Reject Rection! :)
“You’re fired!”
That’s all the e-mail said. No explanation. No feedback. No comp & ben. Nothing.
REJECT paused for a second, took a deep breath in, and read the next one.
“We’re done!”
That’s all the second e-mail said. No explanation. No details. No more. Nothing.
REJECT paused for a second, took a deep breath in, and read the next one.
“We regret to inform you…”
That’s all the third e-mail said.
“You’re a disappointment!”
“You suck!”
“I don’t like you anymore”
“You’re too fat!”
“You’re too skinny!” another one said.
REJECT found those two e-mails rejectingly funny.
“You’re pathetic and stupid and ugly!”
“Light another cigarette. Drink another rum! Think of how you used to be happy and carefree as a child.”
The last e-mail REJECT read was blank. Silence. Ignore. No words. No signature. Nothing.
He tried to breathe that one in as well, but it got stuck into a hiccup. Which, then, became a tear. Which, then, became a sob.
That was it.
He knew not to RE-ply to any of the e-mails. Instead, he wrote a short message to the EAVA, the English Action Verbs’ Association.
“TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
I, RE-Ject, Action Verb of The Century, recuse myself from the role of Sr. Repetitive Word, effective immediately.
I claim to change my name, therefore identity, from RE-Ject to the shorter and more authentic form JECT.
I was not informed of having to harbor being thrown out of any social cues, sentences or phrasees over and over and over again for as long as I lived. Because I no longer identify with the again-ness of the ject-ion, I renounce my RE and hope to build a more inclusive future.
Thank You!
TO REJECT
Sr. Repetitive Word, Action Verb of the Century”
Ding.
The sound of a reply came instantly.
“Dear Repetitive Word,
We will be OOO during this era. Therefore, expect an answer from us sometime around — never.
The EAVA.
English Action Verbs’ Association”
Ject took another deep breath and wrote the last e-mail to himself.
“I don’t need an External Forum to accept my nature.
I love you completely,
Ject.”
— -
Thanks tons for reading this,
D.
P.S.: I wrote this during one of Max Stossel’s Writing Groups, Sept 25th, 2021.
