10 Seconds to Liftoff

Prologue: Burnt Toast Life

I took absolutely no joy in letting the bread come out burnt, but I also apparently didn't care enough to make sure it didn't happen nearly every time. So there I stood in the cold and empty apartment watching the toast bake in my newly bought toaster oven wondering what in life could possibly be more exciting than this. First the frost from the freezer was melted away and then the white fluff slowly started turning brown. 

"You're not winning this time." I said to myself in again the cold empty apartment. I wondered why they even had a toast option to begin with with, if it wasn't the exact amount of time and temperature to let the bread come out perfectly toasted. Then I wondered if anyone who was involved in the making of the toaster cared enough to even check, or was it just the calculations of a bunch of mathematicians. Now having been in the work force for about 3 months, I could completely understand  not caring enough to check, cause if my dream job could be this boring, I can only imagine how boring it would be to work at a place that makes toasters for a living. Looking at the time left on the toast: 2 minutes.

"Okay you can do this." I closed my eyes and readied for what came next. "You can do this." 

But a text comes through. Wondering if it could be that girl I like, we had hit it off a couple times and last time she initiated a hug, so think it could really be going somewhere.  I pull out my phone expecting excitement, but then again only getting the disappointment. The number was one I did not recognize, and It only gave one sentence: "Hey Ross! How are you doing? I know this is kinda out of the blue but I'm on my way over." 

I dared not even open the phone to let this guy know I saw his message. However a million thoughts rush my mind at once. Is this one of those random guys I met in one of the many dinner parties here. There were a few I exchanged contact info with, but some I gave out my number but didn't get one in return. Could this be one of those random guys, God I hoped it wasn't one of those guys. 

Mere moments pass when another text comes in: "Are you home?" 

It felts likes beads rolling up my back and chill took over. Why would someone be trying to visit me right now. I put down the phone and start heading to the door to peek out and see anyone coming when I hear a ding. 

"Fuck." 

I scramble over to the toaster and see some smoking poking out, and as the smoke clears and the picture became clear: burnt toast.

The panic set in before the pain. I try to take out he toast and end up burning my hand on the edge of the oven dropping the toast onto the floor. I get it up on a plate, and check the time. Okay 30 minutes left till I have to be a work. It was worse enough it was a Monday, but for it to be going this bad had to take a miracle. 

As I'm looking at my watch there comes a ring at the door. I start wiping my hands off with the towel and walk with bated breath to the door. Thinking there's no way there's someone here to meet, its got to be a package even this early in the day. So I gain the confidence to look through the peephole and am overcome with complete shock. "Whiskey!?" I whip throw the door open.

With heavy breathing and a suitcase behind him, he gets out his well rehearsed words. 

"You are one tough guy to find, Foxtrot. And man do I have the story for you."