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The office buzzes with activity as employees settle into their workstations. Kenji Yamamoto, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, strolls through the maze of cubicles. He passes out cookies he baked himself to his coworkers as flashes his trademark grin as he passes by, eliciting waves and greetings in return.

Kenji approaches his own cubicle, adorned with a pristine desk and a row of neatly organized files. He logs into his computer, preparing for another day of customer service calls. 

One of his coworkers leans over the cubicle wall. “Morning, Ken! You’re looking sharp today, as always.”

Kenji grinned. “Thanks, Sarah! You know, presentation is everything.”

Kenji’s phone rings, and he picks it up. His tone shifts to the polite and helpful persona expected of a customer service representative. “Good morning! Thank you for calling. This is Kenji. How may I assist you today?”

The voice on the other end launches into a tirade about a recent purchase gone wrong. Kenji listens patiently, his smile never faltering, though his eyes show a hint of weariness. The customer was irate. “I demand to speak to your manager right now! This is ridiculous!”

Kenji, still maintaining his composure, types a few keys on his keyboard and makes a few clicks. “I understand your frustration, ma’am. Let me see what I can do to help. Please hold for just a moment.”

He mutes the call and takes a deep breath. His cheerful facade momentarily fades, revealing the simmering irritation beneath. “Another day, another difficult customer.”

After a few moments, he unmutes the call and continues assisting the customer with her issue. He managed to resolve her problem. But she wouldn’t be the only customer to give Kenji trouble.

Kenji sits at his desk, taking calls al morning. His cheerful facade starting to crack as the day progresses. The ringing of his phone is met with a subtle grimace. He answers it with his usual greeting. “Good afternoon! Thank you for calling. This is Kenji. How may I assist you today?”

On the other end, a customer unleashes a barrage of complaints, unjustified anger, and insults. Kenji tries to maintain his composure, but the customer’s relentless tirade pushes him to his limit.

“This is absolutely unacceptable! You people are incompetent!”

Kenji struggles to remain calm. “I apologize for the inconvenience, sir. Let me look into this for you.” He says through gritted teeth. He then mutes the call, and rubs his temples. His frustration was boiling over. “I try to be nice, but sometimes I just can’t take it anymore.”

His coworker, Sarah, notices his distress from the adjacent cubicle and leans over. “Ken, are you okay? You seem really stressed.” She asks with concern in her voice.

“No, I’m not okay. These people… These… idiots! They just don’t understand.” Kenji unmutes the call and attempts to address the customer’s concerns, but his voice now carries an edge of exasperation.

The customer continues to berate him. “You’re useless! I want this problem fixed immediately!”

Kenji, unable to contain his anger any longer, raises his voice. “Listen, you little bastard. I’ve been patient with you, but there are limits! We’re doing our best here, and I won’t tolerate this abuse!”

The customer was taken aback. “I…I want to speak to your manager!”

Kenji, now fully aware of the severity of the situation, takes a deep breath and regains his composure.

Kenji, realizing the severity of what he just did briefly regains his composure. “Of course, sir. Please hold for a moment.”

He tries to give the call to his manager, but gets an unwanted response. “Kenji, I’m busy right now. Handle it yourself.”

Kenji’s frustration grows as his manager is unwilling to assist. He unmutes the call. “Where is your manager? I’ve been waiting!”

“Great, just great.” Kenji mutters to himself.

Kenji takes a deep breath, trying to remain composed, but the relentless customer’s voice continues to pierce through his patience. “This is ridiculous! Your company is a joke!”

Kenji was livid now. “You know what? I’ve had enough of your insults! We’re not your punching bag! My manager doesn’t want to talk to you either!”

Kenji’s outburst is heard through the office, drawing the attention of his coworkers, including his manager. Sarah exchanges worried glances with her colleagues as they watch the scene unfold.

“Kenji, what’s going on here?” His manager demands.

Kenji is fuming. “This customer has been nothing but abusive, and you won’t even speak to them!” 

“See? Even your own employees can’t stand you!”

Kenji replies to that comment in kind. “No asshole. It’s you they can’t stand!”

“Well, I never!”

“I know you never! Are you so dissatisfied with your own life you’re just trying to take it out on people just trying to make a living? You’re a pathetic miserable human being!”

The manager sighs, and takes the phone from Kenji. “I’ll handle this, Kenji. Please calm down.”

Kenji leans back in his chair, his face flushed with anger and frustration, as he watches his manager deal with the unruly customer.

After the call was done. The manager calls Kenji into his office. Where he got lectured on being professional. It was a miracle he didn’t lose his job. They were shortstaffed and needed all the help they could get. Then he was sent back to his cubicle. He dealt with more callers until lunch time rolled around. Where he was the subject of office gossip. 

After lunch, it was back on the phones. Where it was another barrage of difficult customers.

“I demand a refund, and I demand it now!”

“I understand your frustration, ma’am. Let me look into your issue and see what I can do to help.”

The customer continues to berate Kenji, criticizing the company’s policies and demanding immediate action. Kenji’s patience wears thin, and he finally loses his temper. “Listen bitch! You need to understand that there are procedures in place, and I can’t magically make things happen! I’m not a miracle worker!”

The customer was annoyed. “I want to speak to your manager right now!”

Soon, Kenji was pulled into another meeting with his boss.

“Kenji, I’ve been receiving complaints about your conduct with customers. I understand that you’re under a lot of pressure, Kenji. But you have to maintain professionalism, even in difficult situations. Yelling at customers is unacceptable.“

Kenji lowers his head in shame. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“You’re right it won’t happen again. I’m terminating your employment. Effective immediately.”

Kenji’s eyes went wide. “W-w-what? B-b-but…” The room felt suffocating, and his dreams of becoming a Broadway star suddenly felt even further out of reach. He had lost not only his temper but also his job, a lifeline to pay off his debts and survive in the expensive city.

His manager continued with a stern expression. “Kenji, we value your skills, but we cannot tolerate this behavior. We’re short-staffed, and we need a team that can handle customers professionally.”

Kenji’s voice trembled as he tried to plead for a second chance. “Please, I promise I’ll do better. I can’t afford to lose this job.”

His manager sighed. “I understand, Kenji, but this decision has been made. I’m sorry.”

As Kenji gathered his belongings and left the office, he couldn’t help but feel a mix of anger, frustration, and despair. He had let his emotions get the best of him, and it had cost him dearly.

His coworkers watched in silence as he walked out, some exchanging sympathetic glances, while others whispered amongst themselves. Office gossip about Kenji’s outbursts would undoubtedly linger long after he was gone.

Kenji found himself standing on the sidewalk outside the office building, feeling lost and uncertain about what to do next. His acting dreams now seemed even more distant, and the weight of his student loans pressed heavily on his shoulders. Now what was he going to do?

As he drove home along the dimly lit streets, another car suddenly swerved into his path. With a crash, the two cars collided, in a head on collision. The world seemed to slow as Kenji’s car was pushed off the road and came to a screeching halt.

The drunk driver, in a drunken stupor, stumbled out of their vehicle, their alcohol-fueled bravado quickly turning to horror as they realized what they had just done.

Emergency services arrived quickly, but it was too late. Kenji Yamamoto, was gone.