Wretched

It was one of those days. When I rise, I could not find my sleepers, even if I was sure I left them at the side of the bed.

When I tried to knot my shoe laces they both snapped, and I had to go down to the man that shine boots downstairs to get another pair. The day looked nice, and the sun was trying to get through the buildings.

As soon as I was ready and went into the common ground the light went out and I had to descend fourteen stories by the inner fire stairs absolutely blind, not even the security light worked.

When I arrived to the lobby; rain started so strongly I had to wait for a moment. There was not traffic so I could find no taxi to hail.

Finally, I had to run to the corner under the pouring water, where I found thirty or more people waiting for a cab. I decided to run to the underground stairs a block away, but when I reached there it was closed for repairs, already soaked I run towards the next stairs a block away and finally could reach the underground platform.

The two first trains were full, so I could not get aboard, besides as I was soaked up people push me away. Finally I got into a car in the next train, and as I was leaving a small pool under my shoes, I was left alone with disgusting looks, which in the end was a blessing.

I got down on the fourth level of my underground station, and when I got to the automatic stairs found that they were closed for repair, so I had to climb all four levels on my own.

When reached the street level found out that the rain has got heavier, but I was so wet I didn't care. tried to cross the street but the cars were so close one another I had to jump over some hoods to get through.

At last I entered the office building, only to find the lobby full of people waiting the elevators, from the seven cars, only two were working so the line was as long as justice arm.

After a long time I could disembark on my floor and go to my desk. As soon I reached it, I found a broken chair which was changed by somebody who arrived before me. After chasing around I found a new chair and brought it to my desk and switch on my computer, only to find out I could not use the R in my keyboard because there was no key for it.

I took the keyboard of the next desk, went down to the floor and discovered that the power cable of the keyboard was too short. When I disentangle myself from cables and stood up, I found my neighbour furious because somebody has stolen his keyboard.

After I calmed him, I went down again to plug his keyboard and keep peace between us. Now I was not only wet but I had mud even into the pockets.

I walked around the office until I found a keyboard with a long power cable and coming down to my desk I called Maintenance to ask for another keyboard. The man that talk to me on the phone, when I asked my request, answered: "Sorry pal, you must fill a form and bring it to us, so we can get you a new keyboard, and I advise you to do it ASAP since we have only one part free and as per the last regulation we cannot ask new parts for a month, and the assignation of the pieces is for strict order of arrival of the petitions." I thanked the guy and went to see Ms. Andrews.

I entered Ms. Andrews cubicle and said "Good morning, Ms Andrews". This lady is a middle of the road woman, secretary to the boss, and dame of all tasks, very well attired and very careful of her appearance.

As soon as she raised her head and saw me, she hissed: "Can't you knock before entering private spaces? And keep away, that you are fouling all the place!"

I went out the cubicle and speaking from the outside I said conciliatory: "Ms Andrews, my keyboard is broken, can I fill a form to request another one, please?"

She made a pout and said, "You must fill form A32584, get it signed by the boss and bring it to me for stamping, and validating it."

"Fine", I answered, "can you get me one of those?"

"No", she said, "you musk ask it to the boss".

"Oh, right", I tried to follow her rhythm, "can you announce me to the boss?"

"No, he reported ill and we won't think he could be back until next week"

"But surely there is somebody he has delegated the task to give over forms?!" I said a bit riled.

She looked at me disgustingly, and said: "No, he has not thought in doing that. And, do not bother me anymore, you are making me lose time, and I have many things to attend to." Lowering her head she ignored me totally.

I went to my desk and found there the owner of the keyboard, all set and ready to start a fight. I was so low after my skirmish with Ms. Andrews, that just give the keyboard back and presented a lot of apologies until I could calm the guy and send him to his place.

I went down again and reconnected my broken keyboard and tried to work adding the R using the code of four digits as in the character table when it appeared in the text.

When I looked up it was already five o'clock, so I put out all my things, closed everything, and trying to ignore the dry mud that covered me went to the elevators.

This time only one was working, so I had to wait so long that it was almost dark when I emerged from the elevator and found out it was pouring as much as in the morning.

The main door of the building was crowded and people fighting real hard for the few taxis that were going down the street.

So I decided to run the three block up to the train station and go by it.

I reached the station, wet, muddy, and panting in the very moment my train closed the doors and started down street. So I just gulped and waited for the next train that to my delight and surprise arrived just in time. The doors opened, the car was almost empty, and I could sit near the window looking the rain and enjoying the sight.

Some twenty blocks from my house, the train stopped in the middle of the tracks and a conductor walked the corridor between the seats informing us that there was a faulty part in the unit and that as it blocked the rails there will be no next train to board, and that it was very probable that the delay to fix the problem reached the next mid-morning due to a strike in the workshops.

I felt a pang in my innards but just get down into the pouring rain and walked the twenty block as in a spell.

I arrived home safely, entered the small shed I have in the garden, looked for a strong rope and making a real good noose put my head in it and tied the rope to the beam that crossed the roof of the shed, climbing on a rotten crate let it go, hoping for some peace.

As soon as my weight applied to the beam it broke down, and I fell to the floor between the debris of the roof, and the rain falling on my face carried me into oblivion, so I slept easily and in bliss.



The music is Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A minor performing Alexander Markov. It reflects the turmoil into a soul!


© 2013 Od Liam.