The countdown

A tale which poses the question: Who actually likes their job?
10 - Ten years I’ve been doing this job. And all of it has been a living hell. Crap conditions and no benefits whatsoever. Why did I even choose this gig?
9 - $9,500. That’s all I get paid for this. Despite all the effort and determination I put into every year, some pimple faced kid at a fast food joint gets paid more than me.
8 - Eight years ago, I had the chance to leave. Why, oh why, didn’t I just run? Was it pride? Was it the love for this job? I feel like such an idiot, now that I look back at that opportunity.
7 - Seven injuries I’ve had on the job. My life has been on the line so many times, but I never get any acknowledgement for this. So many burns, yet I’ve never received even one compo cheque.
6 - Six times I’ve been rejected by ladies that I’ve fallen in love with. None of them liked my job, they said. Only a loser would do what I do, they said.
5 - Five years after I took this job, I finally found the true love of my life. She didn’t care about my job, she cared about me. Either she is lying, or she is much of an ignorant idiot as I am.
4 - Four other jobs I’ve had in the past ten years. They didn’t like this job, either. They wanted me to focus completely on their job, not on this little game. Why did I not listen to them instead of blowing up their cars?
3 - Three kids that I take care of, all of them under 10. Yet they still are ashamed of their father’s part time job. How pathetic. Not even a child who doesn’t know their times tables would do this job.
2 - Two things I hold close to my heart. One is my family. The other is the saying: ‘Don’t dream. Don’t think. Do.’ Well I’m not a hypocrite, so I must do something about this hole I’ve dug myself in.
1 - One hundred thousand people are watching. So here goes nothing. I Quit!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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“Hey, where are the fireworks?”
“What’s happened? Is the fireworks guy asleep or something!?”