Shiftworld

The old timers said the year was 2098. No body knew for certain no more. Didn't matter no how. It was 22:00. Time to go to work. Ten PM for them higher ups still allowed to talk that way. I could be out on the street now. Any earlier and I'd get beat up by the damned second shift patrols. Never could dodge 'em all. Too damned many of 'em. To damned many of everybody. Everywhere crowded, crowded all the time.

It was bitter a cold January night. Full moon, not a cloud in the sky, and windy. Cold, bitter cold. I'll freeze every step of the way to the powerhouse. Us third shifter's got no bus or train, we got not much at all. Just a tiny room, lousy food and 12, or 14 hours a day of work. Every day.

To keep me mind off the cold I'm thinking bout them folks at the powerhouse. The only one who treated me good was Ted. He treated most every body good, good as he could, real good when he was able. And he didn't need to neither. He was a full fledged rotating shift worker. Damn! Imagine that! Being needed and able to work any shift, any shift at all! And working 'em all. To talk to whoever you want, get married even. What ever that was. Why I even heard tell he was able to have kids. Always wondered if that was true, there is only so much a body can believe. Any shift, any shift at all! Can you imagine that? Being so important, knowing so much that you are in demand on any and every shift! Only the best can claim that. And not many of them.

Like other thirds, I'd been on third shift all my life. Born to it they say. Got assigned to the electric power. Most of them I had come in with was dead, or so bad hurt they couldn't work no more. Don't remember much before the government come for me. Not much at all. Don't know where I come from or from who. They take care of that. You don't know nothing after they get done with you. Least ways you ain't supposed to. Me, I remember some. Can't say to nobody just what. They would just come and get me again. Fix me good. Maybe even end me.

I remember me mom and me dad. I do. Just a little. I used to come into the kitchen and there they'd be having their arms around each an other, they would. Me dad telling her how much he loved her. I'd run in an he would scoop me up like I didn't weigh nothing, nothing at all. Then we'd all hug each other. After the government took me, well it took some time for the memory to come back. I remember me dad's watch and its ticking and all. He would let me hold it when I was going to sleep. I'd hold it close. I sure do miss him and me mom. Got me a watch almost like it, can't tell you how though. 'Cause it ain't allowed to own nothing. Ticks real good it does. Makes me cry to hear it at night cause I miss me mom and me dad. Miss 'em awful. Wish they never took me from them, wish I was a first or a second shifter, wish I wasn't so damn cold 'n hungry all the time. Wish a lot I do. Wish I had me a friend, most of all.