Chapter 1: The Worst Monday Ever
It was 6:30 a.m. on a Monday, and Greg Matthews was already regretting the decision to hit snooze one too many times. Bleary-eyed and barely coherent, he shuffled toward the kitchen, guided solely by the promise of a strong cup of coffee. The aroma was just starting to fill the air when his old digital wristwatch began to emit a high-pitched whine. Confused, Greg glanced down. The watch’s screen flashed wildly with random numbers and symbols, confusing him even more. And then—everything changed.
Suddenly, Greg was no longer standing in his cramped apartment kitchen. His surroundings had transformed into something wholly unrecognizable: an old-fashioned laboratory with strange gadgets humming around him. The lights flickered, and the musty smell of ancient books and burning oil filled the air. He was standing in what looked like a Victorian-era workshop, wearing clothes that weren’t his own.
This was Greg’s first unintentional trip through time, and it happened on the worst Monday morning he’d ever had. What made this worse was his complete lack of any idea how to get back—or how to manage this unexpected time-jumping predicament while coping with the dreadful reality of Monday mornings. Over the next few days, Greg would learn how his accidental time-traveling mishap was not only confounding and terrifying but surprisingly educational.
Chapter 2: Learning the Ropes (and the Clothes)
Greg’s first task after the shock wore off was figuring out where—and when—he was. Checking his wristwatch provided little clarity; it was now just a strange glowing device humming softly, showing no recognizable time. But a quick look around the dusty lab revealed sketches on the walls, hand-written in old English, describing machines that might resemble early electrical devices or even prototypes of telegraphs and motors.
Greg tentatively explored the room until a framed portrait caught his eye. It was a man with a striking resemblance to the photos of Nikola Tesla. “Great,” Greg muttered, “I’ve somehow landed in Tesla’s lab—or something very close to it.” The idea was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. He realized that in order to survive this strongly unfamiliar era, he had to adopt its customs—including his clothing. Down the hall, he found a wardrobe with a modest tweed suit, a bowler hat, and a pair of polished boots. Pulling these on over his pajamas was awkward, but it helped him blend in.
For the moment, Greg decided the best strategy was to observe and learn. After all, if he could figure out how this place worked, perhaps he could figure out how to get back to his own time. He also mentally steeled himself to endure what he was already calling “second worst Monday morning ever.” The first, of course, was the morning he had missed his bus at home.
Chapter 3: The Monday Morning Contraption
Wandering through Tesla’s lab, Greg discovered a peculiar contraption looking suspiciously like a version of his malfunctioning watch but much larger. Curious, he poked at a lever, which caused the device to spark and beep erratically. A small leather-bound notebook lay nearby—its pages filled with technical notes and sketches. The words “Temporal Displacement Device” caught Greg’s eye. It seemed he had tapped into something very powerful, and very dangerous.
Greg spent hours poring over the notebook, trying to interpret the complex equations and diagrams. Despite having no formal training in electrical engineering, some concepts seemed oddly familiar—like a bizarre déjà vu. He began sketching out a rough plan on a scrap piece of parchment, hoping that if he ever figured out how to control the device, he might send himself home again.
But even as he did this, the reality of Mondays crept in. The lab’s clock chimed sharply at 8 a.m., and Greg found himself mirroring his own home routine—checking his beat-up leather satchel for nonexistent papers, trying to remember if he’d had breakfast, and muttering complaints about the day ahead. This time, though, the ‘day ahead’ involved mastering the operations of a time machine and navigating a world that had no idea what an espresso machine was.
Chapter 4: Meeting the Time Resident
As Greg was contemplating the immense task ahead, a shadow fell across the doorway. A man in Victorian clothing appeared, eyes curious but warm. “You seem lost, friend,” the man said in a thick Eastern European accent that matched the imagined voice of Nikola Tesla. Greg tried to respond, but words escaped him for a moment.
Nodding slowly, Greg blurted out, “I—I’m from the future. Or something. I don’t know how I got here. I just want to get back.” The man regarded him thoughtfully, then introduced himself as Nikola Tesla. Surprisingly, Tesla was intrigued rather than alarmed—fascinated by Greg’s strange watch and his inexplicable knowledge of the future.
Tesla offered gentle guidance, advising Greg on the principles of electricity and magnetism, and cautioning him about the dangers of tampering with time. “The past is not a playground,” Tesla warned. But he also revealed a secret: he himself had once dreamt of traveling through time—an ambition that had consumed many of his sleepless nights. This common goal forged a fragile alliance between the two.
Chapter 5: Coffee Breaks Across Centuries
One of the biggest shocks for Greg was the lack of coffee. Attempting to replicate his morning ritual, he discovered only weak, bitter brews made from chicory or roasted grains, nothing close to the espresso machines he adored back home. Tesla, ever the inventor, proposed a crude experiment to replicate the effect of modern caffeine—by creating a makeshift heating coil to brew a stronger concoction.
Over the next couple of days, Greg and Tesla spent their spare moments working on “The Monday Booster,” a device that was neither quite a coffee maker nor a chemical lab equipment but a blend of both. While sipping the stronger brew, Greg learned valuable lessons about patience, persistence, and the subtle joys of a morning ritual—even if it didn’t come from a fancy café.
More importantly, these breaks became moments of reflection. Greg realized Monday mornings weren’t just about surviving a day of work—they were about starting fresh, learning, and getting up when everything seemed to push you down. He also discovered that no matter how far or close you are in time, the craving for that first cup of coffee on a Monday morning was universal.
Chapter 6: Mastering the Temporal Displacement Device
Inspired by Tesla’s encouragement, Greg pushed forward with his work on the Temporal Displacement Device. Hours turned into days, and slowly the pieces began falling into place. Using Tesla’s notes combined with his own haphazard observations, Greg modified the device’s settings from random, chaotic beeps to more controlled hums.
In the laboratory’s dim light, the machine began to glow steadily. Tentatively, Greg chambered a deep breath and grasped the lever. The hum increased, and a portal shimmered in the air—vibrating softly like a delicate cobweb caught in a breeze. The moment had come to test whether he could finally return to his Monday morning at home.
But before leaping back, Greg turned to Tesla, gratitude filling his voice. “Thank you—for your help, your patience… even your coffee ideas.” Tesla smiled quietly. “Remember, time is a river, never fully understood but always flowing. Sometimes, we just have to learn how to swim.” With that, Greg stepped through the portal.
Chapter 7: Return to the Present (and a New Perspective)
Greg reappeared in his own kitchen, the clock now showing 7:15 a.m. The digital watch sat silent and still on his wrist, its strange glow gone. For a moment, it felt like no time had passed at all, but Greg knew better. He’d spent what felt like days in a world far from his own, learning lessons he never expected.
Armed with a newfound perspective, Greg brewed himself a strong cup of coffee—the kind he loved—and sat by the window, watching the city stir awake. Mondays no longer felt like enemies to be battled; they were opportunities to begin again, to invent small rituals and inventions of your own. He even smiled at the thought of crafting a “Monday Booster” for his coworkers.
From that day forward, Greg looked at Monday mornings through different eyes. He was no longer just a man facing the worst day of the week; he was an accidental time traveler who survived the currents of time and discovered that survival was about more than just the destination. It was about the journey and the wisdom gained along the way.
Chapter 8: Epilogue — The Guide for Future Monday Survivors
After his return, Greg documented his experience meticulously, turning his mishaps, discoveries, and survival tactics into a whimsical manual: “The Accidental Time Traveler’s Guide to Surviving Monday Mornings.” This guide mixed practical advice with quirky anecdotes from Tesla’s era to his own, covering everything from how to hack coffee appliances (or invent substitute brews), how to dress to impress even in unexpected times, to managing stress with the patience of a man who saw whole centuries flow past.
The guide quickly became a beloved read in his office and beyond, inspiring many to approach their dreaded Monday mornings as opportunities for small adventures instead of unbearable chores. Greg continued his life with a smile and a little extra spring in his step, forever changed by the extraordinary voyage that started with a simple, miserable Monday morning and an errant flicker of a wristwatch.
Because sometimes, surviving Monday mornings isn’t just about coffee or motivation—it’s about embracing the unexpected, having the courage to navigate new worlds, and knowing that no matter where—or when—you are, the greatest tool you have is yourself.