Something Different

“Damnit, what the hell is wrong with this thing?  Today was supposed to be different!”

Albert looked down at his flashlight in disgust.  He admonishingly observed it for a moment, cursing within the confines of his head.  He tapped it.  He looked at it in disgust again.

Albert was a mess of a man.  He worked in a tenth story office doing monotonous work with people half his age.  He constantly babbled to them about doing something different and moving on.  They knew that he stalked the halls every night so earlier that day they stole his batteries and set up a camera to tape the nightly action.

***

Albert blindly felt the wall and awkwardly moved down the dim office corridor with a letter in his hand.  The letter was addressed to his boss.

To Mr. Penberthy,

Every day's the same.  I’m offing myself.

Albert

He reached the office mailbox at the end of the hallway and for several minutes solemnly contemplated his death.  He did this every night. 

Albert closed his eyes and repeated aloud “Tomorrow will be different” several times.  Albert routinely discarded the letter in the trash, turned and walked back down the hall.  He’d done this for three years now.

As he briskly walked back down the dark hall his knee struck a filing cabinet, he winced in pain.

Albert slumped, he was defeated and joyless.  He walked to the nearest window.  He opened the window.  Without hesitation Albert clumsily climbed out.

***

The next morning eleven office workers sat uncomfortably in shock staring at the TV after they watched the tape.  After several minutes someone broke the silence.

“What do you think was going through his head?”

The moment before Albert’s head struck the pavement he enthusiastically thought:

“Today is going to be different”