Published: 2025-08-06

“OK, this is it”, said John while looking at himself in the mirror, “This is everything you’ve been working for. You nail the presentation, you get the job. It doesn’t get simpler than that. You can do it.” He kept talking to himself, pumping himself up, while doing little jumps like a boxer getting ready for the first round. “Now, let’s check everything once more before going to bed. Cellphone. Charged. Papers. In the briefcase. Slides. In the cloud. Backup slides. In the stick. Outfit. Washed and ironed, fresh from the dry cleaner. Breakfast. Prepped and refrigerated; Everything is accounted for, now I just need to set the alarm and go to bed.” John did everything with military precision; he had no room, nor tolerance, for mistakes of any kind; stuff had to be done once and be done well; that was his motto. “OK, it’s 8:57 PM,” he said while looking at the alarm clock sitting on the night table and confirming with his cellphone, “Let’s set it to 5:00 AM, that way I can quickly review the papers one last time while having breakfast.” He had everything planned down to a T. “Good night me, may tomorrow be great.” said John while turning off the lights and tucking himself in.

The night progresses, and John soundly sleeps, with the promise of tomorrow being great, the crickets chirp, and the moon sits high in the sky, when suddenly, a faint noise can be heard in the distance. John still sleeps. The same noise can be heard again, now resounding loudly. John still sleeps. The noise keeps getting louder and louder until John wakes up. “Um… It’s 1:18 AM,” said John after looking at the alarm clock and confirming with his cellphone, “What is that noise? It’s that… A dog? Is that a dog barking? Oh, hell no, I cannot have this, not today.” said John, now getting his hands to his head. “OK, I already got four hours of sleep, it’s 1:20 AM. If I can solve this in max 40 minutes, I will still have time for three more hours of sleep. It’s not as good as uninterrupted sleep, but I’ll take it. Now, where is that barking coming from?” John was baffled by this constant barking. He lived in a calm neighborhood, and pets weren’t allowed in his building. “Better go out and check myself.”

John opened the window and put his hand over his eyebrows as if trying to make a military salute. He looked down from his 4th-floor apartment, but no dog was in sight; the barking, however, just continued. “1:27 AM, I’ll have to get down and check the alley,” said John with an unbothered tone. He took off his pajamas, put on a pair of sweatpants, a hoodie, and sports shoes, as if he were going for a midnight walk, and headed down. John, aided by the flash of his cellphone calmly enters the back-alley and there it was, his nemesis, the dog that has being barking for 40 minutes straight, “You! Get the fuck outta here, now!” said John while clapping his hands, the dog, frightened and shocked, ran as if its life depended on it. “Job done, now let’s sleep”.

John calmly makes his way back to the apartment, takes off his clothes, puts on his pajamas, looks at the alarm clock, and then confirms with his cellphone, “1:42 AM, let’s sleep. May tomorrow be great.” he says with a smile before closing his eyes.

The time was 2:52 AM, a faint sound could be heard in the distance, and again, then a third time, each time getting louder and louder. John opens his eyes and says: “SON OF A BITCH!”

THE END.