1 The Meeting

It was Summer. Early in the morning Jim ran into the station. The 7:30 train was about to leave. As he ran along the platform, he saw a girl just ahead of him. She was young about his age. He followed her into a carriage and sat opposite to her. She took out a magazine and was reading it. He took out a book and feigned to do the same too.

After a minute, he looked up and smiled at her. She didn't smile back but gave an encouraging look. Both returned to their reading but this time she was pretending too.

He found her attractive and want to see her again, but how to arrange it?...he got an idea. He took out an old envelope from his pockets and wrote the following "hello,my number is 485-2675 and ring me at nine".

The train arrived at the terminal. Without looking at the girl, he handed her the envelope or rather threw it at her and jumped off the train.

When he got home, he made himself a coffee and wondered... perhaps she was one of those naturally-friendly people who smile back at everybody. He was listening to the radio when the telephone rang...it was Umaru. He waited till 9:30 and got no telephone call from the girl, he felt miserable and went to bed.

****

The next morning was chilly. Jim woke up and found himself on the floor instead of the bed. Though he wasn't so surprised because he has a bad sleeping habit. He recalled the other night he urinated in his kitchen thinking it was the toilet only to wake up the next morning to start mobbing the whole house. But as for this morning when he saw himself on the floor he knew he fell down and that resulted to the ache he felt in his head. Quickly,he took two tablets of Sudrex for relief. He dressed his bed and still in his favorite blue pyjamas he went to brush his teeth. Before he could step into his bathroom, his phone rang. He sluggishly took it from the small cupboard beside his bed and picked the call. "Hello! Is this the man that threw a note at me yesterday at the station?" The lady asked and paused for a reply.

Jim immediately turned and looked at the time,it was two minutes past eight.

"Yes it was me...my name is Jim" Jim said as he grinned.

"Who asked for your name young man? Why would you throw your number at me? You don't know me,do you?" Joan angrily asked throwing all sorts of questions.

Jim couldn't answer any. Few seconds later, the lady ended the call. Jim felt disappointed. He dialed the number over and over again but service replied switched off. He retired to his bed that morning. Later his phone buzzed,he rushed it like a lion on it's prey but was disappointed when he saw it was his colleague,Umaru,that was calling.

He answered sluggishly. "Good morning Uma". Umaru reminded him to come to work quickly if he had forgotten. "Oh my!" screamed Jim.

He rushed out to the bathroom,did everything necessary and dressed up,rushed his breakfast and later drove off.

****

At the office when Jim stepped into his department by 10:00am, the whole place fell flat. His colleagues looked at him like morons,nobody said anything.

"the boss wants to see you" Umaru whispered to Jim. Jim almost peed on himself. And he could only utter "why?".

"Go and check for yourself" Umaru said and continued his work.

Jim adjusted his tie and dressed himself a little bit. He opened his boss's door quietly and close it behind him.

"Good morning Sir" Jim greeted quietly.

"Good morning" His boss replied still writing.

Jim tried to ask polite questions to cheer his boss's rumpled face up.

"Have you had a cup of coffee today Sir?" Jim asked.

Jim's curiosity rose.

"Should I help you arrange..." Jim was interupted by his boss who got real angry.

"Young Man I don't care if you help me arrange your useless life,I asked what is the time?" The boss shouted with an imperative gesture.

"The time is 10:15am Sir,I was caught up..." Jim's boss interrupts "with traffic right?!"

Jim nodded.

"If men like you were given business to handle the business will actually liquidate" His boss said and Jim stood calm.

The boss took out an envelope from his drawer and handed it to Jim,whose heart sank in.

Jim opened and read the note. He was dumbfounded, disappointed and partly angry.

"But Sir...I can't...I thought I contributed alot to the company and I actually gave my best. Please I beg you Sir" Jim begged and almost knelt down.

"On the contrary you are not among the best employees here.Go and give your whole time to whatever that keeps you late from work" Jim's boss said with anger.

"Please Sir I have really tried to give my best...don't do this to me please"

"Make use of that door before I call the security on you" His boss said and Jim sluggishly went out of his office.

Coming out to his department,Jim's colleagues all pitied him. They knew the boss would sack him.

"Call me if u need a friend by your side" Umaru said as he pat Jim's back.

"No problem. I will be fine" Jim muttered.