With hair sticking in all places, and a dress shirt that's more rumpled than my face, I walk into the building.
With eyes darting around like a mad man's I search for the insufferable devil incarnate who's thankfully nowhere near the reception area.
All I need to do is sneak into the elevator, and pray I don't meet him until I reach my office.
I'm not desiring the lectures I know are coming my way.
Not only will he lecture me, but it's likely he might bite my ears off with just a look.
Smiling at the few workers who were busy checking me out, I walk to the transparent elevator.
"Good day, Mr Osy." One of the people I dread the most after Mr Mar greets me with a smile.
"Good day." I force a smile.
"You seem to be rushing this morning." BB gives me a once over.
"I need to get my yesterday's work done with, that's why." I silently pray for the elevator's return. I must leave this place to avoid being her hot gossip for the day *if am not already on the front lines.*
"I see." She chuckles at that, making it seem as if I said anything funny. "I can see that's the reason you're dressed this way." She points at my clothes.
"That's right." I smile, "I had to work until late last night, never got to have a little rest, talk more of changing my clothes."
"You mean to tell me you didn't take a bath before coming here?!" She screeched.
Her shouts earned us more attention from the workers who were busy with their tasks.
"Keep your voice down!" I hiss in anger.
"Sorry." She apologized, but she doesn't look all that apologetic. Her words don't rhyme with the expression on her face.
"So, tell me, what happened?"
And like that, the gods decide to answer my question.
"See you later, B." Waving at her, I almost make a head collision with the door in my desperation to escape from BB.
"Phew."
I exhale in relief. Leaning on the wall, I dial Dozzy's number.
It rang, but he didn't pick up the call. Dialing it again, the same thing happened.
Why isn't he picking up his calls?
I dial his number once again, and like the others, it rang without Dozzy answering the call.
Could it be the left his phone in the office to run an errand for Mar?
I guess that should be the case, as there's no way Dozzy will reject my calls.
It's either he's in a minute and had his phone on silence, or he left his phone in the office, to run an errand.
One of these should be the case.
The elevator dinged to announce my arrival at my destination.
Exiting the elevator, I hastily walk to my office. I would have gone straight to Dozzy's office, but figured it'll be better if I drop my bag before heading over to his office.
That way, the big head boss won't know the time I arrived to work.
Looking around the entire worker's section to make sure the boss isn't hiding somewhere, I take a very deep, steady breath before entering the office.
"Welcome, sir."
The sarcastic voice of the same man, I am dreading having a meeting with, was the first I heard the moment I entered my office.
Startled at the sound, I almost threw my bag and the papers I had in my hand on the floor had it not been for my stamina.
"G… Go… goo….good morning sir." I swallow deeply, my eyes going straight to Dozzy who's sitting like a rod.
Mr Mar is sitting on my chair, while Dozzy is sitting on my visitor's chair. He looks like a sort of robot that's being controlled. One that was asked not to make any move.
"What's so good about the morning if you're more than two hours late to work?" Mr Mar asked, giving me a once over, he twisted his mouth in disapproval.
"It's. I… My Al…Oba…." I swallow nervously, my mind trying to come up with the right answer to the question he asked.
There's no way I can tell him I overslept. It's one thing to be late, and another is for the lateness to be caused by oversleeping.
"Not only are you late to work, but you're dressed like a madman." Mr Mar says in a disapproving tone.
"Am sorry sir." I look down at my shoes in embarrassment.
What will Bin think of me if Mar is to tell him I don't take the work allocated to me seriously?
No doubt, he'll be ashamed of me.
"You're sorry?" Mar stood from the chair. "You're sorry for what? For not coming to work early? For dressing like a mad person? For not taking your work seriously?
Tell me, what are you sorry for?"
"All of them." I look at Dozzy who has not made a move ever since I came in here. "Am I to apologize for all I did? It wasn't intentional."
The work I did also had a hand in my lateness. It's the tiredness I felt from making use of the old typewriter that caused me to oversleep.
"Even if it was intentional, would you have agreed it was so?" Walking close to me, he came to stand in front of me.
"I'm sorry sir, please don't tell Bin. I promise I'll never be late for work until I've completed the task allocated to me."
Even if it means trudging like a zombie, I'll do everything in my strength to make sure I arrive early to work and leave at the appropriate time.
"I see." He nods, "You better keep to your promise, else I might do more than report you to Bin. I might do much worse than this."
"I won't go back on my promise, sir. I'll be the best worker ever!" Raising my hand, I place my palm on my chest.
"You better be." With one scorching look at me, he exits the office.