The Daily Green House.part 2

(The lights shift from red back to a sterile, flickering fluorescent white. A sharp clicking sound echoes as CHLOE enters the cubicle. She wears a bright, neon-pink blazer and holds a tablet. She is smiling so intensely her jaw looks locked.)

CHLOE(Gasps dramatically)Greg! Corporate synergy alert! Why aren't you wearing your mandatory wellness smile?

GREG(Rubbing his temples)Chloe, my smartwatches are currently vibrating to tell me my heart rate is high enough to power a small sedan. I can't smile right now.

CHLOE(Tapping her tablet aggressively)Well, your biometric feed is bringing down the department's vibe-score. We dropped from "Sparkling" to "Lukewarm." The CEO had to sell his third yacht's helicopter, Greg. His helicopter. Do you want that on your conscience?THE SYSTEM(Ding!)Slurry-Time is officially over. Commencing the mandatory thirty-second "Gratitude Hour."

CHLOE

Oh, goodie! My favorite time of the fiscal quarter!(CHLOE instantly drops to her knees and claps her hands together. GREG looks at her, then at the glowing Productivity Button, completely exhausted.)

THE SYSTEM(Buzzer sounds)Error. "Five o'clock" is a legacy concept. Work hours have been optimized into a fluid, infinite loop. Please pivot your gratitude toward our upcoming 24-hour hackathon.

GREG(Stands up, slamming his hands on the desk)That's it. I'm hitting the button. But I'm hitting it with rage.

CHLOE(Horrified)No, Greg! Rage-clicking invalidates the tokens!We can keep this chaotic office satire going. 

GREG

I just want to eat lunch. A real lunch. Not the meal-replacement slurry from the vending machine.

CHLOE(Chanting)Thank you to the Board. Thank you to the shareholders. Thank you for the fluorescent light that feeds our eyes.

GREG(Remaining seated)I am grateful for... the concept of five o'clock