Social Short Story – Monday Morning Meeting
© Anand Vishnu Prakash, YourStoryClub.com
The alarm goes of. Breaking the tranquility of my dreams. I pull myself out of bed. A heavy head from last nights drinking binge. It’s a Monday. It’s the start of a new week. I should get ready fast. The sword of a Monday morning meeting hangs over my head. I have been late for the last 3 Mondays. As I shave. I retrospect about the week gone by. It’s been one the best weeks for many months. We got a new client. We got two commercials released. We collected all our dues. I got the employee of the month. Wow! What a week.
Jumping into a taxi , I head for office. I am feeling great today. I am on time for the Monday meeting. We slow down at a crossing. There’s a big crowd and the road is jammed. Sh*t, I think, there goes my Monday meeting. “Jai, don’t f**k up next Monday”. That was what my boss told me. Your promotion might get affected. “Sh*t “ I yelled. “Can’t you do something”, I pleaded with the taxi driver. He grunted a helpless no. That was it. I sank back into my seat. My mind shriveled. So did my spirits. “Why me God” my soul yelled. I had even run out all of my excuses.
I lit a cigarette. I remembered the day when I had stepped out of the plane. Whatever I had was stuffed in two suitcases. And I had tentatively entered a new city. To work and make my future. That was 1 year ago. I remember the drive from the airport to the guest house. I had a bizarre feeling that day. I was a part of the city but not a part. I felt like an outsider. As I looked out of the taxi, I had observed the faces of the people. They seemed to be a so much a part of the city. They had weirdly confident look.
“Watch out”. It’s a shout. I break out of the spell. What’s happening? I look out of the taxi. A crowd of people is charging towards out taxi. “What happening man” I ask the cabbie. “Riots” he shouts and jumps out of the cab. Still trying to grasp the moment, I look around. The taxi driver starts running, chased by the group of these hostile guys. Armed to the teeth, they chase him. And knock him down. Then. Burn him, and walk away.
They too have the weirdly confident look on the face.
I get out the cab. I sit down on the pavement. Oh sh*t! I think. There goes my Monday morning meeting. And I am sure my boss will definitely not believe my excuse this time.
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