Just Another day

Just another day in paradise. That was what I thought until I got to work.

But it was far from the truth as I was called into the office.

‘Mr Green. I’m glad you could make it. How long have you been working here?’ said my boss, eying me with suspicion.

‘About twelve weeks.’

‘And how many times have you been late in those twelve weeks?’

‘Quite a few times, but it’s not my fault. It’s that bloody bus. It’s never on time.’

‘Well, I suggest you get some other mode of transport because this is the last warning you are likely to get. You are a good worker, and that is the only reason I am going to give you another chance. Understand?’

‘Oh, I understood all right. If I was late again, that was it. I was going to get the boot - straight out through the door - that was if he had his way.

When lunchtime came, I felt really down. I took my sandwiches and headed to the park. I stayed until it was time to go back to work, and on my way back, there she stood - stunning would have been a good word to describe her. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her as I walked past her, which was a pity because I went straight into a lamp post, which knocked me onto the ground and rendered me unconscious.

The next thing I remembered was waking up looking at a man who seemed to resemble a doctor.

‘Mr Green, hello. You’ve had an accident. Do you know where you are?

That was a silly question, considering there were doctors and nurses all over the place. I felt like telling him I was in Starbucks, but if I did, he’d probably have me put in a padded cell. At least he hadn’t asked me who the prime minister was because he had just resigned, so technically, we didn’t have one, and if someone was standing in till they elected a new one, they hadn’t told me.

‘Hospital,’ I said to him.

‘Do you remember the accident?’

I remember the pretty girl, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

After I went, I just lay there. I was told that I could go home the following morning. I was just being kept in for observation.

Later, after I had my tea, a neighbouring patient handed me a book, so I decided to start reading it. Well, there wasn’t much else to do. But while reading, I was told I had a visitor. Nobody knew I was here. How could I have a visitor, unless it was somebody from the council, claiming that I had damaged their lamp post? It wasn’t the lamp post that had a blinding headache; it was me.

‘Hello,’ the visitor said as she reached my bedside.

Another silly question. How would anyone feel after walking into a post? I was feeling groggy. The painkillers they had given me were starting to take effect.

We chatted for what seemed ages. Then she asked me how I was going to get home when I was discharged the following morning. On the bus, that’s how I was going to get home - well that was until she told me that she would come and pick me up, then take me home. That was the best news I had heard in a long time.

The next morning arrived and true to her word, she came to pick me up.

‘Well, thank you very much,’ I said to her after she had dropped me off outside my house.’

‘Is there anything else I can do for you?’

‘No, I’m fine.’

‘What about food?’

‘I’ll nip to the shops later.’

‘No, you won’t. Write me a list and I’ll go and get your shopping from the

supermarket for you.’

It was all beginning to seem like a dream. When she would return with my groceries, I was going to pluck up the courage to ask her out.

After making myself a cup of coffee, I switched on the TV, and while watching it, I kept glancing out of the window. Then I saw her. I didn’t rush to the door. I played it so casually. I let her ring the doorbell, and when she had, I slowly made my way to the door.

‘Hi, I’ve got your shopping,’ she said after I had answered the door to her.’

After thanking her a few times, she went into my kitchen and made some coffee, and to my surprise, she made sandwiches as well.

We then sat chatting for quite a while. It was amazing what we had in common. I even told her about my grumpy boss and how he kept on picking on me for being late, and how he threatened to fire me. She thought it was funny. She offered to go to the office and sort him out for me. God knows if she was serious, but she was laughing when she said it. I couldn’t imagine her doing it, but you never know with women, do you? The weaker sex. That I don’t believe!

While chatting I plucked up the courage to ask her out and she said yes. We were going to go to the cinema. She gave me her address and I said I would go and call for her, but if I didn’t feel like it, I was to phone her up and she would come and pick me up, but she only lived around the corner from the multiplex, so I didn’t see much point of her coming here.

The next day came and I couldn’t wait. First I had to go and give my sick note to my grumpy manager. Boy, was I looking forward to that?

‘So, how long do you think you’ll be off work?’ he asked me in an abrupt manner.

‘For the week,’ I replied before opening the door and making my way out of his office. Was his face a picture? I was thinking about going and looking for another job while I was off work. I’d do anything to get rid of him. He had been a pain ever since I started in that office. He even had a go at me the first day I arrived. Maybe I should have turned around and walked back through the door.

That night I went to meet the girl of my dream; my heart all a flutter. When I got to the multiplex, there she was - as pretty as ever, waiting for me. I was convinced I was dreaming.

The next night, I was invited to tea at her house. She lived with her father, whom she seemed to say little about. I was imagining some elderly gentleman with a walking stick, hobbling towards me wanting to shake my hand, but in reality that didn’t happen. When I got to her door, she opened it and let me in, and there he was, sitting in his favourite chair. And his first words to me were:

‘What the blazes are you doing here?’ I just turned and walked away. Having him as a boss was one thing, but the possibility of having him as a father-in-law was another!

looked at her. If I get girls like that coming to see me, I’d better start walking into a few more lamp posts.

‘How are you feeling?’

Another silly question. How would anyone feel after walking into a post? I was feeling groggy. The painkillers they had given me were starting to take effect.

We chatted for what seemed ages. Then she asked me how I was going to get home when I was discharged the following morning. On the bus, that’s how I was going to get home - well that was until she told me that she would come and pick me up, then take me home. That was the best news I had heard in a long time.

The next morning arrived and true to her word, she came to pick me up.

‘Well, thank you very much,’ I said to her after she had dropped me off outside my house.’

‘Is there anything else I can do for you?’

‘No, I’m fine.’

‘What about food?’

‘I’ll nip to the shops later.’

‘No, you won’t. Write me a list and I’ll go and get your shopping from the

supermarket for you.’

It was all beginning to seem like a dream. When she would return with my groceries, I was going to pluck up the courage to ask her out.

After making myself a cup of coffee, I switched on the TV, and while watching it, I kept glancing out of the window. Then I saw her. I didn’t rush to the door. I played it so casually. I let her ring the doorbell, and when she had, I slowly made my way to the door.

‘Hi, I’ve got your shopping,’ she said after I had answered the door to her.’

After thanking her a few times, she went into my kitchen and made some coffee, and to my surprise, she made sandwiches as well.

We then sat chatting for quite a while. It was amazing what we had in common. I even told her about my grumpy boss and how he kept on picking on me for being late, and how he threatened to fire me. She thought it was funny. She offered to go to the office and sort him out for me. God knows if she was serious, but she was laughing when she said it. I couldn’t imagine her doing it, but you never know with women, do you? The weaker sex. That I don’t believe!

While chatting I plucked up the courage to ask her out and she said yes. We were going to go to the cinema. She gave me her address and I said I would go and call for her, but if I didn’t feel like it, I was to phone her up and she would come and pick me up, but she only lived around the corner from the multiplex, so I didn’t see much point of her coming here.

The next day came and I couldn’t wait. First I had to go and give my sick note to my grumpy manager. Boy, was I looking forward to that?

‘So, how long do you think you’ll be off work?’ he asked me in an abrupt manner.

‘For the week,’ I replied before opening the door and making my way out of his office. Was his face a picture? I was thinking about going and looking for another job while I was off work. I’d do anything to get rid of him. He had been a pain ever since I started in that office. He even had a go at me the first day I arrived. Maybe I should have turned around and walked back through the door.

That night I went to meet the girl of my dream; my heart all a flutter. When I got to the multiplex, there she was - as pretty as ever, waiting for me. I was convinced I was dreaming.

The next night, I was invited to tea at her house. She lived with her father, whom she seemed to say little about. I was imagining some elderly gentleman with a walking stick, hobbling towards me wanting to shake my hand, but in reality that didn’t happen. When I got to her door, she opened it and let me in, and there he was, sitting in his favourite chair. And his first words to me were:

‘What the blazes are you doing here?’ I just turned and walked away. Having him as a boss was one thing, but the possibility of having him as a father-in-law was another!