[Intro: spoken, scanner beep, distant forklift] Break is over. Aisle twelve. Soft shoes only. If you squeak, you owe the crew a soda. [Verse 1: funk-rap bounce, comedy, clear] Night shift warehouse turns into a quiet stage Pallet jacks glide like they practiced in a mirror Miguel does a spin around a corner without looking I hate that it is beautiful. I clap once. He bows Clipboards hate us. We hate clipboards back Shrink wrap shines under the sodium like cheap theater lights Supervisor wants rate. We want rhythm. Tonight rhythm wins Until the scanner says the box is wrong and the spell breaks Somebody whispers shit with religious timing We reset. Ballet becomes logistics again Still, for six minutes we were dancers with steel toes Earplugs in. Music in one bud only. Safety theater I count steps between bays like choreography notes Left. Pivot. Lift. The jack hums like it agrees [Hook: gang shout / sung, horn stabs] Pallet jack ballet, night crew fame Silent wheels and a scanner that ruins the game Glide it clean, stack it tight Warehouse kings in the half-lit night Pallet jack ballet, don't you squeak If you stomp you buy the drinks all week [Verse 2: denser workplace comedy] Inventory week is when the gods get bored Labels lie. Bins multiply. Truth takes a lunch I find a pallet of winter coats in July like a prophecy Write it up. Joke that fashion is early this year Break room coffee tastes like a dare Vending machine eats a dollar and returns philosophy New hire asks if we always move like that I say only when the cameras face the other way Truth: we move like that because boredom is a blade You either dance or you rust. We chose ridiculous Forklift guy is not invited to the ballet He is percussion. Loud. Useful. Slightly dangerous When the line backs up we turn it into a race Loser restocks returns. Winner gets the good gloves Somebody leaves a motivational poster in the break room We turn it to face the wall. Morale improves immediately I tape a paper crown on Miguel's hard hat for one aisle He wears it until the camera corner. Then dignity returns [Double-Time Switch: inventory chaos, crisp] Labels spin numbers blur bins become rumors and I chase the SKU like it owes me rent dignity and last month's rate Scan beep wrong scan beep wrong third try finds the truth hiding under a blue tarp like a coward with a barcode smile Breath reset then dig again count the cases stack the logic beat the board before the board beats the crew tonight [Chopper Burst: thirty-second density, no commas] I whip the jack left cut the corner tight stack the flat count the height wrap the load check the weight tag the bay move the freight If the rate board laughs I laugh louder then I beat the number anyway because pride lives in steel toes and burnt coffee Scanner sings I answer clean aisle clear crew lean ballet done till the next wrong beep tries to ruin the whole scene Pivot slide lift set scan confirm wrap spin next bay next bay keep the wheels quiet keep the crown off camera [Bridge: spoken, bass and drums only] Supervisor walks past. Sees nothing. Good. Art dies when management notices. [Hook: gang shout / sung] Pallet jack ballet, night crew fame Silent wheels and a scanner that ruins the game Glide it clean, stack it tight Warehouse kings in the half-lit night Pallet jack ballet, don't you squeak If you stomp you buy the drinks all week [Outro: spoken, one last beep] Clock out. Parking lot fog. Miguel still humming. I still smiling. Tomorrow we pretend it was only work.
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