"Hey Gee Six, I'm ready!" He held the paper in his hands. "I even have my Welcome Home speech prepared", he said, excitedly scanning his words on the page.
There was a pause and a crackle of static the other end. "It's not good news I'm afraid", a female voice said, "looks like it might be another rotation. Really sorry."
He stopped reading, closed his eyes, and sighed.
So much for that idea", he muttered, scrunching up the paper and throwing it hard into the bin. The noise made Cooper growl from under the desk and lift his head, before resting it back onto his paws with one eye open for future disturbances.
"Listen Dee One, the transition period is sketchy.", the voice said, "Things might change over the next few hours."
"They won't", he whispered.
"Say that again Dee One? Didn't quite catch that", the voice said.
"It's OK", Dee One said loudly into the mic, "Will talk soon". He quickly flicked the receiver to OFF and leaned back in his chair.
He stared at the small box on the wall. His reason for being here. His whole existence. Dust had accumulated inside the protective casing over the years, making the large red button hardly visible anymore. But he knew it was there all the same.
He shifted back in his chair and peered under the desk. "I guess we had better get comfortable again, eh buddy?" His only friend opened both wrinkly eyes, looked up and gently wagged his tail. Dee one, smiled, reached down, and scratched Cooper's ear with one hand, whilst wiping away a tear with the other.