AWOL

Julian -- who is depressed but won't admit it -- hasn't turned up for work for the last few weeks. Not everyday -- some days he comes in -- but on the whole he's been AWOL for quite a while.

Work have been pretty sensitive to it, but have now run out of patience: He's basically blown chance after final chance.

At 11.30 he was meant to turn up for a meeting with the FD and HR Mgr. It was clearly going to be his final act here. An envelope -- or bullet -- was waiting with his name on it. Knowing what to expect, predictably he hasn't turned up.

He'd be late for his own funeral.

Except I can't say that, because there's a realistic chance that in his current state that WILL be his next appointment.

Despite the fact he hasn't been seen since last week, work have so far failed to contact his next of kin. We, the rest of the department, fear he's topped himself. Hopefully we're wrong.