Episode 21 : Edward Hyde's day out

So I got up in the morning, very determined to reach office before 11am.

Like how it has been the last few days, rain plays a very important factor. If the rain is light, I can reach work and manage to last the day wearing a damp pair of trousers. If the rain is moderate or heavy, I will have to change. Despite wearing what the shopkeeper called a rainsuit.

Rain was light in the morning and it was a little past ten. Meaning, I might just scrape past the wrong side of 11 while setting foot into the workplace.

There is always a railway gate to contend with. And like every other day, it was shut when I reached it. After spending five minutes waiting for it to open, I was riding over the tracks when I had this feeling that my right buttock was not sitting on something. I felt my behind for my purse and slid my hand into the pocket.

My hand slid in and out. I left my purse at home!

Cursing my luck, I turned around and went home to retrieve it. I knew the chances of finding an open gate was as slim as the gate itself.

Ten minutes later, I was back. I went over a speed-breaker, into a puddle and felt something amiss. The road felt harder than usual.

Did the rear tyre get punctured?

It did.

At the nearby shop, the man showed the torn mouth of the tube. "We will have to put in a new tube" he said.

I had one at home, bought a week before the trip to Yercaud. Now how do I go home and get back as quickly as possible?

The man pointed at a thing. I took it and left.

It took a few minutes before I realised how I looked to others around me. Dressed in a large rainsuit with a bike helmet on my head, and riding a bicycle! I had not ridden a bicycle after the day I bought my first bike. And that was in 2001!

Huffing and puffing, I managed to reach home without falling on the way. The last thing I wanted (no, make that I did not even want) was another broken bone!

While the tube got replaced, I contemplated skipping work. Man proposes, God disposes. Reaching office before 11am was out of the question, should I risk going all the way and increase the chances of something bad happening to me?

I guess somewhere deep down, in spite of all my insecurities, I still fight against the odds. Come hell or high water (which was more likely), you are going to work, I told myself.

I stepped into the building at 12.20pm.

The day was more fruitful than I expected. But to make up for the late arrival, I left late.

To reach home and find a packet from her waiting for me.

Not a bad day after all.