How to Exit a Repeating Day

“Every day I write the book,” Jack announced with a heavy sigh. Annie raised an eyebrow at him. “Isn’t that an Elvis Costello song?” she asked. Jack picked up his coffee. “Yes, but it’s also what I’m cursed to do. Every day I get up early and spend 12 hours writing the same book,

Writing the same lines, over and over again. The day repeats itself every-time. Its like that groundhog movie but I don’t know the end of this story. I see the same mailman, delivering the same package and the neighbor shouting the same things, and the dog crossing the street

It’s all so banal. How can I escape this existence? Each day, indistinguishable from the last. That’s it, I decided. I’m going to make a change. I leapt out the house, still wearing pajamas, teeth unbrushed. Goodbye routine, hello spontaneity. I looked up at the sky and roared!

Apparently Alvin, our next door neighbor, did not approve. He looked caught off guard, watering his hydrangeas. “Great day, right?” I said with gusto. He looked terrified (maybe not a pajamas fan?) and went inside. WHATEVER today is going to be a great day. I ran down the street.

I felt so free! I felt so light! All these years, heavy clothes had held me down, but in my PJs I could almost fly. Perhaps if I increased the helium in my diet?

I called the clown next door right away, eager to test this at once. I thought I was rejected once the line went dead but soon enough I heard my door open. But the helium canisters he dragged sounded too leaky, like children gasping in terror so I was going down to protest whe-