Early Assignments for Night Birds

So I was out of the house by 8.30. I usually haven't unclosed an eye by that time. But there was this interview and it was (you guessed it!) right in the heart of KL and that too, at 10am, and morning traffic is never predictable, so there was I was, giving myself one and a half hours to get there.

I gave myself such a good headstart that when Ridz, the PR texted me to tell me to park at the Pavilion and make my way across to the building, I texted back to say, Hey, I'm already here. On the 33rd floor. Waiting for you.

He said: "Oooooooo!"

And then he said: "Coming!"

So he was up and I scrutinized his features in vain, trying to remember him from his days at the Edge. No go. So I asked a few questions. Yes, we had met. Years ago.

The interview went very very well and the boss was supercharming and informative (wow, am I lucky or what? Everyone I have to interview in this space has been great!)

Then I passed through Bangsar to post a birthday card (OK I know it's early but better early than late, hey?) and get some lunch.

Got back, was all set to start transcribing interviews (the secret Jennifer is to stay ahead of the transcriptions) and instead I fell fast asleep. Fast fast asleep. And I heard some guy come in and start to take the kitchen apart. When I woke up and padded over, he had half the tiles on the wall off and turned to grin at me.

The walls looked bare and denuded but this has been a long time coming.

I want to go see the doggie but I'll go after his feeding time so I can walk him. Will probably have to carry him downstairs because yesterday when allowed to scrabble by himself on the floor, he stopped and peed at the top of the stairs, then on the welcome mat, then on the five foot way.

Poor little Black Arnold. I met a dude yesterday outside the veterinary hospital who was standing there gazing into the distance. We struck up a conversation as I waited for someone to let me back into the clinic (after the walk) and he told me: "My dog has just passed on."

OK, considering the state I've been everytime one of our dogs "passed on" I asked him whether he was OK, and he said, yes, the dog was old and feeble and on a drip. I felt sorry that the dog had expired in the clinic and not at home, surrounded by the people he had loved for 17 years.

Such is life and the ending of it.

He took a look at Arnold who was straining at the leash and said cleaned up, he would be a real handsome doggie.

We'll see.