Watching the production lines, I feel at peace. Perverted as they are by the corporate demons, they are tended well all the same. --42.7 Seconds Post-Integration.
Clark returned to his dorm to eat. He figured if he had his own food, he shouldn't eat out. SIMP said he and Theo would have some Accomplishments to grind together, so he wanted to be fully refreshed.
Eating done, he returned to sleep. Still the high afternoon when he slept, he knew he was tired enough to sleep through the afternoon and then the night. So, when he woke up in the wee morning hours, only a couple before his shift was slated to begin, he felt vindicated in his notion.
"Good morning. I trust you slept well, laddie?" SIMP asked him.
"I did. I actually feel well-rested. Been a while. Do you need something? Normally, you don't ask me things unless you need something."
"I had an update on the request you and Theo submitted. Unfortunately, your schedule request change was rejected."
Just like that, his heart sunk. "Is there anything we can do? Maybe an appeal to someone? Why did they reject it?"
"There is an appeals system, but I doubt it will be of much use. You can re-submit your file request with an updated reason for the re-submitting, but unless you have sound rationale for re-submitting, the clerk or machine analyzing your submission will reject it outright. Re-submit too many times and you will be blocked from doing so in the future."
"So, there's nothing?" Clark said, his anger growing. "We have to take it at face value that I can't work the same shift was Theo because, why, bull reasons?!"
"My guess is that your request was rejected because both Theo and you are still very new with the company. If you re-submit at a later date, and provide data-based examples of your productivity, via your Core Metrics log, your request will likely be approved."
"How long would that be?"
"No longer than six months. Though for a higher approval likelihood, a full year is recommended."
"I don't have a year! I don't want to wait a year!"
"If you do not wish to wait this long, there is another way. Although I would not recommend doing as much right now. But I have seen in your inventory a 'managerial missive.' You received this item early on your climb. Should you choose to write into this missive 'I require a schedule change,' and submit it alongside your application, it will be approved."
He thought about that for a moment. "There is no chance it will be rejected again?"
"No. There is no chance it will be rejected."
Clark thought about it some more. "Why wouldn't you recommend me doing this?"
"As I said, if you are patient and wait a while, it is highly likely you will be given the schedule change in due time, if you put in the effort and show yourself as the ideal employee. A managerial missive, meanwhile, is a rare item that floor manager gave you, evidently, on whim. Such a missive can be used for a wide number of causes, many of which are much more worthwhile to the average employee than requesting a schedule change. My suggestion would be to save the missive for a time like that."
Six months. That was the minimum amount of time SIMP suggested he wait before he put in the schedule change... that was too long.
"I don't want to wait that long, SIMP. I really had my heart set on Theo and I working the same shifts together."
"I understand. You're lonely and want someone to work beside. Consider this, however: this judgement does not negate your ability to form a work detail with Theo, and it does not negate the possibility of sharing shifts with him by coincidence. Also consider the following: time will pass regardless. If you should decide on using the missive for this reason, at least sleep on it for a few days. Cool off, then decide."
With the rage inside him threatening to boil over, but him containing the worst of it, he managed to say to SIMP he would sleep on it.
Once he calmed himself down enough to think properly, he sent Theo a voice message: "Hey, pal. Don't know if you've seen it already but the store got back to us about our schedule request... they declined it. I'm pretty upset about it, but what can we do, yeah? I might have something which can help us if we don't want to wait and re-apply, but I still need to think it over. Talk later."
Although he wasn't satisfied with the message, he also didn't have the patience to re-work the message until he was satisfied with it.
The clock read a time he wasn't satisfied with, either. "I have work, soon. I can't dwell on this any longer."
He finished getting dressed for his shift and began his commute. His mind was heavy with thoughts and emotions. Part of him regretted ever signing up for this job. Another part of him chided that part of him which was upset for taking the job, saying, 'you should be thankful you have a means to help the people in your village!' More than either, he was disappointed. In the company for rejecting his schedule change request, and frankly, disappointed in himself for investing (clearly) too much physic energy in the affair. By the time he got to the salesfloor and clocked-in, he wanted to do anything besides work
Stolen novel; please report.
Clocked-in, Clark began his job expecting to find himself bogged down in task after task, like he had on the floor below, or Theo had as he climbed this floor yesterday. Fortunately, for his attitude, he found no such labor demands. He walked along the route outlined for him by the line-path committee and thought nothing more about a slow day.
It was nearly lunch time before he was even asked to do anything and that was only by a customer who needed help moving a heavy item from a shelf. Forced to put on a face, the minor encounter managed to elevate his mood, if only because it forced him to flee from his own head. He wasn't back to his old self until after lunch, when Theo caught up to him on the thirty-first floor and waved at him.
"Hey. I got your voice message. That blows! I wasn't happy either... I guess we can't do very much right now, though, yeah?"
"Yeah. Oh well. But we're in our party still, so that hasn't changed. Maybe we were too hasty with putting in the request to begin with?" he replied.
"Honestly, I think that was it. We got carried away and asked for too much. Live and learn! But we're both working now, so let's work together."
Working alongside Theo was a pleasant experience. He wondered how laboring alongside another person would work. Turns out, it worked well!
How it worked, was like so: When a checkpoint asked one of them to report to a department to render aid, the other in the party could advance along the path; if the one who advanced was needed at another checkpoint, then, while they worked, the other, depending on when they got out from their aid demand, could advance right up to whichever department the other had advanced, regardless of how busy the store block was at the moment. A kind of piggybacking route, Clark analyzed. It made for the grinding of floors much more efficient. A part of him wondered if this was why the system did not approve his schedule change request in the first place, because it would've meant too much forward progress too quickly?
Their shift flew by. Getting off together, Clark only later realized that one of them must have worked overtime to continue laboring alongside the other. Without knowing Theo's exact schedule, though, he couldn't tell for sure whether it was he or him who worked the overtime. They both might have had the same shift by coincidence, for all he knew. When their labors were done, though, Clark had the good memory to ask Theo if he wanted to gind some Accomplishments, as SIMP had arranged for them to grind out a few together.
"Working more with my favorite co-worker? Count me in! Are we just doing more overtime?" Theo asked.
Clark checked with SIMP. "No. Both of you should clock out now. The Accomplishments you will grind do not have curry with the company."
"What is this place? The food court?" Clark asked. "Why are we here?" He could hear Theo's rumbling stomach. "To eat?"
"No -- well, yes, actually," SIMP replied. "We are here so you and Theo can eat, yes, but also so you can earn a few easy Accomplishments via the corporate synergy menu."
"Corporate synergy?" he asked.
"I will explain soon. For now, you and Theo go and use your Culinary Credits. Do not overspend. You will need to eat at several locations, so keep your orders per location small."
'What a change of pace,' he muttered happily. Telling Theo, who seemed happy as well. "Whoa, eating as a means to gain an Accomplishment? That's wicked!"
"Ain't it? How about that place?" Clark pointed to a pizza shop. "I've never had pizza, but I've wanted to try."
"You've never had pizza!?" Theo exclaimed. "Then we're going there first!"
Clark and Theo followed SIMP's orders and only bought themselves a single slice of pizza. Clark stuck to the most popular option, cheese and pepperoni. As he took his first bite, Theo watched him with the intensity of a hawk. "How is it?"
He chewed, savored the flavor, then swallowed. "Pretty darn good!" He gave Theo a thumbs up.
"Heck yeah on a beck yeah, bro!" Theo's wide smile was contagious, and the two boys spent their time eating their pizza slices in a state of semi-euphoria.
Not able to contain a burb, Clark apologized embarrassedly.
"Don't be so formal, bro. It's not like our parents are at our backs watching our every move so as to not embarrass them while they're mucking about with their friends." Theo spoke as if he had actual experience with the issue.
Clark stood his ground. "Just how I am."
"It's fine. I don't want you to feel like you have to put on airs when you're with me, is all. We both bros, is what I'm saying."
Clark smiled. "I think it's your turn to pick a place."
Theo made a show of deciding where they should go next. He settled on a place called New Sunrises Supreme. There, the cuisine focused on what was called 'oriental,' though Clark was unsure about such a description. He and Theo split an order of dumplings. The crispy, friend shell was perfectly cooked while the inside was filled with ground meat too savory to enjoy without breaking into a chorus of 'hmmmms!'
"That was good -- so good!" Theo told him while wiping his face free of the dipping sauce.
Clark picked 'Old World Kitchen.' They sold a number of so-called 'classic dishes, made from scratch.' He and Theo split an order of Spiced Apple Pie baked with 'love and a flakey, buttery crust which will make your mouth water.' Or so the product description promised.
"My mouth just shot off, it's that good," Theo said of the pie.
"Shot off? Like -- no!" Clark grinned, not believing Theo said and meant such a dirty joke.
Theo only smirked between bites, which caused Clark to smirk right back as he looked around the food court to see if anyone noticed Theo's humor. No one had, blessed be, but that still didn't mean he should say such things in public!
[Accomplishment Unlocked! 'Intermediate Gourmet:' You've eaten at six different locations. You glutton.']
"Did you get it, too?" Clark asked Theo once he had seen the notification.
"I did! Bomb! Unlocking Accomplishments by eating! Here's hoping there's an Accomplishment for belching two-hundred times!" Theo belched. Clark did, too, but he at least covered his mouth. Theo was certainly a firecracker compared to his own manners, but he didn't think that was such a bad thing.
"Yo! SIMP! Please tell me there is more Accomplishments for eating at places!" Theo said, speaking loudly into Clark's ear so SIMP could hear him.
Clearly irritated with Theo's hijinks, SIMP sounded ticked off when they replied. "Yeah... there is, but the next such Accomplishment for eating at places isn't for a bit, so we can't continue to eat. You two have work to do."
"Nuh-uh!" Theo sounded off. "I already worked today. We already worked today!"
"Your Augustford shift is not what I am talking about," SIMP said. "The next element of your Accomplishment grinding is to volunteer at a restaurant or kiosk within the tower."
Clark had to ask for details, though, he had a premonition he wasn't going to like the answer.
"Uhhh... volunteer?"
Have You Ever Volunteered for Work-Related Activities?
