Every day I came to The Building. It is the tallest and most iconic building in the city.
Every day I went up the elevator to the office’s floor with my coworkers. We’d feel pride as we shuffled into the elevator together. We worked for a reputable employer.
It often felt like my life was centered around The Building. When I’d go out at night, I’d see The Building in the distance, hovering over the city. It was always watching me. It felt safe knowing that I could always find myself in relation to The Building.
Sometimes people would ask what I did. I would point in the general direction of The Building.
“I work there.”
“Up there in that building.”
Almost everyone had a talking point in regards to The Building. They knew someone who worked there. Or they once had to go to The Building to deal with a matter that was important. Or at the very least they heard that The Building was very nice.
“Yeah. That’s where I work. Pretty good view. Haha.”
They didn’t know what I did. It didn’t matter. They just knew that I was in The Building.
One day, I met an unusual man on the public bus. He seemed very poor. Normally I avoided settings like this but the popular ride-sharing transportation service was unreasonably surcharged at that particular moment.
There were still a few empty rows on the bus, but he chose to sit right next to me. I tried to dodge eye contact and avoid giving any inclining that I wanted to chat.
He eventually tapped my leg and started to ask basic questions. We small talked for a bit. I told the man that I worked in the The Building. He didn’t seem to care.
I quickly learned that this man was not from this city. He did not know the popular industries of our region. But it was worse. He did not connect with any topics I tried: the upcoming big game, the critically acclaimed television series, the trending news story, etc… It was almost as if he wasn’t from this planet.
Instead he started asking me about my passions, my upbringing, my biggest regrets and insecurities. He seemed especially interested in the influence of my parents and cultural relativity on my perception of the world.
“I work in The Building” I replied.
He looked as if he could see deep into my heart. He put his hand on my shoulder and he said, “The Building will fall. The Man will fall.”
JUST STATIC 