The Long Climb

Out of fear for your own health, you get off on this floor. The doors have opened into what looks like a tech startup. A foosball table greets anyone who dares visit the probably overly-ambitious company. It piques your interest though - and the woman sitting at the receptionist desk looks especially inviting.

You walk forward, away from the elevator, and start chatting with the receptionist. Conversation flows and you learn more about the company. It turns out they're an industrial design startup that specializes in iPhone cases. Their current project is a survival case with an accompanying app. The case makes your iPhone twice as thick, but includes a knife, fire starter, and bottle opener. With purchase of the case, you get a free download of their survival app. In it, the app uses your GPS location to offer location-specific survival advice. If you're out in bear country, it will tell you what kind of bears to look out for and what to do if you come in contact. Or if you're near a river, it will tell you what kind of fish are in it and how best to catch them (and where to go to get a fishing license).

You start daydreaming about taking Hunter out on a camping trip. You two have been in the city for so long that he probably doesn't even remember going when he was younger. You then ask how much they're going to sell the cases for. She tells you the price, but then offers a prototype for free with the condition that you come back to the office in one month and six months to give feedback on the design and functionality. Of course you'll take one! The receptionist goes to the back somewhere and grabs it. You slip it right on your phone then the screen lights up.

9:09am.

DAMN! Nine minutes late and you still have twenty flights of stairs to climb! Wait. Why don't you just take the elevator? The coughing man will obviously not be in there anymore. You thank the receptionist and ride the elevator up to your office.

9:15am.

The elevator doors open and your boss is standing there, waiting for you. His eyes are full of fiery rage. He was never really a great boss, but let's just say you were never employee of the month. He twitches his head to the side and turns to walk away. His body language suggests that you follow him. You follow him into his office and take a seat.

"I don't know how else to say this. Unless a meteor came down and obliterated the N Franklin Bridge while you were biking across it, I don't think there's anything you can even say to save yourself. You've been late more often than not. You've used up all your sick days and vacation days this year and it's only March. Not to mention your performance has been drifting all year."

The lecture goes on and on. A mix of dread and frustration fills your veins. You stand up, tell your boss to fuck off, and walk out of the office or you sit there and take the beating.