He fiddled with his key for a few minutes, finally unlocked the door and dragged himself to the sofa. He was exhausted as hell.

“Sarah, what’s for dinner tonight? I will not be having any”

“Good evening Tim, as per the dinner rota, sausage and mash with peas was prepared but I will keep them in the fridge for tomorrow. “

“Thanks Sarah, to hell with dinner rota!”

“As you say Tim”

He kept sitting on his sofa, not really feeling the elation he wanted to feel. His hard work of 2 years had paid off as he had got the promotion he had been waiting for and a big salary hike and he had just come home after celebrating that. But still he felt something missing, maybe it was the lack of a human face whom he can tell his good news. He never understood why the contract doesn't allowed video call to anyone other than colleagues. The isolation from family and friends is supposed to make him more motivated and focussed but does it?

"Remind me Sarah, how many more days till I finish my contract?" - he sighed.

"You have 3 years, 1 month and 2 days remaining in your contract. After that you will be allowed to meet your family, start new relationships ..."

"Yes yes I know the essay Sarah, please stop now, thank you."

"As you wish Tim."

He went to the bathroom to freshen up and looking at his face in the mirror, tried to imagine another body or face beside him. He couldn't. He was amazed what 2 years of isolation can lead to. He chuckled at himself on how strange today’s party was!

It was the first time during his contract that he had attended a party, that too for his own promotion. He had heard about them, how there was prohibition  on physical contact, people were encouraged to join on office video chat rather than be present at the venue -  but they seemed too bizarre to believe. Until he experienced it. He had an expensive celebratory hamper sent at his office cubicle, with champagne and chocolates and a silk shirt and it mentioned the venue to his party - a conference room in the office. He was expecting his colleagues to stay back for the party but they all left. All except his manager who started the video call in the conference room, congratulated from a distance and then left. There was a lot of music and drinks but no jokes or flirts or comments other than congratulating him. It felt that Sarah is more conversing than his human colleagues. Such robotic interactions with people on a big screen exhauasted him utterly.

He came out of the bathroom, feeling a bit fresh, sipped some coffee prepared by Sarah and said “Sarah, please play some coffee shop background noise”

"Of course Tim"