The Key to my Day!!

As I woke up today, I remembered that I have to iron my Red color T-shirt. Today being the spirit @ work celebrations, every one were asked to wear red to office today. Got up, rushed to bath room and got over all the morning wannabes in a record time. Then devotedly ironed my Red T shirt. Switched off the Iron box and kept it back. Wore the T Shirt. Hmm nice, I felt.

Ok, What about us? My bare legs seemed to be asking me. Crap! I forgot the jeans part! I need one!

I shifted my attention to find a jean, which is clean, wearable and goes with the t Shirt.

Eureka! Found one. Bit crumbled. That’s ok, I thought. Its jean you know, supposed to bit shabby.

I being the last one to get out of the house, everyone locks the main door with their key and leaves. There are three keys for us three. Each keeps one. Well that’s the way it is.

Got my shoes on and came to the door, wow, well before time. Going to be in office at around 9.30am and I can have a luxurious breakfast at Paramount, “yummy” Kerala style breakfast. Nice to get up early and be at office early. At least that way I can have the breakfast I like. And when the breakfast goes well, the day goes well! My heart laughed out loud. Ha ha ha ! I made it on time!!!

Checked for the key in my pockets. No , I didn’t take it. It must be there in my room. Ah. Hurried back to room to get the key. Checked it on my table. No, its not there. Inside the drawer, not there. In the wardrobe, not there too. May be in bed. May be under the bed. No no, no! Oh could be in the pant I was wearing yesterday to office. But where did I leave the pant? It’s not in the wardrobe, oh yea; I left it with the clothes to be washed, in the corner of the room. Took my gaze immediately to that corner of the room. Saw the pant in the basket. Pheeew! What a relief!

Checked the pant pockets immediately, one after the other. Then checked again, and again. Didn’t want to realize that the key was not there. I sunk into my bed, trying to recollect the last time I saw the keys.

Ting! Ting! The sound of ceramic cup I have in my office drawer ringed in my mind! Oh yea, it made that sound when I dropped the house keys into it the last day!

Oh no! Oh no! I am locked inside home with no keys!!! I am hungry! God! Why? Why? Why always me??

Now what? Can’t be in here for all day. That might mean no breakfast, no lunch and no office!!! No! I have to get out. How?

Went back to the hall. Had a painful look at the door, thinking it might open up seeing the pathetic face I have made. But it stood there as if it’s looking down to me and laughing out loud, bwhaa haa haa.

Couldn’t take it anymore. Went back to my room.

Called up roomie to ask how far is from home. He told he is already in office and is loaded with work. No chances of coming and freeing me.

My heart started pounding. Now what? I am all dressed up for the office. That too in a freshly ironed TShirt and a bit crumbled jean. What about the spirit @ work?

No point now.

Went to kitchen to see if there is something left to eat. No, nothing. Just some vessels to be washed. Suddenly the urge to get out of the house overpowered my conscience. I called up a friend of mine, an officemate too, he lives bit near to my office. If 5 kms can be considered as bit. I told him about my situation. He was very much willing to help me out. He told me not to worry, and told he will free me in an hour’s time. That was such a soothing statement! Well friend in need is a friend indeed. So true!

I have an hour with me. What to do? Will watch TV till then. So sat down and started watching TV. The program style check was coming. Hmm nice babes. Well one should indeed be in style. Looked down at my pants, well since I have time, why not I iron it? Yes! I should. I switched off the TV and put the radio on. Nice song! I like this song.

Removed my shoes, removed my pants, plugged on the iron box and suddenly the radio went silent. Idiot radio! I like the song that was on air. I left the iron box and ran to the radio. Checked it. Didn’t understand why it didn’t make any sound. It went life less. Some times the radio acts really weird! To hell with it I thought and went back to iron my jeans.

Started ironing my jean, well iron box is not leaving any effect on the jean. What is going on? Did I forget to switch on the iron box? Why is the iron box also not working?

No power? Really? Don’t tell me. Switched on the lights, the current is gone! Just gone!

I pro-furiously remembered the electricity department and their fore fathers!

Ah! Now I have to wear the same old crumbled jean, put the shoes back on .All for what? Ah! There is no point in getting irritated. Unplugged the iron box. Put back my jeans and shoes as fast I could to defy the irritation on the ironing episode. Tied the final knot of my shoe lace and suddenly the radio came back alive loud! As if my shoe lace was the switch to the electricity! Ah!!!! I stared at the iron box with all the anger as if I was trying to heat it up without even plugging it on! Looked back at my crumbled jean.

It’s not that crumbled and jean can be crumbled. No issues. I forced myself to believe that. My lazy soul won’t let me take out the shoes, the jeans and put them back on again. Noo!!!

Switched off the radio. It’s aint playing my song anymore. And I was already irritated a lot with the loudness of it. Came back to watch the TV. Switched it on, Style Check program is still on. One need not be in style. I told it to get lost and changed the channel to sports. Worn out India – Australia match was going on. Well I thought cricket is better.

I heard someone opening the door behind me with the key from outside! WOW, it’s finally the freedom! My hero is here with the key to the freedom! And finally the door went wide open! Fresh light! Oh I was waiting for this moment! Hemanth stood at the door laughing at me. The sense of gratitude filled me up and made me thank him way a lot! Got out of the house with vengeance and rushed towards the bus stop. Hemanth was telling that there was some accident in the airport road and there was much of commotion and traffic.

I decided to take the very first bus rather than waiting for the office bus. The logic is simple, the sooner I get into bus, the sooner I reach office. The first bus approached the bus bay was a Volvo! Known for its comfort and speed! I felt bit relieved. Now finding a seat will be daunting task because its still peak hours.

But to my surprise, the bus was half empty. So I was rather thinking where to sit. Too many options are sometime an issue too. Asked the conductor for a ITPL ticket, he starting shaking his head. I asked him again, “ITPL”. He said something, I couldn’t hear him properly. But he was still shaking his head. It looked as if a denial. I asked him again, “ITPL” and gave him 50 bucks and rested my ass onto the comfy seat, and stretched my hands to get the ticket.

Conductor gave me the change first. He gave me 35 bucks, instead of 20, I looked the conductor who was busy printing the ticket. I was thinking, did they reduce the ticket price? Nice! And he gave me the ticket. Well it says “To Marathahalli” Rs.15. No wonder he gave me 35 bucks back. I called him and told, “hello, I asked ITPL “. He yelled at me, saying “how many times to tell you, this bus will go only till marathahalli” and he turned around walked off murmuring something and all. Now I know why the bus is half empty.

I felt embarrassed. Thank god the bus is not that full. Marathahalli like any other day, is full of chaos and commotion. It’s easy to lose sense of direction. Well I knew mine. The direction towards my office! Waited at the bus stop, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 40 minutes. And finally got into one of the ITPL shuttles. Got to office really late. Well at least I managed to reach office after all that.

Reached my desk and sank into my seat with a feeling of achievement and a sense of gratitude to Hemanth. Couldn’t have breakfast. Stomach is already making “kreach kreach” sound. Will have a early lunch today!

My lunch mate came and told that we will go for lunch bit late today, at around 2 it seems, her brother will be coming. So let’s wait for him and have lunch together. Hearing this, the kreach kreach sound makers increased their protest. I thought, she gives me company everyday, its better to tell those “kreach kreach” sound makers of my stomach to hold on for sometime.

Opened the drawer to keep the house key in the cup. Dropped it inside, “ting ting” , the same sound. I closed the drawer. But the ting ting sound of the ceramic kept on ringing in my mind. The whole episode since morning, flashed in my mind!

I forced opened my drawer and took the key. I should never leave it behind in office. Today there was Hemanth to bail me out of apathy. But in future I won’t be as lucky as today. Kept the key safely in my pocket. The closed door and apathetic situation behind it again flashed in my mind.

I took the key from my pocket and kissed it. Kept it back again safely in the pocket.

Now I will keep it dear and close to me! All the time!

Its my key to the day!!!