Kevin Murry was a tall and quiet man, sitting on his balcony with a Mountain Dew in hand. He enjoyed the lemon-lime and citrus taste even though he knew it wasn’t the healthiest of drinks. He still kept his physical and mental health in check. Everything around him seemed to stand still. The gust of September wind awoke him by almost blasting his dark brown hair off of his head. He was waiting for dinner from his loving wife, Karen. Suddenly, a human shriek pierced his ears from halfway across his apartment.

“KEEEEVVVVVIIIIIIIIINNNN!”

He got up, with a little struggle but he didn’t feel decrepit yet, he had another ten years before he considered himself middle-aged. Thirty-five wasn’t old. The aroma of the warm and crispy Texas toast from the BLTs drew him closer to the table. 

Kevin’s family sat there, his loving wife Karen and his energetic son Damein waiting for him. Kevin enjoyed the company of his son, but with him being eight years old, naive, and barely able to form a proper opinion, conversations were short. Damein couldn’t stop talking about his teachers that meal, being first introduced to them that day. 

“Mrs. Mmmmmmmmmmmm was very rrrrrrrrrrrr today.”

All he could do was tune it out and nod his head. Kevin couldn’t stop thinking about the coming economic crisis, nobody could.  Both 2007 and 2008 were some tough times. The only other thought in his head was about becoming a father again his wife was due within days. 

Damein was unenlightened socially but ahead of many when it came to school, at least for a fourth-grader. Damein had already decided who he liked and disliked. Math teachers were usually high on that list, always telling him useless information he already knew. Karen was harsh and investigative but was a well-kept and fine person. She was always a loyal and forgiving person deep down. 

“Kevin, please sit down, I made our favorite meal.”

“I noticed, it smells so delicious I could smell it from the balcony.”

“Would you like me to make you a sandwich?”

“No thanks, I’ll make one myself.”

He felt almost hesitant to sit down, something waiting for him was near. This feeling, he couldn’t tell if it was positive or negative. Kevin sat feeling comfortable in the checkered cotton blend chair. He reached for the steaming toast and felt its warmth linger in the air, was this the feeling, Kevin thought. He wouldn’t dare reach for the lettuce. Its moisture and crunchy feeling doubled down on noise with the bacon. It was bland anyway, healthy yes but enjoyable it could never be. The sweetness of the tomato was his preferred option, he could tolerate the seeds very well and the flesh of the red slice was smooth. He couldn’t really call it a BLT though.  He sunk his teeth into each layer, first the soft bread, then the crunch of the bacon, and the sweet tomato. He never reached the second bite, a call from the house line reached him first. The ring was just sitting there, waiting. What awaited him behind that slab of plastic.

The voice was uplifting, it was his best friend and loyal coworker, Jimmy Jones Jr. They had agreed to call him James for convenience. 

“Hey Kevin, I’m calling about work.”

“Well, what else would you be calling about? Work has been the only thing everyone has been thinking about for the last year with the economy creeping towards a major crash.”

“Well I’m specifically calling about work in terms of finance and I have a question for you that might be a bit personal. How will you deal with the crash if it arrives.”

“I hadn’t given it much thought.” He hushed his voice. I mustn’t be heard by Karen, he thought to himself. After a second to think Kevin followed up with,

 “I assumed that the business would take a hit but stand reasonably stable. If it came down to it, they would be forced to cut off a few handfuls of less important workers.”

“Kevin, you have ten years of experience for Banana Inc. but you haven’t moved up in five years, you’re still non-essential, and they could very easily cut you if need be. Dare I say, you’re on thin ice.” 

Those words had sent a chill as cold as a Siberian winter through all six feet of his skeleton.

“I’ll get back to you later James. But before I go, will you help me through this? Just because you’re the son of the boss doesn’t mean everything revolves around you but I assumed you could do something for me, anything at all.”

The next moments decided how he would likely live out the rest of his life.

“Kevin, what kind of question is that? I’d be glad to help, we’ve gotten through everything together.”

He felt himself drop the phone. A word meant next to nothing for Kevin, but this one had promise. It didn’t have promise because Jimmy had connections, he was also insanely intelligent, he didn’t mooch off of other people, especially family or friends. He also had large trust in Jimmy, they were one and the same. When either of them put their minds to something, they had exceptionally massive potential. 

“Dad, what was that about?” Said an innocent and young voice. It was Damein.

“Oh, nothing, just unimportant work talk.” 

He instantly sensed a pair of sharp eyes follow him and he knew Karen was on to him. He instantly regretted not being less conspicuous and wording the statement adversely. Kevin quietly finished his sandwich and took to his computer for any information from Jimmy. He slipped through the crack of the door and dragged his shaky legs to the desk. It took a minute to load up his computer but when it did, there was one E-Mail, directly from James. The message read saying,

“I’m talking to my father, the boss obviously, as well as some higher-ups. I believe we have a shot here.”

Two whole hours ticked by, waiting by his desk was all Kevin was worried about until Karen peaked through the door.

“Why have you been waiting here all night,” she said harshly. Karen followed up with,

“Something major is happening to you at work, am I correct in saying that?”

“Yes, financially. With the help of Jimmy, I’m looking for a better job in the company.”

“The both of us knew that because of the likely economic crash and our baby being born within days, I need more money.”

Silence crept into the office room, neither said a word the rest of the night. They agreed that discussing this event would place more stress on them. Instead, Kevin just went right to sleep, nothing could worry him in his sleep.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!!! The alarm he had always set too loud had greatly annoyed him in the mornings. The only other light he saw was a message that popped up on his phone. Luckily it was from none other than Jimmy. 

It read,

“Be in the meeting room at 9 am sharp. The only people there will be me, you, and the boss.” 

He knew he could count on James. Those few hours of stress, aside from his sleep, were enough to make Kevin constantly shake that morning. He went through his daily morning routine, he woke up, fed his overly-excited parakeet, showered, and he was off. Before he left he got only a few words out of his wife and son. 

“Good luck with your new job.” When he was confident, they were as well. They had all shared this sort of bond, whenever one felt stressed, angry, or excited, the other two would as well. Their moods were always contagious, especially Kevin being the tamest. 

After being thrust into the environment that was the workplace, Kevin didn’t know if he should feel thrilled or feel pressure. He was excited about the possibility of a better job, but at the same time, he was stressed out about the equally likely chance of not getting the job. This feeling, as well as his future, would be decided within the next hour.

He entered the meeting room, where all major and minor discussions were held between co-workers, higher-ups, and the head of the business, Jimmy Jones Sr.This time only he, his boss, and his best friend were sitting in this room. He knew he would have to be  extra professional this time around.

“So Kevin, I heard from James that you were interested in the possibility of a better job due to a potential economic crash we’ve expected for the past year.”

“Yes sir, that is correct. I feel as if I am deserving of better from this company because of my experience and contribution.”

“Well you seem to have a reference here as well, and I will acknowledge your time here as well as innovation. Technology is a hard thing to improve on as it gets better.”

“I agree, especially with mobile devices and computers.” He said nervously trying to sound as if they were on the same wavelength.

“I believe that you would be fit for a better position in the company. You definitely stand out more than the rest, I wouldn’t risk losing you. Kevin, you’re getting a raise.” The amount of excitement was barely able to be contained, he had secured a future for his family. The economy was still likely to crash and burn but at least he has ensured a better outcome than the rest. The instant he left the room he called up Karen to explain the good news, but the only thing he was met with was a message from her saying, “Meet me at the hospital.”

Pre-midlife Crisis

Kevin Murry was a tall and quiet man, sitting on his balcony with a Mountain Dew in hand. He enjoyed the lemon-lime and citrus taste even though he knew it wasn’t the healthiest of drinks. He still kept his physical and mental health in check. Everything around him seemed to stand still. The gust of September wind awoke him by almost blasting his dark brown hair off of his head. He was waiting for dinner from his loving wife, Karen. Suddenly, a human shriek pierced his ears from halfway across his apartment.

“KEEEEVVVVVIIIIIIIIINNNN!”

He got up, with a little struggle but he didn’t feel decrepit yet, he had another ten years before he considered himself middle-aged. Thirty-five wasn’t old. The aroma of the warm and crispy Texas toast from the BLTs drew him closer to the table. 

Kevin’s family sat there, his loving wife Karen and his energetic son Damein waiting for him. Kevin enjoyed the company of his son, but with him being eight years old, naive, and barely able to form a proper opinion, conversations were short. Damein couldn’t stop talking about his teachers that meal, being first introduced to them that day. 

“Mrs. Mmmmmmmmmmmm was very rrrrrrrrrrrr today.”

All he could do was tune it out and nod his head. Kevin couldn’t stop thinking about the coming economic crisis, nobody could.  Both 2007 and 2008 were some tough times. The only other thought in his head was about becoming a father again his wife was due within days. 

Damein was unenlightened socially but ahead of many when it came to school, at least for a fourth-grader. Damein had already decided who he liked and disliked. Math teachers were usually high on that list, always telling him useless information he already knew. Karen was harsh and investigative but was a well-kept and fine person. She was always a loyal and forgiving person deep down. 

“Kevin, please sit down, I made our favorite meal.”

“I noticed, it smells so delicious I could smell it from the balcony.”

“Would you like me to make you a sandwich?”

“No thanks, I’ll make one myself.”

He felt almost hesitant to sit down, something waiting for him was near. This feeling, he couldn’t tell if it was positive or negative. Kevin sat feeling comfortable in the checkered cotton blend chair. He reached for the steaming toast and felt its warmth linger in the air, was this the feeling, Kevin thought. He wouldn’t dare reach for the lettuce. Its moisture and crunchy feeling doubled down on noise with the bacon. It was bland anyway, healthy yes but enjoyable it could never be. The sweetness of the tomato was his preferred option, he could tolerate the seeds very well and the flesh of the red slice was smooth. He couldn’t really call it a BLT though.  He sunk his teeth into each layer, first the soft bread, then the crunch of the bacon, and the sweet tomato. He never reached the second bite, a call from the house line reached him first. The ring was just sitting there, waiting. What awaited him behind that slab of plastic.

The voice was uplifting, it was his best friend and loyal coworker, Jimmy Jones Jr. They had agreed to call him James for convenience. 

“Hey Kevin, I’m calling about work.”

“Well, what else would you be calling about? Work has been the only thing everyone has been thinking about for the last year with the economy creeping towards a major crash.”

“Well I’m specifically calling about work in terms of finance and I have a question for you that might be a bit personal. How will you deal with the crash if it arrives.”

“I hadn’t given it much thought.” He hushed his voice. I mustn’t be heard by Karen, he thought to himself. After a second to think Kevin followed up with,

 “I assumed that the business would take a hit but stand reasonably stable. If it came down to it, they would be forced to cut off a few handfuls of less important workers.”

“Kevin, you have ten years of experience for Banana Inc. but you haven’t moved up in five years, you’re still non-essential, and they could very easily cut you if need be. Dare I say, you’re on thin ice.” 

Those words had sent a chill as cold as a Siberian winter through all six feet of his skeleton.

“I’ll get back to you later James. But before I go, will you help me through this? Just because you’re the son of the boss doesn’t mean everything revolves around you but I assumed you could do something for me, anything at all.”

The next moments decided how he would likely live out the rest of his life.

“Kevin, what kind of question is that? I’d be glad to help, we’ve gotten through everything together.”

He felt himself drop the phone. A word meant next to nothing for Kevin, but this one had promise. It didn’t have promise because Jimmy had connections, he was also insanely intelligent, he didn’t mooch off of other people, especially family or friends. He also had large trust in Jimmy, they were one and the same. When either of them put their minds to something, they had exceptionally massive potential. 

“Dad, what was that about?” Said an innocent and young voice. It was Damein.

“Oh, nothing, just unimportant work talk.” 

He instantly sensed a pair of sharp eyes follow him and he knew Karen was on to him. He instantly regretted not being less conspicuous and wording the statement adversely. Kevin quietly finished his sandwich and took to his computer for any information from Jimmy. He slipped through the crack of the door and dragged his shaky legs to the desk. It took a minute to load up his computer but when it did, there was one E-Mail, directly from James. The message read saying,

“I’m talking to my father, the boss obviously, as well as some higher-ups. I believe we have a shot here.”

Two whole hours ticked by, waiting by his desk was all Kevin was worried about until Karen peaked through the door.

“Why have you been waiting here all night,” she said harshly. Karen followed up with,

“Something major is happening to you at work, am I correct in saying that?”

“Yes, financially. With the help of Jimmy, I’m looking for a better job in the company.”

“The both of us knew that because of the likely economic crash and our baby being born within days, I need more money.”

Silence crept into the office room, neither said a word the rest of the night. They agreed that discussing this event would place more stress on them. Instead, Kevin just went right to sleep, nothing could worry him in his sleep.

BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!!!! The alarm he had always set too loud had greatly annoyed him in the mornings. The only other light he saw was a message that popped up on his phone. Luckily it was from none other than Jimmy. 

It read,

“Be in the meeting room at 9 am sharp. The only people there will be me, you, and the boss.” 

He knew he could count on James. Those few hours of stress, aside from his sleep, were enough to make Kevin constantly shake that morning. He went through his daily morning routine, he woke up, fed his overly-excited parakeet, showered, and he was off. Before he left he got only a few words out of his wife and son. 

“Good luck with your new job.” When he was confident, they were as well. They had all shared this sort of bond, whenever one felt stressed, angry, or excited, the other two would as well. Their moods were always contagious, especially Kevin being the tamest. 

After being thrust into the environment that was the workplace, Kevin didn’t know if he should feel thrilled or feel pressure. He was excited about the possibility of a better job, but at the same time, he was stressed out about the equally likely chance of not getting the job. This feeling, as well as his future, would be decided within the next hour.

He entered the meeting room, where all major and minor discussions were held between co-workers, higher-ups, and the head of the business, Jimmy Jones Sr.This time only he, his boss, and his best friend were sitting in this room. He knew he would have to be  extra professional this time around.

“So Kevin, I heard from James that you were interested in the possibility of a better job due to a potential economic crash we’ve expected for the past year.”

“Yes sir, that is correct. I feel as if I am deserving of better from this company because of my experience and contribution.”

“Well you seem to have a reference here as well, and I will acknowledge your time here as well as innovation. Technology is a hard thing to improve on as it gets better.”

“I agree, especially with mobile devices and computers.” He said nervously trying to sound as if they were on the same wavelength.

“I believe that you would be fit for a better position in the company. You definitely stand out more than the rest, I wouldn’t risk losing you. Kevin, you’re getting a raise.” The amount of excitement was barely able to be contained, he had secured a future for his family. The economy was still likely to crash and burn but at least he has ensured a better outcome than the rest. The instant he left the room he called up Karen to explain the good news, but the only thing he was met with was a message from her saying, “Meet me at the hospital.”