You Cleared Them For Departure

I worked at an air traffic control center. One controller on a 2 PM to 10 PM shift is asked by another controller coming on a 4 PM to 12 AM shift:

4-12 Controller: “Want to go on a break?”

2-10 Controller: “Oh my god, finally!”

[2-10 Controller] must have been having a REALLY busy afternoon, because when he went to go on break, he didn’t come back.

4-12 Controller: “Where is [2-10 Controller]? It’s been over half an hour?”

Me: “I haven’t seen him. Let me call him.”

I call him and get his voicemail.

We let our boss know, who tries calling him again, and leaves a message.

He finally gets him on the third try:

Boss: “Where are you?! It’s been an hour! Get back here!”

2-10 Controller: “I went home.”

Boss: “What?! Why?”

2-10 Controller: “I finished my shift.”

Boss: “No, you didn’t! You’ve only worked two hours!”

2-10 Controller: “I did?”

Boss: “Yes! Get back here!”

2-10 Controller: “I can’t. I already had a beer.”

Boss: “F***! Fine! We will talk about this when you come back in tomorrow!”

2-10 Controller: “Huh. That explains why it was daylight when I drove home…”

I know aviation is the pits; you literally forget days of the week, your life is one long shift schedule, but to lose track of that much time… wow.