It started with a kiss

Night shiftwork, but very enjoyable. He knew he must finish on time. The clock reassured him he would. It was a piece-work - the greater his productivity, the greater his reward. He was a finisher. He finished off dolls.

With relatively unlimited dolls to work on, the limiting factors were viscosity and suction rate. No qualifications as process engineer, but his experience had left its marks.

He should have checked the clock more regularly. It lied! The hands had not moved.

Starting with a kiss, it ended with a kiss too, the warm kiss of the sun through a skylight.