At The End Of The Day

I leapt out of bed today, my heart pounding. I had only dropped off past 2, a combination of the heat, the mosquitoes and a mind that would just not quit. What time was that blasted meeting again? 9? 9.30?

I turned on the computer and peered at the screen? Oh sweet Jesus! It was 8.30! And in the middle of KL. And it was already 7.15! A quick shower, no breakfast, throwing on my clothes all anyhow and rushing out. Ugh, 50 minutes more. I would never make it to the Marriott in time. And the jam. Better not to think about it. Just go.

Of course, my tank was only quarter full but there was no time to top it up. It would have to last. I screeched out of the doorway and took off on the long noisy highway. By some stroke of genius (NOT) I decided to take the Jalan Duta way. Got enmeshed in a jam of Malaysian proportions along Jalan Semantan and watched the minutes tick by with a slight trepidation.

Once I got onto Jalan Duta the road had cleared and I leapt ahead. A sleep-deprived head laced with a sense of panic is not the best for rushing to a meeting. So naturally, as I put my foot down to see what that baby could give me, I didn't realise I was heading towards a row of stationary cars, waiting patiently to inch their way out onto the roundabout...I braked, the smell of burning rubber, smoke. The car in front of me, got out of my way. Stopped with inches to spare.

Cold sweat. Shaking. Something impeding my foot. It was the car air freshener. I wondered what would have happened if I had actually crashed. Maybe died. Maybe been injured. All for some stupid meeting I couldn't give less damn about.

Shakily I inched my way forward. Got onto Jalan Kuching where the traffic was heavy. Very heavy. And then the nightmare that is Jalan Sultan Ismail. I looked at the cars upon cars upon cars and cursed the person who came up with the bright idea of having a meeting in the middle of KL at this ungodly hour.

By some miracle I managed to get there only about 10 minutes late. I parked the car and pounded my way to the lift, heavy laptop in tow. Then I got to the lobby and looked around. No familiar faces. Wondered for the first time where in this large hotel the meeting was.

I called MS. She answered, a little surprised.

"Where are you all ah?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm at the Marriott. Where are you guys?"

"The meeting was cancelled didn't you know? We had it yesterday."

Ah. Cancelled. There would have been a notification on the calendar. Except that I switched off my computer by about 7. So I didn't receive said notification.

I sank weakly into one of the sofas, feeling a little sleepy, a little hungry, a little frustrated. A little furious. A little like I was not where I was supposed to be. And I hadn't been, for a long time.

All my fault.

No doubt.

But still...