Dawn patrol

Alex knocked on our door at 6 AM sharp, looking like he’d been hit by a truck. I probably looked worse. We’re both scheduled for the opening shift at the rec center, which means unlocking the building, turning on all the equipment, and pretending to be functional human beings while students show up for their pre-class workouts.

Dawn patrol

Jake caught us in our natural habitat – barely conscious but caffeinated. Alex is scrolling through his phone trying to wake up while I’m calculating how many hours until I can come home and collapse. The answer is too many.

Pre-shift coffee ritual in full swing

The coffee ritual is sacred when you’re working these early shifts. Alex always stretches like he’s about to run a marathon instead of just stand behind a desk for four hours, but whatever gets him moving. I’m just grateful Jake had the coffee ready when we stumbled into the kitchen.

Three more weeks until winter break. We can do this. Probably.