Fantasia

5

Well shoot. Looks like I've missed my international meeting. What will the boss say? All that mirror malarkey sucked up more time than I thought. God, I'm exhausted.

I trudge through the sliding doors of my office block, horrendously late. I don't even want to look at my watch in case it explodes. The lady at the desk glares at me, then hands me a keycard. As if in a daze, I walk over to the lift and stand, enclosed by grey metal. I zone out, my thoughts swimming with mirrors, red buttons and flowers. Thank God all my colleagues are already working. I'm brought to my senses by the tinny elevator music sputtering to life, and an overly cheerful "ding" as I reach my floor.

I weave throguh the endless corridors, fake pot plants, and desks overflowing with paperwork, trying to get to my desk as quietly as possible, and sit down. My chair squeaks, as loud as a tree falling down in a deserted canyon. Oh shoot. But surprisingly, no one looks up. Someone comes up to me and whispers (I don't even know who they are) "What are you doing here at this hour? You missed the international meeting! We were all waiting for you." I sigh quietly. "The hell do I know it. Has the boss realised?" "You bet he has" he smiles sadly and returns to his seat, as silently as he had come.

My typing is the most sluggish it has ever been, and I hardly get any work done. There's a dragonfly buzzing around the ceiling, and my eyes keep wandering to follow its confused flight path. I wonder if it's as disorientated as I am. I wish I was a dragonfly. Not a care in the world. Just not that one. It'll probably starve in here. Telephone rings buzz in my ear, as do the dragonfly's wings.

Before I know it, the day is done and a great scraping of chairs being pushed back signifies the end of work for today. The room lights up with economical chatter as we all file out of the building. I pick up my briefcase and raise my weary head.

"Not you." a security guard stops me. "The boss wants to see you." Oh great. I turn back, the same guy as earlier looking back with a worried glance as I disappear through a doorway.

I enter my boss' study, all grey walls and austere shelves. I sit down in the chair in front of his desk. He looks up, fire burning in his dark eyes.

"Chen. Why were you late today? You realise that punctuality is an essential part of work life?" 

Boy do I know it. "I was delayed in the park sir. The heat has taken a particular toll on me today sir."

"Not good enough Chen. Am I right in saying that this your fifth time being late this month, and this time you missed an international meeting?"

"Yes sir. I apologise sir."

"One more day late, and you're fired. I'm sorry, but you can't carry on like this. We've lost too many customer opportunities. You are no longer contributing to our business as much as I would like. Time is money, Chen. Remember that."

"Yes sir."

"You may leave now. See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye sir."

Shoot. I have one last chance. My briefcase felt very heavy on the way back to my apartment. I wonder why. Piling responsibilities, perhaps? I hate my job.