the toothpick factory pt.1

james spivey is 50 years old. he has worked at the toothpick factory since he was 20. 30 years in and he's been doing the same job the whole time. picking up the toothpicks from the conveyor belt and putting them in a small box, then placing the boxes on another conveyor belt where they go to get shrink wrapped before being shipped out to market.

spivey could be running that place if he wanted to. hell, the plant manager has only been there for 15 years, and he's the big-boss now. james spivey didn't want that. he didn't want anything. spivey doesn't do 'change', at all. in fact james spivey has done nothing with his life except work at the toothpick factory. he doesn't talk to anyone. he doesn't go to happy hour at the local pub when work is over. he doesn't listen to music or read fiction, or the newspaper. he's never been to the movies. he doesn't go out to eat. he is a virgin, never having made love to a woman, man, or animal for that matter. james spivey has never taken a day off of work, or been late to work once in his long career. he's never taken an asprin, drank alcohol, or put any other drugs into his body. other than getting hired on at the toothpick factory, spivey has not taken any chances with his life, ever. except for riding public transportation, the bus, to and from the job every day. where, while he's surrounded by people, he does not acknowledge any of them, he just stares blankly out the window until he gets to his stop and gets off the bus.