An Unfinished Business

Episode 4

I was hit by the smell of alcohol as soon as I opened the door. I moved a step back, nauseated. It took him a minute to realise that the door was open and then he stared at me. Before I could even present my surprise he said, no scratch that, he practically growled at me,

“Where were you?”

“On my bed, sleeping...?” it came out as a question.

“Oh that’s funny because I, here thought we had plans.”

“Excuse me?” by now I was so annoyed; I could have literally slammed the door on his face. First the bad day and second he interrupting my long deserved sleep for his stupid flirting.

“What about our date?” What? Was this man crazy?

“Are you fucking kidding me? Seriously? Its-” I looked at the clock, “- almost 2 in the morning and you are banging my door to make one of your moves?  I know you must be having the time of your life, flirting around sleeping with a new women everyday and they would be super happy getting you at their doorstep, but I have a job which fucks my sleep, fucks my life and I don’t need your stupid dumbass pickup lines to destroy my sleep, ok? I can't stroll in, hung over, in a pseudo expensive suit and sit around and ogle at boobs or ass all day! Some people here are responsible for people’s lives! ACTUAL LIVES! Sorry to break this fact, but some take life seriously, and I think you should too or at least let me!” I said, heaving a breath. I was so angry at him, so so angry. It felt good to yell but I wanted to, some more. I wanted him to yell back at me so I could reciprocate but he was just staring at me. Not a smirk on his face or his usual ghost of a smile. He was looking at me, just looking, with no expression on his face. He started wavering again and leaned to the wall. He opened his mouth, closed it and looked down. Then he gave me a sideways look and turned to go back to his home. Without a second glance, he left. This pissed me some more and I slammed the door hard and hurried back to my bed and slid in. To fuck with him and his stupid looks and stupider life. I turned and slept.

As and when I woke up the next morning, I was filled with an instant embarrassment. I had yelled at him! The embarrassment was more profound because he was my neighbour and I’d have to face him someday, or maybe this morning and this fact made me stuff my face in the pillow and drown in it.

I left my house, not before checking and rechecking if he was somewhere out there, and started walking quickly to my car. And of course, as my luck was, he came, in his car in all his morning glory. He looked at me looking at him and gave me a smirk and a wink and went forward. What? Did he not remember what happened last night? Because I was damn sure he wouldn’t have smiled at me if he did remember my yelling. And besides, shouldn’t I be thankful that he didn’t remember all that? But I was feeling this strange thing… disappointment? Maybe. Oh god, something was wrong with me and he was sure as hell the cause of it. I climbed into my car and went off to work.

Once at work, I caught up with Sadie and told her everything, minus the emotions.

“Do you remember doing anything?” she said, hiding a smile and trying in vain to be serious.

“Do you think I would be talking to you if I did?”

“Dude don’t ask me, I am as conscious as you under alcohol. Might have been a little longer, but the affairs inside your closed doors- none of my business.” She said and stood up to leave, “Also, Chief’s asked for you.”

“Yeah, must be another blood drive or some lame shit.”  I said and we parted different ways.

I went to his office, our fat and bald Indian Chief of Surgery. Nobody could look at this person and say he was a doctor. But if you were ever lucky enough to be beside him in his surgery, you'll see the magic of his hands.
I reached the office. The place was like a temple. Incense stick was placed on a wall, bronze shiny idols of various gods I knew nothing about, paintings that had Sanskrit sayings written on it and some with beautiful places. He had transformed this place to India.