Day zero. Junior marketer Percy stood in the corner of the office, watching as a tall guy in a blue jumpsuit replaced a large plastic container on the water cooler. Office manager Claire called delivery service employees as needed—about once or twice a week. And roughly an hour after the call, either this burly fellow or his replacement would arrive, equally deftly handling the enormous bottles. Percy mentally referred to both of them as "Tommy," without even bothering to read their real names on the nameplates attached to their jumpsuits. He definitely despised these red-faced workers, devoid of any ambition, perpetually smiling for no apparent reason. And at the same time, he envied them. What could possibly make them happy when they take off their sweaty t-shirts at the end of the day? Fast-food meals, beer with friends, and a sports match on TV. Going to the movies with his "baby" on the weekend. Or staying in the garage tinkering with his father's old retro pickup truck. Not many options, really. Yet each of those choices seemed far more meaningful than Percy's entire life.
He waited until the delivery man finished, approached the refilled cooler, grabbed a disposable cup from the stack, and held it under the cold stream. Then he glanced again at the departing "Tommy," inwardly disgusted by how the burly man playfully winked at Claire, who smiled back. Throughout all his time working in the office, Percy himself had never dared to invite her for coffee, or even strike up casual conversation during a break. Angered at himself even more, Percy took a sip from the cup of fresh water. It was the last time he drank water from the office cooler.