No. 2

             I wake up to my bird alarm clock. 5:30 AM. The only sounds of nature I will hear all day. I kiss my boyfriend on the cheek and lazily roll out of bed. Coffee brewing, I sit in the kitchen quietly filling out my crossword for the day. 21 Across says "Put this down on paper". I laugh, drop it on the table and quickly scurry down to catch my bus to work. I clock in and take in the cedar smell I love.

          I jingle my keys to open my office and begin my days work. Papers. Papers. Papers. I edit and check them lightly in grey tone before sending them to my manager at corporate. Then I do my favorite task of the day, wandering through the machines and workers listening to the cutting of the wood. One bulky piece split up to give to many people. Manufacture. Manufacture. Manufacture. Most people might find it boring and unnatural but I do not see anything but organic intricacy in this mass creation. The chirping of the saws and equipment are just a different kind of forest.

         I talk to all my workers, pressing down on my paper any concerns or malfunctions we need to take care of. I scribble down numbers we must meet. List things that must be done. I rub my eyes, they start to get irritated at this point from all the dust, even with the safety goggles. 

       Finally at 7 my day is done. My back hurts and muscles ache from being on my feet all day. My ears have to slowly adjust back to normal after being around the obnoxious equipment. I groan a little to my self as I wait in line to catch the bus. Drained and tired I drag myself up the stairs to my apartment. Another day another dollar as they always say... 

         When I make it my kitchen on the fridge written in that soft but defiant graphite color I love, my boyfriend has etched in the six squares of 21 Across "pencils" and left a note "Sure you had a hard day, went to get pizza--Love you". I sigh and pick up the Bright yellow No. 2 and can't help but smile to myself.