I Know What Happens When The Sun Sets

So, it’s actually not that interesting. I’m the guy in charge of making the sun “set”, literally all I do is push a button in my office that starts the countdown. I’m in charge of the eastern hemisphere, my friend Diane does the west, and we have relief shifts to cover changes in the seasons. I’m actually just an intern here, this is one of the most boring parts of the job followed by Ocean Tides and Flight Cancellations (yeah that’s us). I’ve been at this desk now for 865 years, just watching the sun go up and down, I’ve requested a transfer to Infectious Diseases a few times but it’s been denied; I’m still pretty green apparently. This job does have its perks, my favorite part though is watching you guys when the sun starts going down. Most of you are too busy driving home or cooking dinner to even notice it, I guess that’s understandable though, it is super boring. Some of you, I’ve noticed, tend to stop for prolonged periods and just stare at the sun as I set it. Like for a moment, life slows down and you are reminded all of a sudden of the endless passage of time. Some people value it more than others, I’ve seen painters depict my work for generations, mimicking the spectrum of fleeting lights in the sky with their brushstrokes and pens. I’ve heard songs exclaiming the “beauty” or “intensity” of this moment of the day. I’ve seen people fall in love, cry in dispair, some even just sit reflectively exploring the inner universe of their minds. The sun brings something out in you, some kind of deep-seated longing for adventure. I can remember a time when all you had was the sun to depend on for time, directions, even livelyhood; the job felt a lot more important back then. But It’s like you guys still worship this thing even though you know that it’s just a star, one of billions just like it. That’s really what I admire about humans, they can take even the most boring, scientifically reduced and overly explained phenomena and attach significant emotional expression to it. It really makes the job feel worth it.

So, I know what happens when the sun sets. Humans watch it.