FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Waking up has always been a challenge for me. It was one of those things that I never got the hang of when I moved out of my parents place. Mom and dad thought that once I lived on my own, I would learn to wake up without the use of alarms. They were wrong. Without an alarm I could sleep for a long while.

So it was a shock when instead of my alarm, it was my roommate that was waking me up with his loud screams.

I flail around in my bed as his screams stirred me from my slumber, "gah ack guh."

"What are you still doing here," he asked, grabbing my arms and pulling me upright, "why are you still in bed at this time?"

Me, being just awaken and confused, try and swip at him, "dude what the fuck? What the hubbub about?"

"Dude, did you forget your interview today?"

It takes a sec for my head to clear, "what? No, it's fine, I set like three alarms on my phone and they haven't gone off yet, so I am still good. What time is it?"

Carles reached for my phone, a horrified look on his face, "uh, it's 8:45 and your phone is dead."

"What?" I grabbed the phone from his hand and tried to turn it on. All i saw was the black screen, "shit shit shit, i have the interview at 9:20." i stumbled out of bed and into the closet to pull out the suit I had gotten for the interview. As I hastily put on the undershirt and jacket, I realized something, "shit I don't have time to charge my phone."

"Then use mine," Charles said as he hands me his phone, "you know my code, just give it back when you come home."

"Thanks," I took the phone and went to put it in my pocket. But I haven't put my pants on yet so it just falls down my leg and hits the floor. "Shit" I picked it up and held it while I put on the pants, this time putting it in my pocket.

I start going through all the things I would need, especially my good luck charm and secret weapon. I rushed into the kitchen and grabbed the first thing I could carry out of the house.

As I open up the garage doors, my heart sinks. At the end of my driveway was an ambulance blocking it. "What the hell?" I yell as I call out to the crowd gathered outside.

Mr. Obstan turns around and sees me, "oh Michael, it is terrible. Margaret fell down last night and we only just found her. Her grandchildren just called 911 and they only just now arrived."

"Shit," I cursed. I reach for my secret weapon but stop myself. No, no I can still make it. Just wait in the car until they leave. I jump into the car and wait. After about ten minutes, the emergency crew carried out Ms Phatcure, I doubt she was alive. As much as I wanted to grieve, I still had an interview to go to. I set the car in motion and drove off.

"Okay, I lost a lot of time, but I can still make it. I will just take the expressway and try to cut some times." I pull into the expressway and my mood plummets as I see cars moving bumper to bumper. I mentally curse as I pull out my secret weapon. I stop myself and put it away, "no, no, just call. They gave me a number to call in case something happened." I pulled out the phone and when I tried to unlock it, it dawned on me that this wasn't my phone. "Shit"

I tried to call my phone for the number but Charles didn't answer me. By the time I could get out I had lost too much time. I considered using my secret weapon but it still wouldn't help if I didn't show up.

I showed up at the building, a good twenty minute later than I was supposed to be. I sigh and walk in, clearly disheveled and stressed out. At the front desk, I told the cheetah secretary who I was and why I was here. They instruct me to sit down and wait.

About five minutes later, an elephant comes by, "you are certainly a braven one, i will give you that." As he glares at me down, I can tell he was not amused by me being here, "you come here without a word twenty minutes late to your interview. I do hope you weren't expecting to still get one at this point."

I shake my head, "no sir. It was my fault I arrived here late. I thought at least I owed you an apology for such a thing."

The elephant sighs, "if you knew you were coming late, why didn't you call? You were given a phone number just in case such things happen."

"I apologize sir, my phone died last night and by the time I woke up, I had no time to charge it."

The elephant chuckles, "that is not the only thing wrong with you. Your fur is a mess, I see wrinkles and loose hairs all over the suit, and he raises his trunk at me, '' I can clearly smell your lack of a deodorant. Even if you were on time, I doubt I would have given you the job with such a poor first impression you have given me. Now if you excuse me, I actually have work to get back to." he said, as he left me in the lobby.

I sigh and exit the building, going over the criticism I have just received. I look over my suit and notice the wrinkles and hairs he pointed out earlier. "This really wasn't my good day." I reach into my pocket and pull out my secret weapon, my pocket watch.

I open it up the cover and see the clock face, telling me the current time. I turned back the knob on top of it, "okay let's see, he pointed out the fur, messy suit, and being late. Now I can't handle it, but it's definitely should have done it last night." I stopped turning the knob and the clock face showed a new time, 7:32 pm. I press the button on top and the world around me fades to black.

When the world returned to me, the setting was different. No longer was I in front of a building, but instead inside of my room, sitting at my computer, the screen showing the resume I have spent all day on. Nausea sets in as I experience the whiplash of jumping through time again.

I lean down, waiting for the nausea to pass as I clutch the pocket watch in my hand.

###

It was 9:10 when I pulled up to the building where my interview was to take place. I arrived early thanks to the ambulances being called last night instead of this morning. In the car mirrors, I check myself one over. My fur is neat, my suit has no loose hairs or wrinkles, and I put on deodorant this time.

I walked in and introduced myself to the cheetah secratery, who once again asked me to sit down.

A few minutes later, the elephant walks in, this time in a better mood, "I see," he said, extending his trunk to me like one would extend a hand, "you are certainly here early, Mr Wells."

I take the trunk and give it a shake, "well it's like what my father said, you only get one chance to make a good impression."