Dragon nose

...Sure enough, the Nose did return, two minutes later. It was clad in a gold-braided, high-collared uniform, buckskin breeches, and cockaded hat. And slung beside it there was a sword, and from the cockade on the hat it could be inferred that the Nose was purporting to pass for a State Councilor. It seemed now to be going to pay another visit somewhere. At all events it glanced about it, and then, shouting to the coachman, “Drive up here,” reentered the vehicle, and set forth.

My day at work had been pretty bad and stressful, so when by chance I found a copy of Gogol's Nose I was delighted. Sufficient to say my day was saved, both because of the hilarious story and the deeper layer of meaning to it -as I understood it, Gogol tried to desribe the vanity of an absurdity of the status and rank in human society. The main character of the story, Kovalev would be quite willing to live without an arm or a leg, but not without his nose, since without it he will not be able to advance his political career in Moscov. Ironically, his detached nose is quite capable of assuming a high political position on its own without a need to have a body (or mind) attached to it. It is not difficult to hear Gogol's mocking laughter as he ridicules those who reach high offices due to other reasons than merit.

Check out a part of the story here. It is unlikely you will find better written (or funnier) absurd story anywhere on this earth.