Please enjoy this fiction short story about the hell that offices have become and the pissing contest of who can be the sickest and still work.

Worked to Death: A Skeleton Walks into the Office and Hits It Outta the Park 💀

What happens when a company expects more from its employees than they expect from the dead?

In this episode of Born to Ramble, Nikki shares one of her favorite original short stories—a dark workplace satire that may or may not be actually satirical cuz I’m pretty sure I actually worked at this company, minus the corpse. This story explores “hustle culture,” burnout, impossible expectations, and the moment you realize your job might actually be trying to kill you.

Meet Jim: sick as a dog, armed with chicken noodle soup, Emergen-C, and a lunchbox lovingly packed by his wife. He drags himself into work only to discover that a coworker has literally died... and somehow manages to lead the client presentation.

If you've ever:

* Worked while sick because you felt guilty calling in

* Had a boss who cared more about spreadsheets than people

* Laughed to keep from crying during corporate meetings

* Wondered if "work-life balance" is just an urban legend

...this story is for you.

Before the story, Nikki also shares a few life updates, including:

🎉 The *Born to Ramble Shop** is officially open!

* 🤓 Her surprisingly effective fake glasses.

* 🧌 Why getting her first internet trolls feels like a podcasting milestone.

* 🐵 A grammar lesson inspired by someone who couldn't spell "dying."

This episode is equal parts storytelling, sarcasm, and corporate trauma recovery.

## Read the Story

Prefer to read along? You can find the complete short story on the Born to Ramble Substack:

"A Skeleton Walks into the Office and Hits It Outta the Park."

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If you enjoyed this episode:

* ⭐ Follow the podcast.

* ❤️ Leave a rating or review.

* 📤 Share it with the coworker who's one email away from becoming a skeleton.

Thanks for listening—and remember: your employer can replace your position, but your family can't replace you.

The original written version is here: Worked to Death