An unusual idle game

The keys are clicking like raindrops on a tent. It calms me down, it lures me in.

This text has been written as part of a creative writers meetup.
Topic: Movie quotes
Prompt: “I wish I knew how to quit you”
Time: 20 minutes, first draft, no edits.

The keys are clicking like raindrops on a tent. It calms me down, it lures me in. The sound of mechanical keyboards? Oh no it is so much more than that. It is the sound … of home. The sound … of peace. The sound … of being needed.

A colleague interrupts. “Plant”, he says, “it’s time to get some lunch. It’s 4pm already.”

“Alright … let’s go”

45 … minutes … of dull … small talk. I get it: The weather is nice, the weather is bad, the dog is sick, and wow … did you know their car has a scratch? Oh I couldn’t care less. I couldn’t care less because there are so much more important things to deal with. I couldn’t care less, I’m trying to save the world here.

45 minutes.

Finally I’m back at my keyboard, my home base, my safe haven. The clicking sound of the keyboard, it is soothing, it is comforting, it will save the world one day.

Another interruption: “Don’t you want to call it a day and go home?”
“I need to finish this thought” is what I say.
“I am home” is what I think.

Days later

The blinking light of an ambulance lures me in, it calms me just like the sound of the keyboards.

blink … blink … blink

They say I passed out in my workplace. They say I was working too much. They say I will never work in this company again. They say I need to stay away from computers for some time.

Dear Job, I wish I had known how to quit you
… in time.