Thursday, May 15, 2008

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...

5 comments:

Jenn said...

And the righteous hurry past
they don't hear the little ones crying
and the winter is coming on fast
ready to kill
one day nearer to dying!

Anonymous said...

like the waves' crash on the sand
like the storm that will break any second
there's a hunger in the land
there's a reckoning that's gotta be reckoned
and there's going to be hell to pay
AT THE END OF THE DAY!

Anonymous said...

Have you seen how the foreman is fuming today
With his terrible breath and his wandering hands
because l'il Fantine won't give him his way
take a look at his trousers, you'll see where he stands.

Anonymous said...

Nothing changes, nothing ever will
every year, another brat, another mouth to fill
same old story, what's the use of tears,
what's the use of crying if there's nobody who hears..

Round and round and back where you began.

Jenn said...

I just found out that the email cancelling the meeting was sent out at 1am.

I mean to say, what?