benjamin
Benjamin 3
bigbutadorable(.)bl0gsp0t(.)c0m
At Green City, they use the latest technology such as cleaning machines. What makes this job feels a bit heavy—despite with the help of technology—is to run back and forth from the second to the tenth floor. Sometimes they are also time-crunched, so breaks are always appreciated.
Philip, a young man Benjamin is working with, smiles, handing out a glass of water.
"Is it hard?"
"Not at all."
"Take a little break. You have to clean the walls and floors all day anyway."
Benjamin laughs. For this whole week, he has only been taking care of the walls and floors he can even do it with eyes closed now. Still, the long hours to commute from his flat to the hotel make him terribly tired. He would always drop dead once he gets home, sleeping like a log. Even the noisy neighborhood won't budge him anymore. But thanks to this, the terrible headache he used to have is now gone. He can rest even without the earplugs. It definitely improves his health that Philip also mentioned the changing color of his face. His skin is now brighter than before.
Putting the now empty glass on the canteen's bench, Philip points outside the window.
"It's hard, but the scenery is very beautiful, don't you think?"
"Yeah, it looks really different from the heights."
Outside the window, along with other high-rise buildings, is the neat well-designed city with a vast green area. The Old City doesn't have this, and it somehow makes Benjamin feels rather lucky to have the chance to see this impressive visual attraction.
Despite the fact that it takes hours to commute, the distance between Green City and Old City doesn't seem so far when viewed from up here. Between the two, there is a giant wall that separates them. It was built by the government once they became aware that it was impossible for Green City to accommodate such an exaggerated level of people.
At first, the giant wall was guarded with violent enforcement to those who were foolish enough to sneak in. Then, over time, the government came up with the implementation of a greater immigration system through a more organized method of detection. Institutions were set up from Ground Zero, created to allow only those who met certain conditions to go in or out. Only a few―those who get recognized by major companies are able to move in. In the end, the governing coalition could effectively control its citizens and the wealthy of Green City, while can still obtained cheap and efficient labor on Ground Zero. It was a win-win situation.
From that day on, as thousands of people came and went, the buildings began to rise so far above the walls. Their windows and luminaries lit up every night and sometimes also set off fireworks on important anniversaries.
Sadly enough, only a few inches beyond the great wall, no sign of progress is being made. People there can only hope by working their bones to death.
"Look at that. It's an airplane!"
"Airplane?"
Benjamin is surprised as his eyes follow Philip's fingers. There, a huge machine is soaring in the endless sky.
"Things like that are owned by the very rich. I mean, people in government. Maybe it's even owned by the Shanfields."
"Umm..."
"Oh, you don't know them?"
"Oh no. I do know them. They are very rich."
"They are. Not only in Green City, they also have buildings in other regions that are known impossible to get into."
Philip lowers his hand and points to a large building nearby. In front of it, almost attached to the door, is a sculpture of a huge black lion with the word "Shanfield" written on it decorated with gold.
"Unlike the nouveau riche, that family is the perfect definition of what a royal lineage is."
The Shanfields are not only the most important aristocrats in the city but true nobles. The "old school" kind. They had passed down their lineage from generation to generation until they became the richest people in the world. At Ground Zero, Benjamin had heard of them thanks to the immense amount of newspapers lying around the streets. People are always interested in them. Recently too, Benjamin keeps encountering their name all over the place. He tilts his head and inside his head, he creates a bunch of strange theories.
Philip chuckles at that and gives the older guy a few of his now all-too-familiar pats on the shoulder.
"What's with that face, still afraid of high places?"
"A little...actually."
"Well, now is the perfect time to get used to it, you know? I was pretty nervous at first too. But work is work so there's no choice."
A couple of new pats from Philip, before he says that the break is over now.
* * *
Philip says he has been working here for two years.
His goal is to move up to management positions and migrate to Green City in three years at the latest. His father actually had long worked as an electrician in Ground Zero. But since his career was not exactly the most important here, migration seemed to become more than impossible. Still, he sent his children to the only school at Ground Zero and worked himself to death hoping his kids can enter Green City one day. Sadly, the abysmal difference in education between the two regions caused Philip to meet a lot of complications along the way. He graduated from school with good grades but, well, he ended up as a hotel staff.
"Still, it's better to start at the bottom in a good place than to have no opportunities at all. Working as a hotel staff...then as a manager."
"I see... Can't you get the job directly by showing your papers though?"
"Well, it's not that easy. Oh, where do you come from, by the way? You're not native here, I suppose?"
"Ah...I'm from the country."
"Ah, it must have been difficult. They say the cost of moving is exorbitant."
"Yes. I was born in a farmer family, but then left to look for more opportunities and, somehow, ended up here."
"Farm? It must be a lot less polluted there."
"It's a region called Kroon. Do you know it?"
"No, not really. There are a lot of places outside the city I don't know about."
"The population is small. Everywhere is all mountains and fields. You're not really missing that much."
Benjamin puts on a bitter smile remembering that place.
He is about to say something else when suddenly Philip's radio buzzes.
"Yes. I'm now on the 8th floor. Yes? Yes, sir. I'll be right there."
Philip's face turns real serious. Benjamin looks up nervously, asking him, "What is going on?" before realizing their surroundings have become complete chaos. People start to get frenzy all of a sudden.
"Now that the guests are coming, we have to clean the penthouse first."
"Sorry? But I'm not yet..."
"All the important people seem to be coming all at once. We need to do the hardest part first so we can speed up later."
Philip hurriedly drags his cleaning machine to the staff elevator. Benjamin, too, hurriedly grabs his tools and follows.
This hotel itself is already luxurious and super clean but Philip had told him that the penthouse is so incredible and ornate it even feels a bit stifling. The penthouse isn't originally his area in charge so, once Benjamin witnesses it for the first time with his very own eyes, he is at a loss for words. It is beyond amazing. The panoramic view of Green City can be seen through the huge glass windows. Benjamin can see everything outside. The green field, which seems to stretch endlessly, runs for miles and miles while the sky is enveloping everything below it in an almost immaculate blue color.
"Woah."
"Hurry up, clear the table first. It's gonna be a huge problem if the guests find even a single piece of dust."
Benjamin turns around. There, he discovers that all the idle staff apparently have been called up to the penthouse. About ten people are in charge of each corner, wiping and dusting and re-cleaning and wiping again like they all are afraid of doing it wrong. There is no time to relax. Benjamin sweeps the floor vigorously and then uses the vacuum cleaner. The others are cleaning the table, removing the dirt stuck to the wall, checking the light bulbs, and organizing the glasses in silence.
The radio blares again.
"The guests are coming."
"Everyone, get to the elevator now―quick!"
Hotel guests don't like to encounter janitors. Particularly when they are such distinguished guests. Benjamin, who keeps being told to be careful, follows Philip to help him move the vacuum cleaner.
"Ah, wait!"
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