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The janitor picks up the parts of the shredder and throws them into the bag. He picks up the shredder assembly and begins to walk back out. "If you could get it sooner, it would help." He squeezes the shredder's frame until his hands hurt. "Sure, sir." He walks briskly outside, carrying the shredder. He lifts up the lid to the dumpster with one hand, a rank rotten odor emanates from inside and throws the shredder in with one jerky motion. It was almost ten years ago, but he still remembers it and clenches his fists.

He had just started working for the school. The work had been hard. The school was expanding and much of his time was spent contributing to construction. It had been a Friday afternoon in late September, when the wind carries echoes of winter through trees that still smell of the warmth of summer. He was packing up his old red pickup truck with suitcases. He was trying to finish loading so they could make their flight. As he stacked the luggage neatly in the bed, Emily called out from inside the house, "You have a phone call, it's from the school." He walked into the house. They were finally flying out for a week to see her parents. She smiled and handed him the phone. He lifted the phone to his head, "Hello?" He could hear his breath through the static on the other end.