Overjoyed

The stack of papers shook the cubicle as they collided with the desk.

The impact sent tremors through Chance's forehead, causing him to recoil in the roller chair.

Chance pulled down at his face; rubbing the oils on his shirt as he sucked his teeth and squinted at the computer screen.

He turned to Darrel; forearm resting on the cubicle wall with a wide grin plastered between his ears.

“Wh-what’s this?” Chance asked. He flipped through the stack of papers with his thumb. “It’s ten minutes before my shift ends.”

“Yeah, about that. I need this data entered, these spreadsheets reviewed, and all the software updated in the office.”

Chance scoffed. Darrel joined him letting out a boisterous laugh. Chance shook his head.

“Well, I’ll get on it tomorrow.” Chance stood, put on his blazer, and placed the Bible-thick documents in his work satchel.

“Tomorrow?” Darrel asked with an unwavering grin. Chance’s eyes danced around the office as he stood to his feet.

“Uh…yeah. My shifts over.” Darrel kissed his teeth.

“No can do, I need this done by midnight tonight.”

“MID— Darrel, this could take hours.”

“Good thing you’ve got seven.”

“This can’t wait till—” Darrel rested his hands on Chance’s stocky shoulders.

“Come on. Your our tech guy. The back bone of Jolly Enterprises!” he draped his arm over Chance’s shoulder. “Aren’t you happy for this high paying job? Hm?” Chance looked down at the sunken in roller chair where he could be identified by the buttocks grooves in the seat.

“Yes…sir,” Chance said.

“That’s the spirit! Better than old…” Darrel ran his finger though his side part as to collect his thoughts.

“Kansas,” Chance said.

“Kansas! Go Chiefs! HA HA!” Darrel slapped Chance on his chest causing him to ball up his lips. “Anyway, Nicki will keep you company. Say hi Nicki.” Nicki waved with a grin from a cubicle across the room.

Chance sighed and rested his blazer on his chair.

“Better get some coffee,” he said with a labored grin.

“My brotha’,” Darrel said before making his Jolly exit.

###

Chance watched as his co-workers flooded out of the office like wildebeest to water.

With every growing hour, the pile of documents shrank.

The smiling janitor kept Chance company in the dead of night. Rather than tending to the cubicles, he told Chance stories of all the horrors he’d seen in the restrooms.

Urine soaked floors, encounters with animals, and turds the size of a football.

Chance’s caffeinated leg bounced under the table as his mouth rested in his hand. He ran his hand over the stubble of his head before putting them together as to pray. He turned to the janitor.

“Look, I’d love to talk all night.”

“Oh, I’d don’t mind,” the janitor said. Chance blinked rapidly as he released a staggered breath from his nostrils.

“I can tell, but I gotta get this done in an hour so…” the janitor squinted at the paper as Chance typed away.

“No you don’t. These files aren’t due to the 29th, it’s the 26th.”

Chance snatched up the papers to confirm. He palmed his face.

“Looks like you can slow down,” the janitor said before pushing his cart away.

“Yeah, right. I’m finishing these last few and getting the hell outta here. Software can wait till tomorrow.”

Another hour went by and the pile had been reduced to nothing. Chance let out a sigh of relief as he pushed himself away from the desk and rubbed his eyes.

12:40am. Chance put on his blazer, packed his belongings, and headed for the front door.

As Chance pulled the exit doors, they wouldn’t budge. The janitor locked him in. Chance rested his forehead on the glass, leaving a greasy stain.

The security booth was yards away. No amount of yelling nor theatrics would catch his attention, as he was catching up on the sleep Chance yearned for.

After calling the security, and trying every exit fathomable, Chance ultimately headed back up to the office and updated the software on the computers...all 336 of them.

###

Chance finished the last software update as the sunrise bled through the office windows.

He looked down below as all the smiling faces poured into the office. Chance sighed and dragged his aching feet to the restroom.

###

Chance splashed the cool sink water in his face before patting it dry. The hand-soap would suffice as hygiene, and the smell of coffee would keep his morning breath at bay.

The restroom door flung open as Chance adjusted his tie.

“Hey, Chancy! You’re early!” Chance looked in the reflection of the mirror to see his co-worker, Chuck smiling. He had a silver patch over his eye.

“Morning, Chuck. I uh…stayed the night. What uh, happened to your eye?”

Chuck let out a sigh as he relieved himself at the urinal.

“Oh, one of Darrel’s prototypes exploded when I fired it up; took my eye.”

“Dang, insurance cover it?”

“Nope, Darrel says its all my fault.” Chuck walked over to the sink and adjusted his tie. “Lost my eye, but Darrel got me a bunch of cool prosthetics,” Chuck said with glee.

Chance frowned and tucked in his shirt.

“Know you could sue right? Easy case.”

“Nah. Darrel will just counter.”

“Doesn’t that make you, mad?” Chance asked.

“Nope.” Chuck touched the stubble on Chance’s head. “Growing it out, nice! See you on the floor bud!”

Chuck walked out of the bathroom with a grin and a pep to his step. Chance shook his head.

“Couldn’t be me…he didn’t wash.” Chance started scrubbing his head with the hand soap.

###

After a hectic work week, Chance spent his Saturday sleeping in and his Sunday dreading an eight letter word that started with to and ended with morrow.

Chance reclined in the loveseat as he watched TV. The soul peace of furniture he owned as the neighbors were throwing it out.

As he flipped through the twelve local channels, his phone vibrated on the milk crate next to the seat. He let out a sigh of relief when the screen read, Dad.

“What up, OG?” Chance talked to his dad about his hectic work week, how everyone in Joyville was suspiciously full of joy, and how HOA stayed on his back about the grass.

After and hour of venting, Chance wished his dad well and hung up the phone. When he threw the phone on the loveseat, the cushion caused it to ricochet and crack at his feet.

As he reached to pick it up, there was a knock at the door. Chance peeped through the peephole and sighed.

Glen, the HOA president stood with a smile. Chance took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Glen, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Chance asked.

“Ooh buddy! Just wanted to let you know, ya left a smidgen of grass when you cut. Old morning dew makes it stick to your shoes and track on sidewalks.” Chance balled up his lips and nodded.

“I’ll…get a leaf blower. If you’ll excuse—” Glen stopped Chance from closing the door.

“Also missed the HOA meeting…all of em’,” Glen said.

“Works been a lot. I’ll get there…eventually.” Glen stood with a smile; amber eyes glistening in the sun.

“Ooh buddy. I get it…well…bye.” Chance stopped Glen as be walked off the porch.

“Hey, Glen.” Glen turned around with a smile. “What up with this town? Why everybody so…happy?”

Glen cocked his head to the side and laughed.

“Ooh buddy! You work for Jolly Ent and don’t know? Follow your pal Glen. ###

Chance followed behind Glen through the neighborhood. All of the lawns were manicured to the mandatory 2 ½ in, children were at play in the streets as they were less likely to be hit at the 5mph speed zone, and dogs were all fenced. Definitely not Kansas.

Glen led Chance to the center of the park were people congregated around a large tree.

Glen inhaled deeply through his nose and exhaled through his mouth.

“Can you smell it?” Glen asked

“Smell like Black and Mild,” Chance said. Glen erupted into laughter before ushering Chance through the crowd of smiling faces.

“First timer,” people whispered. Chance raised his brow as he and Glen stood at the base of the trunk.

“This is the Joy tree. Your company manufactures the machines that make the seeds. It grows fast and produces fruit year round.” Glen rubbed his orange beard. “Let’s see…”

Glen searched the limbs of the tree until he gasped.

“There you are!” Chance’s address, 5212 was on the limb. “You are permitted two a week. Each should last three days or so,” Glen said.

Chance’s eyes bounced between the black fruit and Glen’s smiling face.

“Is it like…a plum?” Chance asked.

“Joy fruits. Go on, take em’!” Chance pulled the two fruits from the limb, and almost instantaneously, two new buds sprouted. His jaw dropped.

“Right! You are only permitted to take from your limb once a week”—Glen pat Chance on the back—“Enjoy!”

###

As Chance got ready for bed, he looked into his empty pantry, then at the two fruits resting on his counter. He sighed before walking over.

He picked up the oval shaped fruit.

“Why not?” he asked before taking a bite. The interior was green, and it had a sweet taste that could only be described as cake. “Oh that’s hittin’,” Chance said.

Chance devoured the fruit, even finishing the stem.

With his appetite satiated, Chance laid on his air mattress, and drifted off to sleep.

###

4:55am. Chance’s eyes opened wide. Usually, he’d thank the heavens for five extra minutes of rest, but he sprung to his feet.

“Wow”—Chance stretched—“Man, feels like I got…laid,” Chance said.

Chance rushed to get ready for work. He couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as he shaved his face and head.

###

Chance arrived to work with his car radio blasting, Happy. He turned it down when he reached the security booth.

“Morning, Jed,” Chance said.

“Morning, Chancy! How’d you sleep?” Jed asked.

“Amazing!”

“Better than the office I’d hope. Darrel told me to lock you in so you could…LOCK IN.” The two of them laughed. Chance told him to remind him to kick his butt later.

Jed opened the gate for Chance.

###

When Chance parked his car, and headed for the entrance door, he was struck by a jeep.

Nicki jumped out of her car and rushed to Chance’s side.

“Chance!” She yelled. Chance jumped to his feet and laughed as he dusted off the grime.

“That’ll wake you up,” he laughed. Chance took a deep breath and marched into the office.

He spoke to everyone, did twice his usual work load with pride, and cracked jokes by the water dispenser.

The perfect day. Chance thought to himself. Just feet away from his home, he was pulled over by the police. He received a ticket for going 6 miles in a 5 mile zone.

“Add that to the list of bills, am I right?” Chance and the officer laughed together before he was sent on his way.

Chance couldn’t stop laughing as he reminisced on his day. When he checked his fridge, there was only a single can of energy drink on the shelf.

“Looks like I’m having sleep for dinner,” he laughed.

Chance swan dived on his air mattress and let out a deep sigh as it deflated before shutting his eyes.

###

The next morning, Chance awoke to an aching back, and an obnoxious alarm. 5:35am.

“Gonna be late, ugh!” Chance could hardly straighten his back as he stood to his feet. “Right, that dumb broad hit me with her car.”

Chance took twenty minutes to get ready, was caught in traffic, and had a pile of work waiting for him at his desk.

“You can’t be serious,” Chance said as he plopped in the chair.

“Chance, my guy,” Darrel said.

“Morning…Darrel. What’s all”—Chance gestured his hands around his desk—“This?”

“Work! You were so enthused yesterday. Figured why not double the load? Don’t tell me someone forgot their joy? What? Detoxing?” Darrel laughed.

Darrel slapped Chance on the aching back before walking away.

Chance shook his head before looking at the files.

“Wait…is that why yesterday was so…great?”

###

That night, Chance ate his last Joy fruit before bed, and as predicted, his next day was phenomenal.

Chance excelled at work, played pickle ball, and attended an HOA meeting. No bill, work load, or amount of dog feces on his shoe could ruin his day.

###

As Chance prepared dinner, he could feel it. The looming shift in the atmosphere, the weight returning on his shoulders, the Chance of yesterday coming to rob him of his joy.

“No, it’s supposed to last three days!” Chance dropped the knife on the kitchen floor and ran out of the front door.

Chance raced up the sidewalk in the dead of night. When he arrived at the Joy Tree, he frantically searched for his limb.

“Come on, I need it!” 5215. When Chance found his limb, all that rested on it were two flowers.

“No! I need it for tomorrow,” Chance said before squeezing his head. He looked up at all the unclaimed fruits before checking his surroundings.

Sweat raced down Chance’s face as he reached.

“Sorry 5249, but—” when Chance pulled at the fruit, it wouldn’t release from the stem. He tried all the others, nothing.

“No,” Chance whispered.

“Pst,” someone hissed from the shadows. A teenager with a hood over his head. Chance walked over to him with his hands on his hips. He chuckled.

“Oh, I was just uh—”

“Only the owner of the fruit can pick it,” the boy said

“I know, I was just—”

“Save it.” The boy pulled a small bag from his pocket. “You’re like me, rare type.”

“Rare type?” Chance asked.

“Effects don’t last long enough, but…” the boy waved the bag. It appeared to be filled with smaller joy fruit. When Chance reached, the boy pulled away.

“Buddy of mine grows em’. $100 get ya a dozen. Effects only last two or three hours.” Chance bit at his lower lip before reaching in his pocket.

###

Over the course of a month, Chance worked out a system. On the days that demanded more of him, he’d eat the joy fruit from the tree. Those that didn’t, he’d use the smaller fruit to get through the day.

There wasn’t a waking hour Chance wasn’t filled with joy. He even became familiar with his dealer, Eddie.

###

As Chance was working at his desk, he could feel it; the corners of his mouth down-turning, the weight returning on his shoulders. He saw an image of himself standing in the corner of the room; arch in his back, slowly approaching with his head down.

Chance looked around frantically as he scratched. When he pulled out his baggy, only specks of green juice remained.

Chance frantically texted on his phone.

Mid-text, he was interrupted by a message.

Outback. Chance stood to his feet, adjusted his tie, and made haste down the aisle. Darrel called out to him.

“Hey Chance, tell that joke about—”

“Brb,” Chance yelled. Chance rushed down the stairs and behind the building.

###

Eddie rested against the wall.

“Got it?” Chance asked. Eddie held up the bag. Chance snatched it before giving him a wad of cash.

Eddie watched as he bit open the bag, before tossing the fruit back. Chance let out a sigh of relief.

“Ever wonder why I ain’t at school?” Eddie asked.

“Don’t care,” Chance said. He smiled and adjusted his tie. “Thanks, see you tomo—”

“Ain’t comin’,” Eddie said.

“Then where should we—”

“Getting out of this town. Racked up enough cash.” Chance laughed and walked up to him slowly. Eddie backed away.

“How am I supposed to get my joy?” Chance asked.

“F-figure it out,” Eddie said. Chance continued his approach with a wide grin. “Y-you’re overjoyed man! The Great Fast is next week and—”

“Great Fast?” Chance asked.

“When no one is allowed to get their fruit, YOU’RE SCREWED!” Eddie said before running away.

Chance smiled and walked back to the office. He cleared his throat as the men stood around the water dispenser.

“So, there’s a naked rooster…”

###

The Great Fast

For the First time in a long time, Joyville was filled with gloom. The entire town walked with their heads down, with the exception of one man.

###

“Why the long faces?” Chance laughed. Everyone in the cubicles stared at him with deadpan faces. His usual jokes and antics came off as annoying, causing Darrel to send him home early.

###

When Chance got home, he could feel it at the door. He turned to see a depressed version of himself, dragging his feet as he approached. His bag was already empty.

“No!” Chance entered his house and paced the floor. He snapped before making a call.

“Ooh, buddy. Hey Glen!” He pulled a firearm out of his desk drawer. “You pick your joy fruit before the fast?” Chance asked as he checked the magazine. “No? Goo—can you meet me at the park? No just wanna”—Chance inspected the gun—“talk.”

###

Glen was at the tree arms folded, and out of patience.

“What’s this about—” Chance pointed the gun in Glen’s face with a wide grin.

“Pick em’, buddy!”

###

Chance went from door to door, dragging people out of their homes, forcing them to pick and bag their fruits. ###

A swat team formed on Chance’s lawn.

“Chance, this is JVPD. YOU’RE IN VIOLATION OF SECTION 318, WHICH STATES THERE IS TO BE NO CONSUMPTION OF ANOTHERS FRUIT. NOR SHOULD ANYONE BE CONSUMING FRUIT ON THE DAY OF THE GREAT FAST. EXIT THE HOME WITH YOUR HANDS UP!”

Chance sat barricaded in his home, consuming fruit after fruit.

END