Prisoner at work

I am not criminal. I am honest, hardworking individual who follows the law and stays out of trouble. However, I can imagine what a prison feels like. All I have to do is think about the customer service company where I work. From the time I arrive at work to the time I leave, I get the distinct impression that I am indeed in prison. Before I even enter my building at 9:00am, I get the feeling that entering a high-security building. I punch in a special code to enter the parking lot. The cold metallic arm slowly swings up, allowing me to pass. As I get out of my car and proceed toward the entrance, I must prepare my badge for inspection. A stern guard wearing a black and white uniform take a look at my photo and glances up at my face. I have seen him every day for the past four years, yet he continues to do this as if he has never laid eyes on me before after successfully getting past the objects, such as keys and nail files. I walk through the metal detector, and if I am lucky, the alarm does not sound. I walk down the frigid hallway until I come to a steel door with a sign that says, “Authorized personal only”. My ten-digit number must be punched in correctly for the door to open. I am relieved when the light shines green and I can enter on the first try. My workday has begun, and I know that it will follow the same routine as every other day. As I get to my dull cubicle, I look around and see that all my coworker’s cubicles are exactly like mine. Like prison cells, they are the same size, decorated the same way, and separated from each other by partitions. From 9:00 to 9:30, I answer the usual e-mails from other employees. After that, I get busy with my telephone work. When customers call in, I have a “speech” that I read to them. There is no creativity on my part. I cannot veer from the company’s statement. Just like a prisoner, I have no freedom of speech. My lunchtime routine never changes either. At 12:30, we all proceed to the cafeteria. The moment we walk in, we are bombarded by the powerful smell of fried food and grease. I look around and see that the cafeteria décor has not changed. The walls are lifeless and gray. There are no pictures or other wall