37 Comments
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Jim J Wilsky's avatar

Sean, I think Henry needs to take a personal day. Maybe a week, if he's got any vacation time left. Just a break to flush all those negative vibes out of his system. Wipe the slate clean and start fresh.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

🤣

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

So good. Man.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Thanks, Ken! ❤️

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C.S. Mee's avatar

Working in an office will do this to you

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Absolutely.

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Jon T's avatar

So much to love here: all the H names, the poster, the realism at the office, tight prose, the flow is strong in this one. You’re a crafty sommbatch

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Thanks, Jon! The H names/words throughout was my attempt at making the reader feel out of breath. It was sooooo much fun writing this. One of my favorites. Thanks to you and the Sum Flux crew for the prompt and inspiration.

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Jennifer James's avatar

This one was strangely easy to identify with.

And I loved all the alliteration.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Thank you! ❤️ It was fun trying to make the reader feel like they are hyperventilating haha

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Zachary Dillon's avatar

I appreciate that we know how Henry feels about this office and the people in it without you telling us. The desire for water met with the suggestion of hemp milk is a perfect example. This was great.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Thank you, Zachary! The hemp milk felt like the perfect addition. Gotta hit it with the hard Hhhhh sound. haha

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Bob Graham's avatar

Dude! So good, that ending was the perfect payoff. Now I wanna go for a swim in the worst kind of way.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Thank you, Bob! I appreciate the read and comment. A nice cold dip would be nice! ha

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Pablo Báez's avatar

Henry should get EOM.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

What's that? haha

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Pablo Báez's avatar

Employee of the Month! haha

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Ohh haha yeah, maybe that would have helped. Some gd appreciation!

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Liz Zimmers's avatar

Oh my god, Henry! PTO, my man, and get thee to the mountains!

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Liz! Thanks for reading my story. Get thee to the mountains indeed! haha

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Caroline Osella's avatar

Aw, another reading. For me, it wasn't funny, but horribly tender and sad. From his life, where joy seems absent; his lunch - a double disappointment, of clothes & food; and his escape into delusion, which is especially undignified in this portrayal.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

It's tragic. And it's what a lot of people feel at places where they're never able to fully connect with the people around them. Or nature. Thanks for reading and this thoughtful comment.

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Keith Long's avatar

Love that ending

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Thanks, Keith!

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Nick Buchheit's avatar

Great setup for a good laugh at the end. Poor Henry.

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

He’s having his best day! Thanks for reading, Nick!

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Will Boucher's avatar

Henry has realy internalized this whole "self-care" thing. Absolutley LOVED the ending, holy moly

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

Thanks, Will! ❤️

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EJ Trask's avatar

Shony this is your second toilet story to my memory. are toilets the new birds? I LOVE the instruction to read it out loud. A+

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

I think I'm done with toilets. I mean writing about them. I'll still use them.

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EJ Trask's avatar

🤞

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Melissa Smith's avatar

Omg I feel this in my soul right now, escaping the madness with any delusion would be welcome. Great story!

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

<3 Thank you, Melissa! Def taken from real life haha

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Melissa Smith's avatar

And this is why we write lol, cheaper than therapy

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William Pauley III's avatar

I'm howling! 🤣🤣🤣 I love this so much.

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