Friday, June 24, 2022

Fridays are the most meaningful days in a week.

I got up early. It’s a Friday. I have to be on time to catch the 7pm bus to Angamaly - the place where wife stays with my little one. Have to each there, spend two days playing with my little one and kill the tiredness of the week. Every Friday recently has been so, everything has to fall in place so perfectly so that I can be on time for the bus, I have to finish my work in time and then beat the Chennai traffic.

Finished my morning chores. Rushed into the kitchen, heated up some left over food for breakfast. Stuffed myself with it. Dressed up.

Grabbed the bike key and on my way out,once again I checked the bag I had packed for the evening, just to be double sure I haven’t missed out any items from my standardized list of contents for my regular weekend trip. Locked my door and left for office carrying my laptop bag.

I was among the first to reach office. Pulled my chair, switched on my laptop, took out my ‘todo’ list. Checked my pending tasks from the last 4 days. Planned my day and started - not a minute to waste; I also have to make time for the random nonsense work that might come my way. Made up my mind to finish everything and leave from office by 5.30pm sharp.

Did the daily firefighting, cut short those calls that would have normally taken 10 minutes of my time to less than 5 minutes, even at the risk of being mean at times.

“Haachhi” I sneezed. ‘I don’t care’, I told myself and rushed to my routine.

“Haachhi… Haachhi..” this time it came with a running nose. Ok, I accept defeat.

Rushed to the pharmacy on the other side of the road, grabbed some cetrizine tablets. Returned to my seat, took one pill and swallowed along with a glass of water. Instant relief..!! Aah… I felt better

Lunch break, had my lunch, rushed back to seat,then cetrizine no. 2.

Is it COVID? I doubted. What if I carry it home? My little one is too tiny to be covid positive, or to even have a common cold or flu.

Confused and disturbed. Unable to work. Half an hour passed by. Wifey called. “Sneezing, what to do”, no replies from the other end. “I am canceling my ticket” I told her. “Hm, okay” she told, then we spoke for another 5 minutes. She knows I am sad, I took a tough decision. I missed my girls. She consoled me. I am sad, but my decision is right, I am at peace with it.

I packed my love into my heart and got back to work. No rush, I don’t have to catch the 7pm bus.

Had a good time with colleagues after office hours, had dinner at Sangeetha, came home , took bath, sneezed twice or thrice - but no more cetrizine, did a usual video call, saw my kid, she was laughing, she is happy.

Good night.  I am sleeping.