Journey: Rules of the Game by Neil Strauss

What are the odds

I woke up to the sound of the cab drivers voice. "Sir, we're here." He says as he continuously nudges me.

"Okay.. Okay." I looked at the cab's meter and guess what? It's already on 400PHP! What the fuck!

A sudden outbreak came from my mouth and spilled voluntarily like vomit, word vomit, "Fuck!! How come it reached 500PHP so fast?! Have you mistaken me for a fool sir?!"

He was dumbfounded and I felt bad for him. He's old, really old. It seemed to me that he's been driving this cab for a lot of years now judging from the cab's appearance. I felt bad.. "Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to. I'm jus having a really rough day, really." I messed up.

"Sir, it took us a while to get to our destination. We had to go through an alternate route because of the heavy traffic or else it'll be impossible to get here." He tried to explain himself to me. "It rained hard too. You must've fallen deep asleep because of it. That's why you never noticed any of these things happening."

"What time is it?" I tried to look for my phone but I can't find it in my suit case.

"6:59PM sir."

Fuck!!!! I jolted out of the cab.

Fuck!!!! I forgot to pay him.

I ran as fast as I could to give the cab driver his payment.

The ground has a lot of puddles because of the rain.

I tripped on a rock and my suit case went flying towards the puddle, a muddy one inside the plant box.

Fuck!!!! This day can't get any worse.

"Here you go sir, sorry about what I've said.. I really feel bad. I didn't mean to."

"It's okay sir." He smiled at me as I handed him 500PHP plus a 50PHP tip because of what I did. I think he's a goog guy. He deserves it.

Oh, yeah. Fuck! My suit case!

I walked carefully this time but with a faster pace. Towards the plant box, I see the mall's gardener cleaning it up, one paper at a time, crampling it to tiny muddy paper balls and throwing them into his garbage bag.

"Hey! Hey!" I yelled at him to stop him from what he was doing. It appears that he doesn't even hear me, at all. I ran.

"Hey! My suit case! My files!" Is this guy deaf or what? I tapped on to his shoulder finding out that he had his er phones plugged in. Speaking of that, my phone!

I snatched my suit case held by the gardener sitting on top of the flower box. I think he gets it that it's mine.

I remembered I was late.. My work's supposed to start at 6:00PM

The security guard blocked me as I entered the building door.

"What now!" My annoyed voice reasonated.

"What are you trying to do?" The man told me with an authoritative voice. He looked at me from head to toe and I can't help myself but look too. I saw my shoes, my black leather shoes full of muddy stains as well as my suit case. My pants we're wet. My shirt? It was okay. But I didn't have my polo on and I looked a tad bit informal. Well, very informal.

I pointed at my id, irritated, "Can't you see this? I'm late."

He looked at me with suspicion and let me pass.

What an idiot, he may think. I deserve it because I certainly looked like one.

The elevator doors were full of people lining up on it. The clock is ticking and I don't have anything else to do but go up.

I walked a bit further and found the stairs. The rarely used stair without light.

I had to get to the 10TH floor A S A P

I ran. Blindedly ran up the staircase for the sake of going to work. Brilliant.

My supervisor welcomed me at the office door. Not happily. Her hands were crosses and she looked really pissed to see me. She's beautiful, the sexy type of secretary you see in the movies, typically looking like Stacey but with brunette hair curled up to her c-c-c-chest. Wow. The neck line was really plunging. Her cleavage. Fuck! Haha! She had big brown eyes you can't resist to look at, a small pointed nose that was appropriate for her face and small lips with red lipstick on it. What a sight.

"Caleb! Your eyes?" I was in my own world again.

"Sorry Beatrice! I mean, ma'am.." Apologetic Caleb. She's such an angel even when she's mad.

"The boss said you've reached the maximum amount of absences and lates.. He's asked me to tell you to resign. Just look at what you're wearing now! Look, you're a mess!"

Did she just indirectly fired me for our boss?! "But.. But.."

"I know, Caleb. I know. It's just the way things work here." She approached me trying to give me a comforting hug.

A hug from the most gorgeous woman in the office. I tried to make myself look sadder. She's close, I can smell her sweet scent. My arms we're wide open, ready for her.

"Oops! I forgot, I had a 7:30PM meeting with our bosses, gotta run!" She's outta my sight.

The indirect firing sinked in. "I just lost my job today.." My head automatically bowed down. Looking at my muddy shoes staining the carpet of the 10TH floor.

I waked at my cubicle, I thought I should bring my stuff home since I won't be working here again.

My cubicle's pretty crowded filled with paper work that piled up this afternoon. My computer had this little post its, blue ones on the top of the screen and some on my desk next to a picture of my ex. I never threw it out. It was just there. I thought about throwing it once before, my over sentimental side couldn't let go of it though. I've certainly let go of her already.. I think. Her name's Cornelia. She's been a huge part of my life and she's always going to be here, in my heart. I'm not the type to get bitter after a relationship, okay?

I put all of my stuff in a box. Well, that's just about everything. I didn't have much..

Really..

I went home. Silence althroughout the  trip. I took the train home. I'm broke from today's 500PHP cab trip.

Incidentally.. At one corner of the street I saw the cab driver earlier today. He's playing card games with the people 2 blocks away from my street.

They're betting on their game and it looked like he's losing.

He took something out of his wallet.

A phone.

My phone.

FUCK! THAT BASTARD! He got me fooled. I thought he was a good guy, but.. No. What you see isn't always what you get.

I didn't have the guts enough to face him or even confront him about my phone or the unreasonable cab fee.. I walked passed him and his company.

Finally, I'm on my street and infront of my appartment's gate. A deep sigh escaped me. A lot of things happened to me in a single day. A lot of it were mishaps. Not even one thing made me happy today. Oh, one thing did. My averted hug from the big boobied Beatrice. If it happened..

I'm too tired to eat. I'm too tired emotionally and physically.

Went into my room and hopped unto the bed.

"What are the odds.." I said as I drifted away to a deep slumber.