Zapped in Time

“Albert! You’re late again!” shouted his boss from his office as he placed his thumb on the Biometrics just beside the door. Sometimes he wonders how his dictator of a boss, who is like a T-Rex when he gets mad, notices his arrival even if he is inside his workplace sitting comfortably on his plush thousand dollar swivel chair pretending to take a call from a client even though there is none. Maybe his got some monitoring device installed somewhere near the vicinity of the Biometrics.

He was late again that day in the office. He has been late almost the whole week because of the deadlines he has to meet. His boss couldn't care less about his reason for being tardy. All that matters is that he is definitely going to get some deductions from his pay check for violating the rule and that he accomplishes all the projects he has given him for the week, completed projects means income coming in to his bank account.

Albert has been working in this office since he graduated from MIT. He was hired as one of the design engineers of the company due to his exceptional academic background. After all, he finished his degree in Electronics Engineering as a Summa Cum Laude with a GPA of 5.0. Everything in that company would’ve been heaven sent to him, except of course his monster of a boss. Anyway, he plans to apply to another company once he gets enough experience or maybe he can even put up his own.

“Albert! Will you come into my office? I need you to do something for me,” shouted his boss.

“Coming boss!” he replied

He closed the wooden door behind him gently as he entered his boss’s office. Then he stood in front of his table awaiting his further instructions. His fat, inconsiderate manager was as usual occupied talking on his phone with a pretend client.

Finally his long wait is over his boss put the phone down and faced him head on to give him his new tasks for the week. He turned his swivel chair momentarily to grab a bundle of blue prints from his cabinet.

“Here are the projects you need to do this week! You got to finish them by Friday,” his superior grumbled with his crocodile voice which scared him all the more. Nevertheless, Albert reached out to get the blue prints and held them tightly as he awaited more directions.

“You can go now. Just make sure to complete all the projects on or before the deadline,” his boss reminded him as he motioned him to get out of his office.

As he was riding the commuter train on his way home that night, his mind was bombarded with a plethora of ideas as to how he is going to solve his problem and accomplish his task at the same time. Perhaps he can sleep earlier than usual... or maybe he can just do his work early the next morning and just eat dinner when he gets home that night.

He was in this quandary when the conductor of the train shouted the street where his apartment was. He was finally home. He cannot understand what came to him that night as he elected to take a short stroll on the nearby downtown district. Maybe he just wants to clear his mind from all the stress he is undergoing.

Albert sauntered across the brightly lit avenue. It is just a few blocks away from his apartment so he is not worried about getting home that night. The night is a bit cool. A mild southern breeze is blowing and this is rather strange since it’s almost summer time.

As he passed by a dimly lit corner of the street, he noticed an old gypsy woman sitting near one of the closed stores. He approached her, drawn by the array of things that the woman was peddling that night.

“Mister… Mister! Can you please buy something? I have been sitting here all night and I haven’t sold anything. Please Mister, buy anything. I am already hungry. I need something to eat…” begged the gypsy

Compassionate as he is, Albert knelt in front of the wares of the woman and chose something he could buy. As his eyes scanned across the items neatly arranged across the surface of what seems to be an old woven rug from South America. His attention was caught by an odd alarm clock. It was a peculiar thing it seems because of its rather odd shape. The clock is intricately placed inside an octagonal frame emblazoned with gold trimmings. Its hands were fashioned from with a metal he cannot determine at the moment while the numbers were carved from sapphire.

“I want this,” he remarked as he pointed at the clock with certainty.

“This Mister… This one?” the gypsy replied as she picked up the alarm clock and handed it to Albert.

“Yes! I want to buy this clock. How much is this?” he said

“Mister this clock is from my family heirloom. It should cost you a lot but since I can see that you’ve got a kind heart, I am given it to you for free,” the woman answered.

Albert was surprised by her reply. He knew that the woman is hungry, but it could’ve not affected his thinking in any way. Why would she give this alarm clock for free if she needs something to eat? It really is bothering him.

He reached out for his wallet from his back pocket. He opened it and got $50. He gave it to the gypsy and told her to keep the change. The woman was elated by what he gave her.

“Thank you… thank you kind Mister. You truly have a golden heart!” the gypsy exclaimed.

She murmured something that would seem to be a prayer as she wrapped the alarm clock in an old newspaper. Albert didn’t notice this. He instead smiled as the woman gave him the clock and then he bid her goodbye.

He happily walked away from the corner. His heart is elated because he has finally found a solution to his problem and he is able to help a person in need. He turned around to glance at the woman once again, but as he spun his head, the gypsy is nowhere to be found. She disappeared into thin air.

Albert felt some chill down his spine. He almost dropped the clock he just bought.

Suddenly, his stomach rumbled. He is hungry. He hasn’t eaten dinner yet. Quickly, Albert rushed to the diner nearby and grabbed some submarine sandwich and a large soda. He took it out so he can go home and start working on the project assigned to him while eating dinner.

His apartment is just like any ordinary dwelling. It is situated on an old building which was built, according to the owner, after the war. The staircase made a strange cracking sound as he walked on it. His room is located on the 8^th floor, Room 824.

Albert gradually opened the door and pushed it aside with his free hand. He laid down his take out dinner on the table and he gently set the alarm clock on the small table beside his bed.

That night he worked on the project until way past midnight. He laboured on it until he is sleepy from all the exhaustion, he grabbed the alarm clock and set it one hour earlier than usual so he won’t be late again tomorrow. He can’t be late! It’s already Friday tomorrow, the end of another working week for him.

“Rrriiinnnggg!... rrriiinnnggg!... rrriiinnnggg!” the alarmed vehemently attempted to awaken Albert. After a few seconds, Albert opened his heavy eyes, stirred by all the ringing.

He quickly said his prayers on his bed and then rushed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Then he took some bread from his cabinet and threw it inside the toaster even as he plugged the electric kettle to heat up some water for his coffee.

Turning the heater in his shower, he allowed the water to heat up before taking his shower. Confident that he won’t be late today, Albert took his time to dress up for work. But unknown to him, he would receive an unexpected surprise that day.

Albert glanced at the time to check if he is still on time. As he looked closely at the dial, his eyes widened. The time on the clock read 8:00 in the morning and the day on the calendar above it read Monday, May 13, 2025. He has been asleep for 5 years!

He didn’t know what to do. Does he still have a job to go to? Was he fired by his boss the whole time he was asleep?

Hastily he got his bag and rushed to his office. As he went out of his room, he got even more shocked. His old apartment is now a condo and as he opened the door, he noticed that he no longer needs to use that old stair case; it was replaced by an elevator.

Albert rode the elevator still in a limbo. As the door slid open to allow to him to exit, he was even more surprised. He was met by the building manager who informed him that his car is ready.

The entire time he was asleep a lot of things happened to his life. The clock sold to him by that gypsy woman has transformed all his dreams to reality!

He drove his car to the office. Then as he entered the gate, he is met by the guard who showed him the way to his personal garage.

Albert alighted from his Porsche and once again took the elevator to his office where the biggest surprise awaited him… He is now the CEO of his very own design company! He is now the boss and no longer just an ordinary employee.

He has achieved everything he has dreamt of thanks to that faithful night he bought that alarm clock from the gypsy woman, the alarm clock that changed everything in his life for the better and has helped him turned it all around.