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Disclaimer: Grim Fandango belongs to LucasArts. I'm not making money with this story and I'm not associated with the company in any way.
MORNING
Some people think morning is the greatest time in the world. Everyone wakes up cheerful to the day and work, the air is still nice and cool, birds sing, and everyone is in a good mood. So who couldn't like mornings?
Well, Manuel Calavera was one of them.
For him and many other unfortunate souls morning meant just a new day in the eternal afterlife. His days were all alike, he took care of some really lousy customers, tried to get Copal realise the air conditioning system in his room was broken, met some even more lousy customers, played the'how-long-can-I-avoid-seeing -Domino' game and then he had to face the worst customers of the day.
At that point the day was usually over and he could sigh in relief. Another day less of his depth and one day closer to the freedom.
But now it was still morning, the sun hadn't risen above the city of El Marrow and it was still dim outside. And he was one of those who had to go to work.
"Morning Eva," he greeted Copal's secretary when stepping in the company's coffee room. He took a seat next to her.
"Morning," Eva replied sipping her coffee. She looked just as cheerful as always and the fact thatit was morning didn't seem to bother her at all.
"Morning, Cal,"a too familiar voice said right next to him and Manny turned totake a look,fearing what awaited him.
"Mrnng," he muttered as shortly as possible.
Domino.
Manny sighed to himself and realised it was useless to even try playing avoiding Domino. Usually he didn't have to see the man this early, which was the only bright thing in mornings.
"What's wrong? You're not usually seen here," he stated. Domino rarely spent any time in the company's public coffee room. Which was good.
Domino shrugged, not lifting his gaze from his newspaper.
"My own coffee maker decided to take a break so I had to come here with you," he said making it sound like he had done a huge sacrifice. And he probably thought it was true, Copal's golden boy honestly thought he was so much better than others.
"Oh, what a pity," Manny said. Domino nodded.
"It is. This coffee you drink here ishorribly below standard," he admitted. Then he turned a page.
Manny decided this was a great moment to have some coffee and he stood up, walking to take a cup from the cupboard. Unfortunately there was only one cup left, it was bright pink and on its side read 'I love tiny kittens!'
He took it in his hand and stared at it for a while.
"Who has taken my cup?" he asked glancing at the others.
"Is it this?" Domino asked still concentrating in his paper and showed him a cup Manny immediately recognised as his own.
"Yes," he stated and Domino shrugged.
"Bad luck, Cal, I was here first," he said taking a sip as if it didn't bother him at all. Manny put the kitten cup back in the cup board and eyed its empty inside.
"Doesn't this company have more than three cups?" he asked.
"Sure we have, but they are all dirty. Two years ago when it was your turn to do the dishes you decided that because the only ones who ever drink here are you, me and Copal it wasn't necessary to wash more than three cups. After that no one else has washed more," Eva explained.
"This company stinks. Can't we afford a dishwasher?" Manny asked in frustration.
"Not as long as Copal continues paying the standing orders of his crossword puzzle magazines from our treasury," Domino replied. He turned another page drawing Manny's attention at the paper.
"What are you reading?" he wanted to know and bent closer in interest. Domino finally bothered to glance at him and seeing the man's face made Manny feel even worse.
"The tax deductions of the city of Rio de Janeiro from the year 1948. What does it look like? The morning paper, of course," he snapped.
"I want to read it too," Manny stated. He wasn't actually interested in what had happened in the Land of the Dead, but at least he could enjoy annoying Domino as long as it was possible.
"Take a number, I'm next in line," Eva commented and Manny turned to see her.
"Shouldn't we read it in the alphabetical order?" he asked hopefully.
"Says someone whose surname starts with the letter C," Domino remarked in amusement.
"Besides, we read it in the order we came here," Eva added. Manny stared at her not knowingif he shouldbelieve his ear holes.
"Are you on his side?" he asked pointing at Domino. Soon he folded the paper and placed it in the middle of the table where Eva snatched it before Manny managed to do anything.
Domino peered at the bottom of his cup and shook his head.
"This coffee is toxic waste. If I didn't know better I'd think it's tar. Thank God I'm already dead, after drinking this I'd suffer two weeks in hospital before the merciful end," he complained.
"Try the company's launched coffeebread. You can't eat it without getting a hiccup," Eva suggested and Domino glanced at her in suspicion.
"I'm starting to think I am not staying here for lunch," he said. Manny rubbed the back of his head.
"I've always wondered one thing," he started.
"What? How to become as perfect as me?" Domino asked. Manny glared at him.
"Actually no. I'm interested in how it is possible that we canget a hiccup after eating something. Don't you need diaphragm for that, which we don't have," he announced.
Eva and Domino were quiet for a while.
"First explain how we can even eat. We don't have stomach," Eva stated dryly.
"Hey, that's true!" Manny noticed.
"And from that we get to the conclusion that you shouldn't ask stupid questions," Domino finished the small conversation.
Manny shrugged and didn't say anything. He just had the habit to think about things others didn't find interesting.
Suddenly the door was opened and Copal stepped in. He didn't bother to greet anyone, just walked to the cupboard.
"My favourite cup is still free. This is good," he said pleased and poured coffee in the pink kitten cup.
Then he took a glance around.
"But well, now we are all here. What a nice inner company meeting," he said cheerfully and Manny slowly backed to stand next to Eva.
"That is not Copal. He'd never be in such a good mood if he was in the same room with me," he whispered to the woman who snorted.
"Hey, Eva! Is that the morning paper that you are reading?" Copal asked suddenly and Eva nodded.
"Well, give it to me then," the man drinking coffee continued. The woman handed it over.
"Here you go, boss," she said. Manny stared at her in disbelief.
"Hey, it was my turn! Weren't we supposed to read it in the order we arrived?" he complained.
"We did, but some people just are higher than you," Eva said sweetly and Manny sighed. This world really was cruel.
Copal sat where Manny had been, leaving only the chair next to Domino free. Manny wasn't happy with that, so he just stood and sulked.
"Be careful Cal, you could get a cramp in your leg," Domino replied standing up too and being about to leave in his office. He really felt he'd get many good customers today.
"Don't worry, it's one of those things that don't concern us dead," Manny assured making Eva snort.
"There are many things that don't concern us. Every dead man I've met longs for especially that one certain thing," the woman said making Copal lift his gaze from the paper.
"What are you three talking about?" he asked.
"Nothing," Manny explained quickly.
"Beans," Domino said at the exact same time and Eva looked like the patterns on the tablecloth were the most interesting thing in the world.
Copal waved his finger at them and looked like he had found out a huge secret. Like who had deleted his name from the Christmas Party's karaoke list.
"Ah, you don't have to hide you ignorance from me. After all, only very few know that everything is possible for us. You just have to know what you are doing," he said slyly.
"I think I don't want to hear how this ends," Manny replied. Copal paid him no attention.
"Yes, you are all still so young that you've gone through the new training programme. When I was trained we were taught how to enjoy the pleasures of flesh without theflesh," he continued with no difficulties.
The clock ticked on the wall.
"Well, that's news," Domino said uncertainly. Copal looked very pleased with himself.
"That course was deleted soon after the chicken scandal, which I never understood. I can show you how to get some boost in this dull after life," he promised eagerly.
Eva believed that had she had a heart it would have stopped, Domino felt he was about to throw up all the coffee he had drunk and Manny slowly crept towards the window to see if it was open in the case the situation got nasty and he needed to escape.
"That's sexual harassment at work," Domino replied and Manny nodded, for once agreeing with his colleague.
Copal shrugged and didn't seem to mind he had been rejectedby three people.
"Oh well, tell me if you are interested," he said with no worry and finished drinking his coffee. Then he took the paper and left to his office to have fun with crossword puzzles.
"That was sick," Eva commented.
"And makes me wonder why he calls you his golden boy, Dom," Manny admitted taking a hinting glance at Domino.
"Shut up Cal."
They all decided they couldn't work that dayand for the first time in the D.O.D history Manny, Eva and Domino agreed with something and had a day off.
The End
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