Fourth Blog: After Midnight

1) Open you eyes and observe something that looks interesting or catches your eyes as you travel around.

2) Snap a photo of the thing if you can. If can't, just make a mental picture of it.

3) Think deeply about who or what that thing/person is. Do you think there is a story behind the person/object.

4) Write/blog the story

This is the story of an average Singaporean office worker…

The time was 5:20am. Jacob was lying in his bed, sleeping peacefully, dreaming about his 'Dream Girl', living in his 'Dream House', and owning his 'Dream Car'. 10 minutes later, he realized that it was all a dream but his dreams transformed into reality. Well except there’s no 'Dream Girl', no 'Dream House' and no 'Dream Car', it was more like a nightmare.

Jacob just got a new job as an inventory associate at a National Geographic store. He had been working at a few bookstores before but only as a customer service associate, not an inventory staff. In other words he was pretty nervous.

It was his first day that day so he got up really early. He was supposed be at work at 8am but he was wide-awake at 5:30am. After going through his daily routine of breakfast and a glass of warm milk, he went in to the shower. Wanting to make a great impression, and to look smart of course, he shaved his little mustache and his little beard, leaving some to make it uniform.

Accidentally he shaved it too deep and he cut his upper lip. Blood gushed out as he quickly grabbed for a towel, which was hanging by the door in the shower. Putting pressure on his lips, he tried to wet it with water but realized that it was a bad idea. Screaming in pain, he waited till his lips felt numb. After cleaning up and putting a plaster on the cut, he quickly got dressed.

The time was 6:15am. He’s supposed to be out of the house by 6:30am so Jacob rushed to get ready. He opened his wardrobe to grab his neat and formal-looking shirt, which he had already ironed it late last night. After putting on his pants, he put both his arms in his shirts. Buttoning from top to bottom, he was shocked to find out that the last three buttons were missing. He cursed in anger. He knew in his head that things like this could happen to him. And even worst at a time like this.

He hastily went to check for any other neat looking outfit in the wardrobe and pulled out one. It was plaid and black. He didn’t really found a liking to the shirt but it was all that he had with a collar and long sleeve. So he finally was ready, wearing long black pants with a plaid shirt, not what he’d imagined wearing on his first day of work but it will do.

Jacob got out of the house. With the best look he could ever possibly imagine putting on, hair side parted, plaster on lip, his bag pack proportion on his shoulders and his socks, both pulled up to the same length. He waited at the near by bus stop for the bus to come. Living close to the main road was a convenience to him as there were a number of buses that go to the nearest MRT station.

So he finally boarded a bus and got to Tampines MRT Station at exactly 7:10am. He had precisely 50 minutes to get to Harbourfront MRT station, where the National Geographic store is located.

Staying positive about this when actual fact, Jacob was going to be late for his first day at work. He’s going to be late for a high paying job as an inventory associate at a popular company brand. So the train ride went smoothly. The train was quite packed, especially at that time as many people were heading to the town area for work.

It wasn’t until at Bugis MRT station when the train had stopped moving. The train had halted from a fast speed and got everyone in the train puzzled. At least a hundred people were in that train and at least a hundred of them were furious. One of them was Jacob of course. But shortly after the train started moving. To him it felt like minutes but the train only stopped for roughly 30 seconds.

Switching train lines, Jacob got on a different line. He ran quickly to get in to the other train. Soon the train reached Harbourfront MRT station. Jacob got out as soon as the train doors had opened. With sweat dripping down to his shirt, he ran as fast as he could.

He ran past the entrance, passing a number of stores before he reached the escalator. His phone rang but it took him quite a while to hear it and feel the vibration. He picked up the phone as he ran, only a few meters to the store. He placed his phone on his ear.

“Hey Jacob! It’s Elisa, the Head of Inventory for National Geographic. I’m really sorry to be informing you at the last minute but we had to swap your shift for today. I’ll contact you about your shift later in the day. Thanks anyways!”

Elisa put the phone down. Less than 4 steps to the store, Jacob stopped. Having a confused face, he walked slowly to the store, catching his breath. He stood in front of the store. Stunned and tired.

“Fuck”