from him. “Joel, if you want to be a part of this conversation, you should get over here.”
The short man sighed angrily and stood out of the chair. “But these wooden stools suck! Jimmy, you need to get better chairs for your table.”
“Excuse you? Who’s living here?”
Joel shrugged and sat down next to Lizzie. “Can we get this over with? I want to go to bed.”
“Joel, I don’t think you understand the gravity of this situation.” Lizzie looked at her husband pointedly.
“Hey, hey; I’m just an innocent bystander here.”
Jimmy snorted. “Yeah right, you’re with her.” There was no venom in his voice.
“Oh you quiet,” Lizzie glared. “We’re interrogating you right now.”
Jimmy folded his arms, resting his head down on the table. “Alright, grill me.”
“Gladly. Joel, this man, slept with his boss the day before he started.” Lizzie shared a look with Joel and the man burst out laughing.
“Wait—WHAT?! HAH! THIS—This is amazing. I’m actually—HAH! JIMMY! You are SO SCREWED!”
“…already was…” the mumble was barely audible but Lizzie still groaned.
“I can’t believe I’m related to you sometimes.”
“I know.”
“HAH!”
“How are we going to fix this?” Lizzie pat Joel on the arm to calm him down. It only sort of worked.
“We?! Fix?! Lizzie. I have unequivocally and irrevocably messed up. There is nothing I can do.” Norman hopped onto Jimmy’s lap, sensing the stress emanating from him. Flick was still being stubborn, but even he lingered near the foot of the chair. Jimmy started counting the nicks in the table. He already knew there were twenty-two, but it was comforting.
“Jimmy it’s okay,” Lizzie hushed. “You haven’t been fired so clearly it isn’t as bad as we worried.”
“You mean I worried. Neither of you knew it was happening.”
“Not helping, Jimmy,” Joel sighed, mischievous grin still plastered on his stupid face.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Jimmy stood up and pulled his plate out of the microwave. He sat down with his bagel bites and tried to ignore his sister as she proposed ways ‘they’ could apologize to Major. Jimmy just wanted them to leave him alone. Leave him to his cats and bagel bites.
“Jimmy? You with us?”
He grunted, biting into another carb-based pastry.
“Okay well, we’re going to… leave you to this,” Lizzie stood, pulling Joel up with her. “I’ll call you tomorrow, yeah?”
Jimmy nodded, not making eye contact. “Talk later Liz; Joel.”
Sleep was fleeting that night. Norman was using him as a pillow and blanket as usual, but it was cold and the heating didn’t work in the summer, so he was constantly tossing and turning trying to get warm.
By the time his alarm went off, he was certain he’d gotten about an hour of sleep. Tops. Norman was perfectly chipper in contrast. The furball’s tail whipped him in the face and he rolled out of bed. He had fifteen minutes to be out the door on the way to work.
He went through morning routine as a robot through commands. Flick seemed to have forgiven him from yesterdays bath. The kitten rubbed up on his leg and got fur on his nice dress pants. He sighed and scritched behind the cats ears.
There was an email for him from Chromia Incorporated. Looked like he’d be doing a coffee run this morning. Not that he minded, he needed it anyways.
His car was still parked in the garage from two days ago. A quick stop at the gas station and a drive thru at Starbucks later, he was pulling into the parking garage nextdoor to his work.
The lady at the desk gave him a smile and a ‘good morning’ as he walked in with the coffee. He gave a wave back with one hand and a smile while entering the elevator. He pressed floor 27 and headed up. The ding of the door was his only warning for what at ahead.
“Lauren! Give it back!”
“You don’t need the stapler right now! I’m using it!” Lauren was rounding the office, barely avoiding knocking into several unoccupied cubicles. A man in a green pollo and matching black headband was chasing her, reaching for the stapler held just out of reach.
Jimmy carefully stepped into the room and rounded the outskirts to avoid the quarrel.
“Give it!” The green man bumped into Jimmy, and he desperately held the coffee out of reach, praying that it wouldn’t spill. He didn’t want a repeat of yesterday. “Sorry.”
Lauren buzzed past. “That’s Martyn. He’s an idiot. Don’t mind him.”
Jimmy gave a strained smile. “I’m trying.”
“Get to Major before Martyn gets around again.” She nudged him toward the door. He didn’t need to be told twice.
He apologized as he opened the door suddenly. Major jumped, looking at him. “My god what is it?”
“Martyn is chasing Lauren for a stapler and I… do not have the energy for this. Here.” He handed one of the cups of coffee to the cyanette. He was grateful the email had Major’s regular order on it.
“I see…” Major took the coffee. “I’m sorry, but—what is… this?”
“I got an email this morning saying I needed to pick up your coffee.” Jimmy set the cardboard container on a shelf by the door, taking his cup.
“Oh. Well, thank you.”
“Of course, sir.” Jimmy took a sip of his coffee and fought the urge to spit it out immediately. He’d been trying for months to find a coffee that he liked. He’d tried several types with different milks, bases, black & white, cream and no cream. He had yet to find something that he really just enjoyed.
“Everything alright Solidarity?” Major asked.
“Uh, yeah.” He winced as he took another sip. “All good.”
“Is something wrong with your drink?”
“I—no. Nothing’s wrong with it. It just doesn’t… taste… good.”
“So there is something wrong.” Major had rounded his desk at some point and was sitting across from him in the other small chair. “What is it?”
“I’m trying to find a coffee I like, and nothing has really spoken to me. You know? I mean, it’s good. I just don’t think I’d order it again, you get me?” He set the cup down on the desk and leaned back in his chair, feeling a little guilty.
“Here,” Major picked up Jimmy’s cup and traded it with his own. “Try this one. Let me know what you think.”
“What if I hate it though!” Jimmy looked at the man, worried. “I might insult you if I don’t like it!”
“I won’t take it personally.” Major pushed the cup into his hands. “Try it. It’s fine.”
Jimmy hesitantly put the cup to his lips and took a swig. It was good! Not bad anyways. He wouldn’t mind having it again, that’s for sure. He looked at the label.
“What is it?”
“Coconut caramel brown sugar latte with double whipped cream,” he said smoothly, as if with some practice. “A sugar high mixed with caffeine. I like it, but can’t really have more than one a day. Messes with my head, you know?”
Jimmy nodded. “It’s good. It’s a little sweet for me, but it’s better than whatever I’d gotten there.”
Major laughed a little. “May I?” He gestured to the abandoned cup on the desk.
“Shoot.”
The man grabbed the cup and took a quick sip. He pulled back with a face. “What is this? Black coffee with triple expresso? Holy sh—”
“I don’t know,” Jimmy laughed. “I asked what the barista recommended. Don’t know what kind of nights they must have to need that much caffeine, but props to their immune system.”
Major shook his head with pursed lips. “That was vile.” He chuckled thoughtfully. “I guess that’s why you’re having trouble finding one you like.”
Jimmy shrugged. “I’ll vary up your order to find something that’s a little less sweet.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He handed back the cyanette’s coffee and promptly tossed the other cup into the bin by Major’s desk. Neither complained about the loss of the brew. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Major moved back to his seat on the other side of the desk. He set the cup aside. It looked to be about half empty now.
Jimmy stayed seated, counting the tiles again. Yesterday he’d gotten to about thirty-one before Lizzie had called. His fingers fiddled with his sleeves as he counted. His neck strained to see the ones near the back corner, and he got a few odd looks from the other man, but he ignored it in favor of finishing his counting.
“Are you alright?” Major finally asked.
“Sorry, I’m just… counting.” He mumbled the last word, sinking into his chair a little. Major didn’t press it.
About an hour into his shift, Major had him go run some files to the copier. It was graphs of sales over the last few months and with a glance at them (what was he supposed to do he’s bored!) he saw the negative trending arrow and began to worry a little. Chromia Inc. had always been a leading force in the fashion industry. If it’s not profitable, they might need to lay off people. Doesn’t sound very good for him.
Either way, he copied the graph and brought it back to Major. On his way he spotted a new face in the office. He’d only met Lauren and briefly seen Martyn. Why not introduce himself.
“Hello,” Jimmy said, holding out a hand. “I’m new here, what’s your name?”
“Oh, I’m not in this department.” The blonde man smiled and shook his hand. “I’m Joey. I work in brainstorming and production management. Basically, I design the clothes.”
“Oh wow!” Jimmy smiled, pulling his hand back. “My name’s Jimmy. I’m Mr. Major’s new runner.”
“Oof, good luck with that.” Joey laughed a little, clapping him on the back.
Huh. “I think it’s going well so far; but why are you here?” He shifted the papers in his hands.
“Oh, I’m stumped. The last one didn’t do so well so I’m walking around trying to get inspo. You get it.” Joey sat down in Lauren’s seat, putting his feet up on the desk. Her water bottle tipped a little and Jimmy steadied it.
“Oh. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Eh, got anything wacky up in the old brain gears?” He laughed, gesturing with his hands. He did that a lot when he spoke. It’s something Jimmy noticed about Joey that was unique to the man. He had a way of speaking that was both intrigued and disgusted, but neither were specifically representative of his mood. It was odd and Jimmy didn’t really understand it.
He looked around him at the room. Lauren was just coming back from the restroom and saw Joey in her chair. As she approached Jimmy’s eyes fell to the bin at her desk. There were random papers and old markers that had been dried out sitting in the basin.
“Trash,” he said.
“…Are you mocking me?” Joey sat up in the chair. Despite his upbeat voice, there was a hint of malice and offense in it.
“No! No. I just—when you look at trash there are so many different things in there that like… I don’t know. You could do something based around like old papers or something. A lot of dumpsters are like spraypainted, and you could do something like that. The whole collection could be a reflection of the disposal system and we could make them out of recycled fabrics to sell the eco-friendly aspect. Just a thought though, what do I know.”
Major’s office door opened, and he came out. “Solidarity, how long does copying take?” He stopped when he saw the two conversing. “Joey, what did I tell you about bothering employees?”
“I needed inspiration and Jimmy here was super helpful, actually. Jeez Scott, always the judgey one. Chill.” Joey waved his hands a little with a smirk.
Major looked a little flushed in the face. “Did you finish?” he asked Jimmy.
“Yeah, here.” He handed over the papers with a smile. “Joey just needed some help, that’s all. Do you need anything?”
“…No. No, I’m good. Thank you, Solidarity.”
“Yes sir! Just doing my job.” He gave a sloppy mock-salute.
Major nodded with a small smile and went back into his office. Jimmy turned back to Joey.
“Anything more I can do for you?”
“Oh my god.” Joey smiled at him slyly, steepling his fingers. “You saw that too, right Lauren?”
“Yes, I did, now get out of my chair.” She whacked him on the back of the head, and he stumbled out to stand.
“My god, no one has respect for the arts anymore.” Joey held a hand to his chest with a face of betrayal. Lauren just rolled her eyes and pulled up to her desk to run through statistics. Jimmy started making his way back to Major’s office. “Hey Jimmy?”
He looked back.
“I think you’re doing well too.” The look on his face put Jimmy on edge, but he entered the office, trying to forget.