Minor Inconvenience

Today is April 31st...

That's what the title of the news article that popped up on my phone said. I shrugged and swiped it away. What was the big deal? It was just a day like any other. I still had to get up and do the same thing I did every day. I sighed and got out of bed, had a quick breakfast, and hopped into the morning shower to wake up.

Last night was so weird, I saw strange lights and sounds from outside my apartment. I didn't even bother to look. Why would I? There wasn't anything I could to stop whatever they were. As I am stepping into the shower, I see a strange bruise on my calf. It doesn't hurt, but I have no idea where it came from. Must have bumped my knee in the night, wouldn't be the first time.

As I was getting my shampoo, I stopped again, Anarchy? I usually get Apollo. That's a little odd, but it's easy to double-check. Besides, they are basically the same. Finishing my shower, I reach for my phone again. I check my old receipts. How about that? I did get Anarchy last time. If my phone says so it must be true. It's not like a super market would have a need to forge receipts.

It takes me a moment to find my work clothes. For some reason, I had stuffed them in the far back corner of my closet. I double check them with a quick sniff, least they aren't musky. What is with me today? Everything seems off; things aren't where they're supposed to be. It's not like I live with someone else. Suddenly, my phone pings with a message from my sister:

"Hey, bud, how did your appointment go?"

Appointment? What is she talking about? I didn't have any appointments recently. I resolve to talk to her about that once I am on my first break at work. As I am swiping her message away, I notice something else strange on my phone. My apps have been rearranged, a tech glitch too? Just my luck, another trademark sigh leaves my lips and I finish getting ready.

I look in the fridge to figure out what leftovers I want to take for lunch and find... Nothing. I could have sworn I had something prepared. I check my phone receipts again. I got takeout the past few nights, talk about brain fog. Something else to go wrong, I'm already running behind. I sigh to myself in the same resigned way I always do and move on. I'll get a sandwich from the Subway near work.

I hop into my car and make my way to work. Along the way, I can't help but notice that even more is off. I know these roads, I've been here for several years now and yet it all feels brand new. There are new buildings on the street corners, like new businesses popped up overnight. I am so distracted that I don't notice when the bumps of the road knock my phone out of its holster on the dash. I reach down to grab it and almost hit a car that is stopped at a red light.

Great, there is a traffic jam. Thankfully, my phone is fine, I sit it back in its holster. I can get around without losing too much time, but I find myself slowing down. Not to rubberneck, but to make sure no one is hurt. They are arguing. Screaming really..

"Did you not see the yield sign? Come on!"

"Yield sign? I have lived here for years, there was no yield sign here before..."

"Well, there is now, old man! It's your fault for hitting me. Be glad you didn't hurt my car, or I would sue you!"

The older gentleman mumbles something under his breath and gets back in his car."

Weird, I check my phone out of curiosity and find that the yield sign they are talking about used to be at another street corner. I sit there for a moment before something clicks in my brain and I snap out of it. I look up on a whim and notice a strange billboard that I have never seen before. An advertisement that says something about "realigning yourself..."

Sounds like some religious nonsense. Yet, I find myself drawn to it. I snap a photo of the billboard so I can have the number later. As I do so, I see a notification pop up on my phone. A message from some factory or other I don't recognize. I swipe it away and let my AI assistant deal with the spam.

I check the clock as I pull into the Subway across from the office. Ten minutes, assuming they aren't busy. Surely, something will go my way today. Even before I walk in, I can hear the yelling.

"I am very sorry, ma'am, but we do not have a sandwich like that..." A young cashier is saying as kindly as they can.

"Of course you do, you little brat. I come in here every week and get it, have for years. But I have never seen you before, get Brent, he knows what I want."

Great. A Karen. Just who anyone needs when working with the public.

"Again ma'am, we don't have anyone named Brent working here..."

"Ugh... fine! I don't have time for this... I am calling your corporate office."

The woman storms off.

I slowly walk up to the young cashier, "Hopefully that was your only Karen today?"

"Fifth actually." They sigh, a bit like my own, "What can I get you? And please don't say Corned Beef Reuben."

"No, a hearty BLT is just fine with me. I'd like to double up the meat though."

The cashier nods and preps my sandwich. I smile at them and the day is a little brighter for both of us.

Once I am back at my car, I reach for my bag to put my new sandwich in, but I can't find it. It's like my bag isn't here, but I know I packed it. I spend a small amount of time trying to search for it. Being right across from work helps my stress about making it to the punch clock on time. Sadly, I don't find it and with another trademark sigh, I head on.

With only a few seconds to spare, I make it to work on time, clock in and start to walk to my station. Then I see the stares. Strangers. I don't recognize anyone. Did they replace a lot of the temps again? Finally, I see Grace. She's someone I know.

"Hey, Grace, It looks like we are really going through our temps, huh?"

"What are you doing here? I thought you quit?"

I blink.. What? I look back at my phone again. People are responding to the news article, I see some of the top comments.

"It's like the whole world is some sort of mass Mandela Effect!"

Then I see another text from that factory from before.

"Just wanting to confirm, you answered that awfully quickly. You are using paid time off today, right?"

Now that ad pops back up in my mind and how things seem so unaligned.