When It's Time to Move On

Door 4 - Chapter 44 - A New Life

Mr. Littman stared at him with great curiosity, as would anyone witnessing Harris walk out of his boss's file room at eight in the morning.

"Harris? May I ask what you're doing in my office?"

Harris, though, found himself to be at a loss for words. Not because of any shock or cluelessness, but due to the extreme simplicity of the situation. For once, he had no need for any sign of what he was supposed to understand. With that, he felt his insides swell with amusement.

"I presume you've been working another all-nighter. Don't worry, I promise you, you'll have your just reward. How does an all-access vacation to my beach house sound?" Mr. Littman suggested,  under the impression the offer was something Harris would never pass up. And he would have been right, or at least was the first time around. 

Harris hardly listened, however, as he looked out the office room window to see the employees arriving. The enlightenment he had achieved – the lack of passion for the job – now returned.

"Err, are you listening? Maybe you've been overworked, perhaps an assistant might help ease the workload."

It was at that suggestion that the memory of a man in a large hat in this very office popped back.

"Mr. Littman, I'm here to tender my resignation." Harris cut to the chase, now that his thoughts were organized once more.

"What? This is completely out of the blue! If you must, then take the vacation now and think about it."

"Actually, sir, I'm pretty sure if I take that vacation I would be coming to this very conclusion."

After some convincing, Mr. Littman finally relented and accepted Harris's resignation.

"I wish you wouldn't go, especially considering Mr. Porter has been looking quite off-colour."

"No worries," Harris said brightly, now smiling openly; he had all the solutions in place. "I have the number of a very well able Risk management supervisor. Bob Cratchit. I'm sure you'll find him more than satisfactory. Just don't tell him I recommended him. As for Mr. Porter, yes he is ill, very much so. I have the number of a doctor who can help. Dr. Roslin. Please have him contact her immediately, and as before, don't tell her about me."

He scribbled their contact details and handed them over to a very bemused Mr. Littman, who could make no sense of the sudden vibrancy Harris was displaying.

"If you follow through on my suggestions, I can guarantee you there will be no problems. You have my word. Anyway, it was a pleasure working for you, but I think it's finally the time I go out there and do what I would like."

"And that is?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm really excited to find that out."

With that he took his leave once more – and for the final time – from the office. He glanced at the door he had entered from to find it closed, certain there would be no station behind it now.

Harris stepped out on the sunlit street, the smile he wore wider than he could control. His phone rang.

"Harris?" It was Auden.

"Hey, man." He replied excitedly, this seemed to be heading in an even better direction than he would've thought; he could have his friends back. "Want to meet?"

"Meet? Didn't you quit?"

"Yeah, how'd you know I was going to?"

"Because you told me you were, I thought you'd be at the airport by now?"

"The airport...?" Harris mumbled in befuddlement. It was as if he'd woken up from a coma and his memories were rushing back.

In his delight, he'd forgotten to place the exact timing of where he was at this point in life. Now it started to fall into place. His hand went into his coat and he extracted the ticket. The one he'd purchased in anticipation of the impending move away.

This was when Auden had resigned, prompting Harris to re-evaluate his own goals; he'd decided to follow suit when the offer for the beach house was made, and he reconsidered. 

Harris stared at the ticket in his hand. This one decision had been at the back of his mind for a long time. A chance for him to get some distance, and figure out what made him happy. He knew staying with his friends would certainly bring joy to his life. But he'd learned all he had to there. 

Perhaps this opportunity was one where he could learn what a Harris who was open to new ventures could be like on his own. And that idea excited him more than anything else he could think of.

"I'm on my way to the airport."

The city looked surprisingly small as he peered out of the airplane window. His whole life had been spent there. It felt remarkable how all his problems, sorrows, and happiness were encapsulated in such a minuscule place.

Ever since his childhood, he'd dreamed of seeing what else the world had in store, for his own to become a bit bigger with every experience. Those days when the birds had flown in the sky, and he'd watched them ever so keenly, with his sister by his side claiming he was suffering from wanderlust. They'd planned on traveling together someday; now he was following through on the promise he'd made to her. 

As soon as his feet returned to the ground, Harris recalled the place he'd rented before making his plans and was now on his way there.

The city bustled with life, a parade was conveniently out on the streets. Numerous shades of color were flying in streams, palpable exhilaration flowing through the droves of people. Harris made sure to snap away every point of interest with his camera. Landmarks grazed by him that he made a note to visit later on, along with the hotspots that were already teeming with patrons at that time of evening. The cab left him outside his building.

A few kids whisked passed him in a hurry as if running away from someone. One boy even bumped into him, whom he helped up; the boy smiled in appreciation and went along his way. Harris observed everyone around had an aura of ease to them; he had a feeling he would fit in well here.

With a deep breath, he twisted the key and stepped into his new home. It was much larger than his old apartment and was completely furnished. Harris was glad because he couldn't have designed it any better. There was a true hominess to it, everything about it said comfortable to him.

He didn't stop to observe, however, as the balcony caught his eye and he wandered over to it in awe. A sprawling view of the city. With that view, any hesitance he might have had left him instantly. Harris was certain he'd made the right choice. Somewhere out there was the answer he was looking for, but there would be time for that. He took the first picture from his new home, of his new city.

He then headed back inside and jumped on his comfortable new bed, with no proclivity to sleep because he was already living a dream. Late in the night, he perched himself on the balcony, enjoying the brisk breeze and the city lights reminiscent of the stars in the night sky. It was the first of many new experiences to come, the first from a new life.