Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-25458443-20161117133231

I haven't mustered the strength to look into any mirrors lately.

I had to walk to work today, it wasn't too far though. I needed the exercise I guess, my wife took the car to some kind of party again. My boss called me up on the way though.

We're having a meeting tomorrow, we're going to be discussing the upcoming holiday season. It's mostly some higher ups but they invited me along too. It might be fun, I've never been in the presentation room, up till now it's all been skype meetings and phone calls.

My daughter bought me a book as an early christmas present. It's called "Being and Time" I guess it's a science book. It's very long. How thoughtful of her, maybe it'll be an interesting read.

I don't know who these people are around me.

I don't even know where I am.

This girl who sleeps next to me is not my wife. My wife has brown hair, blue eyes, she never wears makeup and she has This woman is none of those things, but she talks to me in a loving way and pretends to be my wife.

I've never had a job in insurance. I was a teacher, I taught a class of third graders back in Redmond. This isn't Redmond, the air here is too dry, the trees here are all maple and apple trees. I can't find maps anywhere, nobody here knows what a GPS is. I haven't asked anybody where I am yet. How can you ask that? Who are these people? Why do they recognize me when I don't know any of their names?

I just keep going to work every day, I type away at my computer, I answer phone calls, I file reports. I'm not sure what all these files are about or where they go, I never bothered reading them. They just need signatures and dates, and sometimes they need some names in some places. My boss has been very considerate, I've even gotten some raises. I'm not entirely sure what to with the money though, my wife does all the shopping.

My wife keeps saying she wants to have another child. She brings it up incessantly, at dinner, when we're in bed. I don't want a child with this woman. She's not my wife, she's too vacant and her eyes are too glossy. But she thinks she's my wife, she thinks that other girl is my daughter too, but she's not. I never had a daughter.

I caught another glimpse of my hand today, it looks even stranger than before. Hairy and coarse. I don't know why my fingers are so thick, maybe they've been swollen? I don't feel confident enough in the doctors here to let them treat it.

Maybe I could go on some kind of "vacation", the airport would probably have tickets to Redmond. I hope my boss gives me another raise.

This morning I had to walk to work again. My wife took the car to her sisters place...it's fine though. Work isn't too far away from the house.

I had to get up earlier to go to the meeting. Nothing too interesting happened, they sent me off to get them some coffee and when I came back they were talking about life insurance or something, I wasn't listening, I just sunk into my chair. Nobody really looked at me.

The guy next to me gave me a pencil mug for my cubical today. It said "Keep It Up Jerry" in red letters.

My name isn't Jerry. I'm sure that's just a mistake though.

I got another book from my daughter again. She said it was a belated birthday present. My birthday's in January. It was the Quran. I don't really have any interest in reading it. I'm not sure what to do with it, I guess I'll just keep it on my shelf. It was a nice gesture though.

When I got home today my wife was still at her sisters. I made myself a sandwich and took Being and Time off my shelf. I was going to read it but it was in German.

This morning I got to drive to work. I got stuck in traffic for a while. I was late to work but my boss didn't mention it. I'm sure it'll come out of my salary. The mug on my desk doesn't say Jerry anymore, it just says "Keep It Up" now. I guess he replaced the mug when he noticed the mistake.

My wife had to go to a dinner at her boss's house. I gave her a ride and also returned Being and Time. I didn't pick up any other books though, I just looked at some.

When my wife got home she had a black eye. I asked her about it but she changed the subject. When she got out of the bathroom it was gone though, so it must have just been makeup.

I told my wife I wanted a vacation. She told me she wanted a kid and the conversation ended.

I wonder who's been substituting my class. I probably don't have the job anymore, this long of an unannounced leave? They probably fired me. When I get back I'll have to move to a different district if they don't hire me back.

What the hell is going on here?

My daughter bought me another book today, she said it was just out of her love. It's some kind of joke book called "Laughing Together"

My wife was already asleep when I went to bed tonight. She was still wearing makeup.

I had to walk again. I don't know where my wife took the car too this time. I wish she'd tell me these things in advance.

I was invited to another meeting. This one has a lot more higher ups than the last, it's a lot bigger. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I didn't get to read the joke book before my daughter returned it and got me a globe instead. I put it in my study, it looks nice but the continents are all in the wrong places. Where is she getting all this money from? Shouldn't she be going to school? Where even is the school anyway?

I think my wife is having an affair. She keeps leaving and coming back with new fancy things like coats and makeup. So be it, she's not my real wife.

I got distracted rubbing my hands together. They're even drier.

My wife wasn't anywhere to found today, but the car was still here.

As I was driving to work today I got caught up staring at my arms.

Today at work I went to the bathroom to look in the mirror.

The face I saw was covered in cuts and bruises, his hair was combed and slicked back, his chin clean-shaven and he stared at me with fiery green vacant eyes. I covered my face and ran into the stall.

That man in the mirror was not me. My eyes were brown I had freckles, ''I had a short and thick brown mustache. I know this, I remember this! ''What happened to my face? Am I dreaming? I started slapping my arms, I dunked my hands in the toilet, I ran to the sink and started washing my face and arms but every time I looked back up that face stared back at me. I started to scream.

The door on one of the stalls started banging loudly and I fell backwards into the stall behind me. I felt like I was going to be sick. The stall kept banging. A voice in the stall asked me if I was okay.

I looked under the stall walls and saw somebody's feet. Some guy in there started buckling up his pants and flushed the toilet under him. He got out of the stall and started to help me up, I stared at his shoes as I stood up on my knees, when I looked up at his eyes he grinned at me and asked what had happened.

I bolted out of the bathroom and rushed into an elevator. The man's face looked exactly the same as that in the mirror.

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So what did you think? I can tell what certain parts are kinda weak but I'm at a loss on how to improve them. 