The last Autumn

            “The cold breeze is nice” said Joe as he laid in bed. Autumn had arrived and the cool air of the season was blowing gently in through Joe’s open window. He lay in bed with a warm plaid flannel blanket covering him. Joe stared at the ceiling, his eyes half open and a drowsy expression across his face.

            “Why do you always mention the wind more than any other detail about the day? How about the trees, sunlight or even the traffic and people” Asked Joe’s brother Bill.

            “I love the wind, it travels across the land, it can go anywhere. It could be a warm breeze, a cool refreshing gust or a bitter winter wind. We can’t see it, but it changes so much of the scenery around us, moving trees and pushing over babies. It carries flower seeds and pollen. Its almost as romantic as rain. And best of all we can all create wind with our breath” Joe explained in a quiet groggy voice then inhaled and blew out air quickly through his mouth causing the thin curtains to shake and dance. “See, we all have it in us. Or bodies are made of water, our atoms are made of stars and we can create wind with our breath” Joe added.

            Bill smiled weakly. Joe made humans sound almost godly and maybe compared to other creatures they are, but gods didn’t die of diseases. Gods didn’t waste away in bed with a head full of medication. Bill didn’t know what to think, he didn’t have words or explanations for life. He just sat with his brother waiting for the inevitable. Bill tried to make himself useful but Joe rarely asked for anything and a nurse came by twice a day with his meds.

            Bill was in turmoil, he was the healthy one but his mind raged against life and he felt like he would cry at any moment. Joe stared peacefully at the swaying autumn trees. The world seemed so beautiful to him and while Bill worried, Joe’s mind was at peace.

            Days passed and little changed day by day. Medication, IV drip, a little tv, contemplation of life, Bill sometimes eats, Joe can’t eat anymore.

The sun rises, Bill opens the window, Joe wakes up and compliments the breeze. This happened every day, until one day, the sun raised, Bill opened the window and Joe didn’t wake up.

            A strong breeze blew in through Joe’s open window. It shook the curtains and knocked the flannel blanket to the floor. Bill’s tears streaked down his face, his hands trembled and he stood by the window unable to move as he muttered “The cold breeze is nice, right Joe?”

Nathan's last day

No one would forget the day Nathan left.

            Nathan worked diligently at his desk, intermittently looking up at the clock. It was the Friday afternoon of Nathan’s last day at work and he wanted to leave on a good impression. His work was not bad, nasty or degrading like some, but it consumed the majority of the day, often working eight to fourteen hours a day. Nathan didn’t mind the work or his co-workers but the lack of free time wasn’t his only issue. Nathan felt like a jazzy caterpillar excited to see what kind of butterfly he would eventually change into. Or more realistically, what kind of monstrous moth he would transform into, haunting the minds of all who gazed upon his terrible visage.  Nathan wanted to grow and become something more, but his co-workers and heads of the business were content being fat caterpillars. Not progressing further as individuals but instead plumping up on the ripest of leaves.

            Nathan’s caterpillar metaphor was probably inspired by his garden salad that he would take quick bites of in between furious typing. He felt as if he was typing the next grand novel, with the amount of work and pressure he was enduring to write the text. Instead the text belonged to a manual that no one would read except the servants of the big bosses. The information in the tome would then be transcribed and then broken down into easier to digest portions and then hand fed to the big bosses like feeding grapes to a king.

            The day dragged on and while Nathan had hoped that staying busy would hasten the day, the day moved with the speed of frozen peanut butter being defrosted by a lighter. The spirit of the last day at work hung over Nathan’s shoulder to interrupt his work and occasionally spill coffee on his desk and papers. Then the spirit would give a half hearted apology and walk off to talk to Brenda about how Nathan was “Being so weird and grumpy today”

            Nathan had the mind of a child and the intellect of a man beyond his years. He was a shining sparkle in the night sky with all of the majesty of a mentally ill dolphin. So it did not need to be said that his uniqueness was wasted on any job where the people around him were only one thing. Such mundane humans that never dreamed of greater things and if they ever did quickly squashed their thoughts with reality and other boring words and phrases.

            Nathan knew that this manual would not be the end of the project he worked on and that it wouldn’t even be the biggest blip on anyone’s radar but he wanted to leave knowing he did a great job one last time before he moved on.

            Time ticked down as the end of the day approached, One of Nathan’s co-workers Jeff Bobertson, walked up to Nathan’s desk with the grace of a stumbling cow as he let out a loud bored sigh. “whaaats happening man?” Asked Jeff, Nathan started to open his mouth but Jeff continued talking. “Right right, man can you believe this day? Its been so long and boring. Like my daughters dance recital or something” Jeff complained loudly. Nathan kept working without replying and Jeff just nodded. “right right, ok good talk man. Hey! Good luck with your last day huh?” Jeff said as he drummed his hands along Nathan’s desk.

            Nathan realized that after today he would not have to deal with the likes of Jeff Bobertson any longer, though worried that another equal annoyance would take his place in Nathan’s life. Nathan opened the top drawer of his desk and gentle caressed a claw hammer sitting neatly inside. The hammer was the only object in that drawer and it was placed so neatly and carefully as if it were a prized egg, so delicate and adored. “Not today old friend, not today” Nathan whispered as he ran his hands along the hammer lovingly.

            Nathan’s phone began to ring loudly, it was the theme song from a video game that only he and three other people played. “Hellloooo!” Nathan answered with a long drawn out voice. This was his silly voice and was enjoyed by all who knew him, unlike Jeff’s voice, who everyone hated because hes a dick. Screw Jeff.

            Nathan’s amazing and talented cousin Stephen had called to wish him a happy last day. “Its your last day! Are you going to go out swinging? Maybe play some loud fighting music as you take out a few co-workers who ate your potato salad that one day?” Stephen asked with the voice like velvet and a lisp like an awkward five year old. “No, probably not” Nathan replied with a chuckle. The two friends giggled like girls over talk of video games for the next fifteen minutes and would have done so for much longer if not for the clock finally striking midnight and Nathan’s day was finally over. It was literally the next day and his employers couldn’t hold him any longer. After a few more giggles and fond wishes the two friends hung up their phones.

            Nathan collected his things and began to walk out of his office. He said his farewells to a few people as he left, but was so tired he just wanted to leave as quietly as possible. “Hey Budddddy! You’re all done! Wanna go to the strip club or something?” Asked Jeff as he magically appeared from behind a copier machine. “What do you even do here Jeff?” Nathan finally asked after years of working in the same building. “Not much bro-syphilis. I’m the son of one of the big wigs. SO my dad makes me wear a tie and I have to hang around until he leaves. I just drink coffee and make awkward sexual advances on the secretaries and clerks who need the job too much to say anything” Jeff replied. “You know what Jeff, I WILL meet you for drink. Lets go to the strip bar all the way down town. Ya know the one with the hot strippers in the bad section of town? Meet me there in an hour” Nathan said with a wicked grin. “OH?! Awe-some. Man” I’ll see you then. Jeff slapped the nearby desk of Todd Wilkerjams. Who was abruptly startled and jumped back in his chair. Todd swore under his breath as Jeff slapped walls and doorframes on his way out of the office.

            Nathan sighed and was excited to go home, see his wife and get some sleep. For a brief second he hoped Jeff would be ok, but then decided he didn’t really care anymore and walked toward the front of the building.

            Nathan approached the exit to his work for the last time and as he neared the door he slowed his steps to appreciate the moment. A security guard named Stanley opened the door for Nathan and gave him a warm smile. “You’re free now, have a nice rest of your life” The security guard said fondly. “thank you Stanley” said Nathan with a smile. The two men stood there staring warmly at each other until Stanley motioned his head toward the exit and Nathan had a slight anxiety attack about how big the moment was. Now he was being hurried by Stanley the lovable security guard. If Stanley was lovable and he thought Nathan should leave, then disagreeing with that thought would make Nathan look like a jerk. Nathan didn’t know if he was ready for this moment as the reality of it all rushed through him like a tidal wave of uncertainty.

            Nathan slowly started to shuffle toward the door, nervously looking back as he began to leave. “Go already you freak!” Stanley yelled. This frightened Nathan who then in turn hissed loudly and scampered away out into the night.

            Nathan was finally free to set his own future and had the opportunity that few had. With a solid plan, a hard working enduring spirit, support from his wife and best cousin and the knowledge to get the job done, Nathan knew that things would be alright from that day forward.

            ALSO Jeff got stabbed in an alley outside of a strip bar by a drifter who wielded a dirty knife. LOL Bye!

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This was written with love and any persons, people or companies that this story might seem to resemble are pure fiction and not meant to insult any real people or places. Except Jeff, that dude is fictional but he's a dick.