Oh Dear....

Oh good, five minutes to one. Man I can’t wait. Come on, man. Cumon cumon cumon………aw come on already! Every second is agonizing, every minute feels like a year. One o’ clock just can’t get here fast enough….

I’ve been staring at the clock for what seems an eternity. I’ve been working non-stop since eight. At this point, I can barely keep my eyes open or prop myself up on my own elbows at my desk.

I dragged myself to the office early today to get some stuff out of the way and free up my weekend. I also hoped it would get my boss’ attention. Not that he ever comes in this early, but word is that he goes over everyone’s check-in time on his way in.

I’d also skipped breakfast this morning. Bad move.

I have to deal with a lot of things at the same time. Whining clients, lazy-ass colleagues and whatnot - all this on top of my regular workload.

I’m back to looking at the hands on the nearby clock hanging on the wall. I wait in agonizing silence as the large hand slowly inches towards the number twelve. I can barely wait, the moment is nearly here.

I don’t even feel like caring right now. I’m completely spent at this point and my stomach gives off an audible rumble. Let the damn phone go off, let the losers search frantically for me as they go nuts trying to solve their own mess. With things so hectic and me overstretched, I literally haven’t had the chance to get off my table since the morning.

Oh, and it’s also sweltering outside, as expected around this time of the year, meaning that even the short walk I have to take from the park is almost unbearable.

            And why do I leave my car all the way at the park? Because the ever-so-considerate wanks from the neighbouring office take up all our slots.

I try to not give in to the overwhelming urge to close my eyes. It’s happened before. My eyelids start drooping and suddenly I’ve dozed off, my head jerking and bobbing on the chair. Kinda funny, really, when you see it. Actually no, it’s not….

Three to one……

Two to one, come on, come ON……

Yes! It’s finally here! I breathe a huge sigh of relief as the hand settles over twelve. Pushing my chair back with perhaps more force than required, I get up and proceed to make my way to the pantry downstairs. For now, all I need is a quick fix. I knock over a stapler on the way down and don’t bother picking it up.

I press the elevator button and wait for it to arrive at my floor. This I can easily wait for, no problem. Don’t know how, but always been able to. Sitting on that confounded chair is maddening. Everything that follows after getting up from it seems a cakewalk.

I walk into the elevator as the doors slide open and press the button to go downstairs. It’s not that far below so doesn’t take too much time.

Even before the doors are fully open, I get out of the elevator before anyone else has a chance to and walk towards the pantry, inviting strange looks as I do so. Ah, yes, there’s the beverage-machine. I go there first before doing anything else.

I hastily yank out a cup from the dispenser on the side, lock it into the cup-holder inside and jab the button that would activate the flow of some much-needed hot cocoa. I wait for the familiar sound of pouring liquid, followed by the beeping sound signalling that it was okay to withdraw the cup. After pressing the button, I wait and look around absent-mindedly.

Except that there was no flowing sound….

Or the usual beeping….

I press the button again. Nothing. I chuck the cup into the trash, take out another and put it into the holder. After all that, I press the “choco-milk” button again.

Still nothing.

I look up at the small green display that shows the operational status of the machine and preparation stage of the beverage last ordered.

“Sorry. Currently Out Of Order.”

What the……

What the f****** hell, are you kidding me??!!!