Two ends of the Bell curve

*Clink*

"Cheers!"

"Cheers."

"So how does it feel to be Employee of the Month for the... what is it? 8th month in a row???"

"11th month"

"Wow! Seriously? That's awesome. By the way, what got you late? You are normally here before me."

"It's my kid. He's not been well"

"Oh, anything serious?"

"No, nothing serious. The doctor said he should be ok in a day or so."

"Your doctor makes home visits? Man! That's... I don't know. But yaar, truly, it's amazing - the life you have. Staying with family. Full-time maidservant. Doctor visits home when needed. Dude, I couldn't be more jealous."

"Jealous? Trust me, you wouldn't want to have what I have"

"Are you kidding me? I would die... to have what you have. But what's the point having fancy dreams when you are a lazy bum like me, huh? I can't work like you, think like you, crack deals like you. I mean, I am not even close to make a proper comparison against you."

"I don't think so. I compare myself with you all the time. Staying alone. Unmarried. No family, no responsibilities. No fears about anything."

"Fears? What fears?"

"That... you will stop being the best... that people will get ahead of you... ... ... that some day I would be just another face in the crowd. No fame, no title."

"That's your fear? ... Like I said. No comparison. You know what I am afraid of? That I can be asked to go anytime. That computers can get the better of me any day now. And I can't do anything that will stop it."

"That bad huh?"

"Yup. ... ... anyway..."

...


The live band that evening was playing well...
"And she said, 'we are all just prisoners here, of our device'..."