OUT OF CONTEXT

Opening Act

Reuben Kasarda - A Thursday Morning

I sat and stared at the empty document in front of me. The stale white background burned my retinas. The slow hum of my old computer's fans echoed in the dark depths of my room. The sagging cloth of my worn out sweater rested lazily on the corners of my wooden desk, making small indents into the fur of my wrists. I breathed slowly, my hair falling into my face. I closed my eyes, resting my head into my paws as I leaned back into my chair, the creaking of the spine etching its way through the silence.

A sigh escaped my muzzle, a defeated one. The groan continued for a few seconds, my arms falling to the armrests like stones. I shook my head, rocking my chair side to side with my legs, staring down at the monitor with grief. Few thoughts ran through my mind in those moments, but one of them rang out much louder than the rest.

"I'm tired," I eventually managed to mumble to myself. My body felt heavy as I attempted to stand up, my back aching from hours of slumped posture. My breath seized as I stood straight, my arms stretching to my sides, my tail extending outwards as all the muscles in my body seemed to tense in what felt like hours. An exasperated sigh left my muzzle as I slammed the face of the laptop down, the LED's cutting out as soon as I did so. Such an expensive machine being put to such waste.

I sat on my bed, not too far away from my desk, laying down on the soft cushioning of the mattress as my lanky legs dangled onto the carpeting below. I sighed, again, for the hundredth time. Before I knew it I was out, asleep.

Though, it didn't last long as only about an hour later my alarm clock rang out.

My paw slammed down on the snooze button, my body somehow made its way onto the bed fully in the few minutes I slept. After a few more minutes of silence, a soft knock on the door woke me up again. The hinges creaked open as the light from the hall illuminated my room.

"Sweetie, it's time for you to get up. You don't want to be late again do you?" I heard my mother say in her sweet, calming voice.

"Just five more minutes. I didn't get much sleep last night." I said softly, my voice scratchy and my throat dry. I rubbed my face and maw with the back of my paw, the fur slightly damp. Jesus it was hot in here, or was it just me?

"Reuben, please get up. It's Thursday, you only have 2 more days this week." Mother slightly pleaded, letting my door open fully, the light casting a long shadow of my mother over my flooring.

I grumbled, but reluctantly sat up, my fur scraggly and unkempt. I needed a shower, badly. Even I knew I couldn't go out like this. I saw my mother smile softly, then leave the framing of my room without another word, her soft steps pattering down the hall and stairwell as she left.

Another round of excruciating stretches and I was standing. I slipped the sweater I was still wearing off and threw it onto the floor, my undershirt going with it. I scratched my chest as I trudged over to my closet, opening it up and grabbing a pair of boxers from a drawer stuffed full of them; dirty and clean.

A short trip to the bathroom and back and I was soaking wet. The dark brown towel I had wrapped around my waist didn't stay there long after I closed the door to my haven. Amateur movements from my arms got my body dry enough to put clothes on. I slipped my boxers on, then a pair of brown khaki's I had laid over the footrest of my bed. Walking back to my closet, a white t-shirt, button up, and a matching brown sweater vest completed my sudo-professional look for the day. Now all I needed was the tie, and I could pass as a substitute.

Lucky and unlucky for me, I don't own nor know how to tie a tie. So with nothing else of need I slipped on a pair of dressy socks and loafers and walked downstairs, met with no one to greet me. Nothing except an empty foyer and a bag on the counter. Dragging my feet over there I grabbed the handwritten note taped delicately to the paperbag.

I hope you have a good day today! I'll be working late tonight so I won't be able to cook. I will see you tomorrow morning, Love you!

- Mom.

I smiled a little reading that, setting the note down and grabbing the back and my car's keys off the countertop and making my way out the door.