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Title: "The 28-Year Itch"
Jordan Hayes was 28, jobless, and deeply committed to the art of staring at the ceiling for hours on end. His last job — assistant manager at a suburban hardware store — had evaporated three months ago when the place closed without warning. One day he was stocking screwdrivers; the next, he was handed a severance check and a “Thanks for everything, man.”
It wasn’t glamorous. But he missed it.
He lived in a small apartment with a leaky faucet and a roommate who believed “vaping was a personality.” Every morning, Jordan brewed coffee in his chipped Star Wars mug and sat by the window, laptop open, résumé freshly updated (again), waiting for some magical email that never came.
Friends from high school posted about promotions and new houses. His cousin just launched a startup. Even his ex-girlfriend was now a "wellness coach with international clients." Jordan, meanwhile, had just reached level 193 in Candy Crush and was considering whether cold pizza counted as breakfast.
Then one Wednesday afternoon — one of those quiet ones where time moves weird — he got an email.
Subject: "Freelance Writing Opportunity – Short-Term Project"
He almost deleted it. Probably spam. But he clicked it.
Two days later, Jordan was writing product descriptions for a small e-commerce company that sold eco-friendly office supplies. He made $80 the first week. Not much, but it felt like a lifeline. Over the next month, they offered him more work. Then a contract. Then a chance to pitch his own content.
By month three, Jordan was making just enough to breathe again. He started waking up before 10 a.m., taking walks, and brushing his hair. He even fixed the leaky faucet (sort of).
Unemployment hadn’t made him lazy — it had just made him lost. And slowly, day by day, he was finding his way back. Not to where he was before, but somewhere new.
If you want the story to lean more toward humor, drama, or a specific genre (like sci-fi or mystery), I can adjust it. Let me know!
@Bryce
Jordan Hayes was 28, jobless, and deeply committed to the art of staring at the ceiling for hours on end. His last job — assistant manager at a suburban hardware store — had evaporated three months ago when the place closed without warning. One day he was stocking screwdrivers; the next, he was handed a severance check and a “Thanks for everything, man.”
It wasn’t glamorous. But he missed it.
He lived in a small apartment with a leaky faucet and a roommate who believed “vaping was a personality.” Every morning, Jordan brewed coffee in his chipped Star Wars mug and sat by the window, laptop open, résumé freshly updated (again), waiting for some magical email that never came.
Friends from high school posted about promotions and new houses. His cousin just launched a startup. Even his ex-girlfriend was now a "wellness coach with international clients." Jordan, meanwhile, had just reached level 193 in Candy Crush and was considering whether cold pizza counted as breakfast.
Then one Wednesday afternoon — one of those quiet ones where time moves weird — he got an email.
Subject: "Freelance Writing Opportunity – Short-Term Project"
He almost deleted it. Probably spam. But he clicked it.
Two days later, Jordan was writing product descriptions for a small e-commerce company that sold eco-friendly office supplies. He made $80 the first week. Not much, but it felt like a lifeline. Over the next month, they offered him more work. Then a contract. Then a chance to pitch his own content.
By month three, Jordan was making just enough to breathe again. He started waking up before 10 a.m., taking walks, and brushing his hair. He even fixed the leaky faucet (sort of).
Unemployment hadn’t made him lazy — it had just made him lost. And slowly, day by day, he was finding his way back. Not to where he was before, but somewhere new.
If you want the story to lean more toward humor, drama, or a specific genre (like sci-fi or mystery), I can adjust it. Let me know!
@Bryce
