Loveday Writing

The brief of the AWC Furious Fiction – January 2024 short story competition was as follows:

• Your story must take place on a character’s first day of a new job.
• Your story must include something being stolen.
• Your story must include the words TRIP, TRIANGLE and TSUNAMI.

***

Diary of a New Employee

Time	Entry
8:30	Arrived at the office for my first day at my new job, waiting for my boss to pick me up from reception.
8:35	My boss finds me at reception and tells me he’s going to give me a tour of the office.
8:40	The tour starts with the reception and moves to the finance department.
8:45	The tour then moves on to the HR team, my boss then tells me he’ll introduce me to everyone at the 9am Monday staff meeting.
8:50	The tour then moves on to the IT team
8:55	The tour then moves into the conference room where all the other staff are, waiting for the meeting to start.
9:00	The staff meeting starts, being led by the CEO of the company.
9:05	My boss introduced me to all the staff, it made me feel really self-conscious.
9:10	Other staff members talked about other agenda items, like upcoming events and trips.
9:15	Staff meeting ended, my boss introduced me to my predecessor, who would be showing me the ropes.
9:20	My predecessor has me login to my work computer with my assigned login to get started.
9:25	She gets me to login to the company intranet and has me check my emails
9:30	She tells me that most of the emails would be e-vites to regular staff meetings, a couple of upcoming events, and links to mandatory training.
9:35	She has me start my online training modules, whilst she goes back to her desk to do some work.
9:40	Started the mandatory WHS online training module. I’ve done one of these before at my last job.
9:45	Still working my way through the WHS online training module.
9:50	Still working my way through the WHS online training module. A HR team member comes up to me to give me my name badge and office keys.
9:55	Finished the mandatory WHS online training module.
10:00	Started the mandatory bullying online training module.
10:05	Working my way through the mandatory bullying online training module.
10:10	Still working my way through the mandatory bullying online training module.
10:15	Finished the mandatory bullying online training module. Decided to take a five minute break to make myself a coffee in the lunchroom.
10:20	Walked into the lunchroom and looked for a mug in the drawer, found a sparkly one that I immediately fell in love with. Two other people were there, didn’t say anything to me.
10:25	Walked backed to my desk.
10:30	Sat back down at my desk and took a sip of my coffee before starting the next mandatory online training module
10:35	Finished the mandatory online training module. Thankfully it was the last one.
10:40	Reminded myself to be careful of what I wished for, as a tsunami of required HR paperwork was dumped on my desk for me to fill out so I could be paid.
10:45	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
10:50	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
10:55	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:00	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:05	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:10	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:15	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:20	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:25	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:30	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:35	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:40	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:45	Working my way through the tsunami of required HR paperwork
11:50	Finally finished the tsunami of required HR paperwork, nearly lunchtime.
11:55	Nearly lunchtime, I could overhear some of my new teammates talking about another teammate, Dylan, away on his trip and the photos he’d sent in the work group chat.
12:00	Lunchtime, I took my cooler bag to the lunch room and sat at the table.
12:05	Took the first bite of my sandwich, I didn’t speak but overheard three women talking about an apparent love triangle between the HR manager, WHS manager and WHS trainee.
12:10	Took the second bite of my sandwich, the three women kept going on about the love triangle and how it was going to end badly. They giggled at that idea, they don’t seem like good people.
12:15	Took the third bite of my sandwich, the three women have left, none of them interacted with me.
12:20	Finished my sandwich, got a can of soda out of my cooler bag to drink.
12:25	Drank my soda.
12:30	Went to make myself a cup of coffee, the mug I love is still there, I think I’ll use it, since no-one has claimed it.
12:35	Made the cup of coffee.
12:40	Walked backed to my desk with the coffee.
12:45	Sat down at my desk, checked my emails, found an invitation for the monthly team meeting for 1pm. Accepted the invite.
12:50	Grabbed my notepad, pen and bottle of water to take to the monthly team meeting.
12:55	Got up from my desk to walk to the monthly team meeting in room 25.
13:00	Entered room 25, the meeting got started.
13:05	The Head of the Department started the meeting by talking about what he achieved over the last month.

13:10	The Head of the Department is still talking.
13:15	The Manager started talking about what she achieved over the last month.
13:20	The Manager is still talking.
13:25	The Admin Assistant starting talking about what she achieved over the last month.
13:30	The Admin Assistant is still talking.
13:35	The Head of the Department asked me how my first day on the job was, I responded that it was good and everyone seems nice.
13:40	The meeting finished, I walked out of Room 25.
13:45	Walking down the hallway.
13:50	Back at my desk to more emails. Need another cup of coffee, thankfully my new favourite mug is still on the desk.
13:55	Walked to the lunch room with the mug.
14:00	Made a cup of coffee
14:05	Walked back to my desk
14:10	Sat down at my desk, checked the other emails. Found a few email invites to upcoming meetings.
14:15	RSVP’d yes to the upcoming Corporate Services training days.
14:20	RSVP’d yes to the staff meeting offsite at the local hotel & conference centre.
14:25	RSVP’d yes to the end of month drinks.
14:30	Got to work on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
14:35	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
14:40	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
14:45	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
14:50	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
14:55	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:00	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:05	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:10	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:15	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:20	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:25	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:30	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:35	Continued working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:40	Finished working on the first few tasks that my new boss assigned me. He assigned me a few more to round out my day.
15:45	Got to work on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:50	Continued working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
15:55	Continued working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
16:00	Continued working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
16:05	Continued working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
16:10	Continued working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
16:15	Continued working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
16:20	Continued working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
16:25	Finished working on the next tasks that my new boss assigned me.
16:30	Finished for the day, packed up my stuff into my bag, snuck the new mug I love in there.
16:35	Walked to the parking lot.
16:40	Got in my car and left the parking lot.
16:45	Drove home
16:50	Drove home
16:55	Drove home
17:00	Drove home
17:05	Arrived at home, walked into my house.
17:10	Put my bag down on the kitchen table and unpacked it. Took the new mug out and washed it.
17:15	Got changed into my casual clothes.
17:20	Put on the TV and poured myself a glass of wine.
17:25	Sat down on the lounge and watched the news.
17:30	Continued watching the news.
17:35	Continued watching the news.
17:40	Continued watching the news.
17:45	Continued watching the news.
17:50	Continued watching the news.

17:55	Continued watching the news.
18:00	Continued watching the news.
18:05	Started boiling water for my spaghetti & bolognese for dinner.
18:10	Waited for the water to boil
18:15	Waited for the water to boil
18:20	Waited for the water to boil
18:25	Water boiling, I put the spaghetti in and started heating the pot to cook the mince in.
18:30	Second pot heated, I put the mince in the pot.
18:35	Stirred the mince and cooked until brown.
18:40	Mince brown enough to put the sauce in.
18:45	Stirred the mince and the sauce, whilst checking on the pasta.
18:50	Finished cooking dinner – drained the water from the pasta and put the pasta and mince/sauce in the bowl.
18:55	Ate dinner
19:00	Ate dinner
19:05	Finished dinner.
19:10	Put on my dishwasher.
19:15	Watched TV
19:20	Watched TV
19:25	Watched TV
19:30	Watched TV
19:35	Watched TV
19:40	Watched TV
19:45	Watched TV
19:50	Watched TV
19:55	Watched TV
20:00	Watched TV
20:05	Watched TV
20:10	Unloaded dishwasher
20:15	Unloaded dishwasher
20:20	Packed my workbag for tomorrow.
20:25	Got undressed to have a shower.
20:30	Got in the shower.
20:35	Got out of the shower and dried myself.
20:40	Put on my pyjamas.
20:45	Brushed my teeth
20:50	Walked out to the lounge room to watch TV
20:55	Watched TV
21:00	Watched TV
21:05	Watched TV
21:10	Watched TV
21:15	Watched TV
21:20	Watched TV
21:25	Watched TV
21:30	Watched TV
21:35	Watched TV
21:40	Watched TV
21:45	Watched TV
21:50	Turned off the TV and walked to my bedroom to go to bed.
21:55	Got into my bed.
22:00	Fell asleep.
22:05	Sleeping
22:10	Sleeping
22:15	Sleeping
22:20	Sleeping
22:25	Sleeping
22:30	Sleeping
22:35	Sleeping

22:40	Sleeping
22:45	Sleeping
22:50	Sleeping
22:55	Sleeping
23:00	Sleeping
23:05	Sleeping
23:10	Sleeping
23:15	Sleeping
23:20	Sleeping
23:25	Sleeping
23:30	Sleeping
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23:40	Sleeping
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23:55	Sleeping
0:00	Sleeping
0:05	Sleeping
0:10	Sleeping
0:15	Sleeping
0:20	Sleeping
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0:40	Sleeping
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1:00	Sleeping
1:05	Sleeping
1:10	Sleeping
1:15	Sleeping
1:20	Sleeping
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1:40	Sleeping
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2:00	Sleeping
2:05	Sleeping
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2:30	Sleeping
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2:55	Sleeping
3:00	Sleeping
3:05	Sleeping
3:10	Sleeping
3:15	Sleeping
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3:25	Sleeping
3:30	Sleeping
3:35	Sleeping
3:40	Sleeping
3:45	Sleeping
3:50	Sleeping
3:55	Sleeping
4:00	Sleeping
4:05	Sleeping
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4:30	Sleeping
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4:40	Sleeping
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5:00	Sleeping
5:05	Sleeping
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5:55	Sleeping
6:00	Sleeping
6:05	Alarm went off, I got up out of bed.
6:10	Got dressed in gym clothes.
6:15	Left the house to go to the gym,
6:20	Drove to gym.
6:25	Arrived at the gym.
6:30	Walked on the treadmill.
6:35	Rode the bike.
6:40	Went for a row on the rowing machine.
6:45	Left the gym.
6:50	Drove home.
6:55	Poured cereal and milk into a bowl.
7:00	Ate cereal and drank a cup of coffee out of my new favourite mug.
7:05	Rinsed bowl and empty mug.
7:10	Got undressed to have a shower.
7:15	Had a shower
7:20	Got out of the shower and dried myself.
7:25	Got dressed in my work clothes.
7:30	Put shoes on.
7:35	Walked to the lounge room to watch some of the morning news.
7:40	Watched some of the morning news.
7:45	Watched some of the morning news.
7:50	Watched some of the morning news.
7:55	Turned the TV off, grabbed my backpack to leave the house.
8:00	Got into the car and drove out of the driveway.
8:05	Drove to work

8:10	Drove to work
8:15	Drove to work
8:20	Arrived at work
8:25	Walked into the office and to my desk to turn on my computer.
8:30	Opened my emails, saw an email from the CEO looking for my/her favourite mug. Damn it!