One of those days.

I knew it was going to be one of those days from the moment I woke up. Bleary eyed, I got out of bed and made my way to the kitchen for my everyday morning glass of water. I didn’t bother to turn on the living room light but it still came as a surprise when I kicked the table leg. I don’t know what kind of cruel god has a lifetime feud with my little finger but he was hard at work this morning. Cursing loudly, I jumped around on one leg like one of those plastic toys that work by turning the key lodged in their backs. Misses Winkles hissed at me from the large armchair to my right and started zooming around the room like a startled black bat trapped inside a cage.

Now fully awake, I limped to the kitchen cabinet and took out the cereal box. I poured the chocolate bits into a bowl and opened the fridge door. “Great…” I sighed shaking the empty milk jug. I crunched my dry cereal alone and miserable at the table playing absently with a set of keys.

Later, I got dressed and gathered all my necessary items for the day. It was then I realized I had forgotten to charge my phone overnight. I looked at the display and then clicked the home button. The screen remained black and I shook my head. After searching for my keys for half an hour only to find them on the living room table next to my half empty bowl of cereal, I was ready to leave for work and terribly late.

The wind picked up as I waited at the bus stop, the clouds looking like an angry blanket ready to crush me under their weight. The bus arrived and I climbed on, scanning the interior for an empty seat. I found none, of course, so I stood clinging to the metal pole for dear life as the driver swerved through the morning traffic.

    At the next stop a pretty lady took the spot next to me. I stole glances at her for the next few minutes and I even caught her looking back at me a few times. Feeling my luck turning, I faced her wanting to start a conversation. She chose that exact moment to turn towards me and I looked into her eyes. They were bright green like two shining emeralds. I opened my mouth to speak and sneezed in her face, an involuntary reaction. “I’m…so…sorry…” I stammered but she was already walking away.

    Deprived of my audiobooks, I gazed out the window and began to daydream. I had formed a complex story with a few characters, a love triangle and even a few twists and turns in the narrative when the driver slammed his foot on the breaks, making the bus squeal to a stop. The momentum carried me forward and in trying to avoid an old lady I spun and sprawled in the middle of the bus’s corridor, sliding a few steps. I groaned inwardly, got up, dusted myself off and made sure to avoid everyone’s gaze for the rest of the ride.

Relieved, I got off at my stop and shivered when the cold wind licked my neck. Raindrops started crushing against my face and before I managed to open my umbrella one of them somehow calculated the exact trajectory necessary to hit my eye.

One of my eyes crying, I persisted, thinking I would just have to face whatever life throws at me today. This was a big mistake though, as a gust of wind hit me and I felt the umbrella get lighter in my hand. I looked up and saw the dark sky. Another raindrop hit my eye and I cursed. I turned around and saw the wind running away with the top half of my umbrella. I sat in the middle of the sidewalk, rooted to the spot and getting increasingly wetter by the second. I sighed, placed what remained of the umbrella in the bin and continued on my way.

I stepped inside a coffee shop feeling the need for a hot drink. Placing myself in queue behind a young man, I looked at the menu displayed above, unable to decide between hot chocolate and coffee. The queue advanced slowly and I became more and more restless with every moment. My turn finally came and I smiled at the young lady behind the counter.

“Hello, what can I get you?” She asked.

“Hi, a hot chocolate to go, please” I said still unable to decide what I actually wanted.

“Sorry, we’re out of chocolate, would you like a coffee instead?” She said.

“Yeah, coffee is fine.” I responded going inside my pocket for my wallet.

“Two fifty-five.” The girl said.

“Yeah, just a second.” I replied going through my pockets one at a time.

My wallet wasn’t in any of them.

“Come on…” I said to no one in particular as I went through all of my pockets again. Defeated I turned to the girl “Never mind, I forgot my wallet at home…” and left the shop, head bowed.

As I waited at the crosswalk for the light to turn green a car passed by a bit closer than the rest, hitting a puddle, and sending a small wave towards me that soaked my shoes. I looked down at my feet and wondered what god I’ve offended recently in order to deserve this punishment. The light turned green and I sauntered on, my feet now squishing softly with every step.

I arrived at the workplace late, wet and completely disheartened only to find the big glass doors locked. The place was disserted. I placed my face against the windows, scanning the lobby. There was no one there and the lights were off.

“What the…no, don’t tell me…” I spun around and stopped the first person that crossed my path. It was an old burly man sporting a walrus moustache and carrying a large umbrella in one arm.

“Yes?” He said, beady little eyes searching my face.

“What day is today?” I asked, and was surprised at the panic in my voice.

“Well the twenty-eight of course.” The man answered in a proud voice.

“No man, what day of the week?” I was becoming a bit frantic and struggled to calm down.

“Saturday my lad.” The man chuckled and walked away.

I sat there completely defeated, rain soaking me to the skin, unable to decide what to do next.