The Mayor’s office, while open and operating this dreary Friday afternoon, is a little more quiet than usual as Jim Gray still hasn’t returned from his lunch today. The former vice mayor’s absence comes as a surprise to many as Gray submitted his timesheet for this pay period without any leave requests, his office calendar had no availability this afternoon, and his Microsoft outlook status shows do not disturb.

“I’m not sure but I think he might have said, ‘Have a nice weekend,’ when he walked by me at the microwave,” said future former vice mayor Steve Kay as he turned his face away while removing the steamy plastic film from his Kid Cuisine Chicken Nugget Bug Safari Meal. “I mean, I guess he could be at a meeting, but who has meetings after 2 on a Friday?”

Kay wondered why the mayor wouldn’t be at the office, anyway. “He wouldn’t be skipping, it’s raining out, nothing fun to do,” he thought before calling Kentucky Theatre to ask if they had seen Gray, and then he asked the box office attendant how awesome Black Panther was.

“I think he should probably be saving his PTO for after he runs for congress,” said staffer Rory Flenderson.

Gray himself was unavailable for comment, or at least we assume he was, it’s already like 3 o’clock and we didn’t feel like calling anyone.