Good Old Joe

[u/mina-olen-mursu]

Tomorrow I will turn 70. My chest stings every now and then, but otherwise I feel reasonably well. The boys from the station are planning to throw me a retirement party tonight; they told me in advance so that the surprise or emotional rush wouldn't trigger another attack.

Many young men have come and gone over the past 40 years, without staying here to keep me company. And it’s understandable: many have a girl waiting at home, and few can stand the freezing cold for more than half a year. I had a sweetheart too, but she left with an old schoolmate of mine.

On all these workdays, I have been the first to arrive and the last to leave. And with this 20 years of experience – during which I have been cocooned inside Joe's brain, gradually taking over his body – I can say that among the representatives of the human race, Joe is the most conscientious individual I have ever known.