[ WP ] In the future , industry is such that the corporation you work for assigns you in company housing , places you with a partner/family , and controls your nutrition and lifestyle . But you 've just been called into HR .

“ Hello, John. Please take a seat, ” Carol, the local HR Department Head greeted me. I cautiously took my seat in her office, which was filled with too many motivational posters to my liking. “ Let me preface this meeting by saying, John, you are one of our most valuable employees. ” 
 
 Oh boy, I thought. Here comes the meaningless corporate sweet talk that they decided would please employees. 
 
 “ Your performance records exceed your peers, ” she continued. “ Your record-keeping is extremely neat and tidy and your superiors have nothing but nice things to say about you. ” 
 
 “ Then why did you call me here? ” I asked, already knowing she would defend HR then give me the real reason why she called me. 
 
 “ Oh John, ” She began to spiel. “ Not everyone who comes to HR is in trouble. We have a plethora of programs here to reward employees and keep the corporate culture content and thriving. ” 
 
 She paused, expecting me to say something, but I held my cards close to my chest. 
 
 “ But you see, John, ” She continued. I silently wished she would stop using my name. “ We ’ ve been monitoring your vitals lately and their not good. In fact, you have every physiological sign of discontent and after reviewing your daily activity on tape; our psychologist says you ’ re not happy. Pair that with your absence to certain afterhours events and your tendency to skip your entries in the company ’ s logbook, and I ’ m afraid you might really dislike working here. ” 
 
 “ It ’ s fine, ” I stated simply. “ Does it really matter? You said yourself that my performance is great. ” 
 
 “ That ’ s not the point, John, ” she explained. “ The company goes through great extent to maintain the happiness of our employees. We ’ ve given you a home, complete with an optimal temperature range for both you and your spouse, who we selected for you based on the latest algorithms of human affections and nurtured your relationship with corporate-sponsored dates. We feed you an optimal and healthy mix of all sorts of varying foods so that you live good, long life under the company ’ s roof while giving your taste buds something to rave about. John, we ’ ve done everything we can to make you happy. Why? ” 
 
 “ Why what? ” I parroted. 
 
 “ Why aren ’ t you happy, John? ” she asked with a well-rehearsed sense of empathy. 
 
 “ Because, ” I sighed. “ I ’ m so sick of the corporate culture. From the moment I stepped foot in this company five years ago, you preselected everything for me. My wife. My house. My food. The television I ’ m allowed to watch. You ’ ve chosen everything for me. I haven ’ t actually lived my life the way I wanted in a long time. ” 
 
 “ I see, ” Carol spoke scribbling something down on a notepad. “ Well if you need a change of pace, I can always transfe- ” 
 
 “ No. ” I announced firmly. “ No transfers. There ’ s not some other branch in this goddamned company I ’ m going to enjoy. Just give me a check and let me live my life, and I ’ ll continue to peddle your financial services. ” 
 
 “ I was afraid of that, ” she sighed. “ I ’ m afraid you left me with no other choice: I ’ ll have to terminate you. ” 
 
 “ What? No! ” I shouted across her desk. I spread my mouth into a faux smile. “ See! I can be happy! ” 
 
 “ It ’ s too late for that, ” Carol spoke plainly as she pressed a giant red button. With my petition to call them off barely out of my mouth, two large security guards barged into the room and took me by the arms. “ Besides, John, we know when you ’ re faking. We always know. ” 
 
 I kicked and screamed as the guards roughly manhandled me. I tried scratching and biting them, but they responded swiftly by tasing me. After a brief convulsion which sent various papers flying off Carol ’ s desk, I feel limp, which enabled the guards to discretely drag me out of the room and down the hall. My limbs lazily resisted in vain, knowing they would bring me to the Pit, where I would be terminated. 
 
 ***** 
 
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