Why it is that misfortune always falls upon us when the weather is foul. My car has broken down again, and I'm standing in the rain on a grey November afternoon at the side of the motorway watching an endless stream of trucks sweep past me. A small car separates itself from the flow of traffic, signalling onto the hard shoulder where I'm standing. I had realised it wasn't my girlfriend for whom I was waiting, and when it pulled up I set eyes on a face I hadn't seen in years.
"Hello you!" trilled a cute voice. Her name is Nicole, we used to work together shortly after I met the now love of my life, Sarah. I had spent many nights working behind the bar pouring out my fables and pathetic desires to Nicole before I finally took the plunge and asked Sarah out to dinner with me. Shortly afterwards she had moved away to another city and since then I had always wondered if she had had a slight crush on me, but I had packed it away in my brain as useless to worry about. She explained to me that she had come back from the city to see her parents and meet a new-born nephew. She would be remaining here for a week, but she told me that she was expected and couldn't stay with me at the roadside, so she drove off into the wet unknown abyss, leaving me with a slip of paper bearing her mobile number, and her sweet voice singing in my head an invitation to spend some time together.
My mind was in a subconscious turmoil when Sarah's car nosed out of the traffic, and I got in and kissed her in a subliminal daze. My mind was awash with thoughts of how I could now, finally, begin something with Nicole, but just as the opportunity had come I found myself in love with another equally special young woman. There was a slight conviction in my mind that perhaps I should just take the plunge and leave Sarah, and chase my dreams with Nicole in some wild passionate fling.
Sarah stands tall at five foot ten, with scarlet red hair hanging far down her back. She's not the slimmest of girls, but with her height has the most amazing silhouette few men are privileged enough to see. As we travelled home my mind continued to revel in wild fantasies, and I heard myself telling Sarah about my encounter. She had known Nicole before too, and was keen for me to arrange a meeting so that she could renew her old acquaintance.
That night, in almost a self-affirming way, Sarah and I spent in a steamy, sweaty haze of tongues, fingers and frenzied love making. Before work the next morning I called the number Nicole had given me, and left a message on her answer phone instructing her to meet me at my much frequented socialite coffee bar that evening. I realised in my amazement of meeting her, I hadn't mentioned anything about Sarah. On the spur of the moment I dropped my voice to a sultry purr, and told the answer phone I would be bringing a very special surprise along with me. Hanging up the phone with a sense of smug satisfaction, I kissed my sleeping sweetheart's face, and left the house.
My day had been going fairly well, dealing with irate customers who appeared to be overcome with the world in my usual sincere but unconcerned fashion. My mind was elsewhere, and six o'clock was approaching. A siren bursts into my serenity, and suddenly the building is ablaze with uniforms. We are all evacuated, and standing in the street outside I see someone pushing through the crowd in front of me. It's the regional manager, and he brings tidings of the situation:
"Shane, things have truly taken a turn for the worse now. Your boss seems to have had an accident lighting another one of those goddamn cigars of his. How the hell he managed this I don't know" -- he nodded his head toward the crowds of disgruntled employees -- "but he won't be out of hospital for a while. In the mean time, the only thing keeping this place above the water is you. Over the next few hours you will be the one to rouse this rabble, and get things back in order. Sure, it will take a few hours but I'm sure you've nothing that can't wait. I know you won't let me down."
With that he turned, clapping me on the shoulder, and disappeared to buttonhole the next unsuspecting person before I had chance to open my mouth. Nothing that can't wait? What did this asshole know about my life? Still, I needed this job or Sarah and I would lose our flat, so I suppose my hopes and dreams would just have to be put on hold once again. Such is life. As the fire alarms silenced, the crowd dispersed back to the innards of the building. I flopped back into my office chair, feeling like one of those overcome people I had earlier not cared about. I pull my phone from my pocket, and dialled Sarah's number. She was working down at the supermarket, and her cheery fake answer phone message clicked into my earpiece. I left a message for her, stating what had happened, and that I couldn't pick her up. To my surprise a text message bounced back in seconds:
"Don't you worry! I'll say hi to her from you ;) bet you didn't think I'd still go! Love you! Xxx"
A sharp stab of emotion made me wonder if something had slipped, did Sarah know how I felt? Dismissing it from my mind, I turned to deal with the steadily enlarging queue at my door.
I got home late that night, and I was expecting to find Sarah asleep in bed. Instead, as I dumped my keys in the bowl I found a hastily scribbled note:
"Hey baby, just got back from seeing Nicole, got on great! Invited me to stay over for the evening, seeing as you're not going to make it back I've grabbed my stuff and I'll see you tomorrow. If you worried then call mobile! Love you! X"
Irritated at having to climb into a cold bed alone, I fell asleep that night feeling as though I'd experienced my worst day in a long while. I awoke the next morning, with no sign of her ladyship. As displeased as the night before, I left to work. It proved to be a usual uninteresting day, and as I got my coat and headed for the car the previous night was replaying in my mind. Had I offended her by cancelling our appointment, and that was why she had seized the chance to stay away? It was bloody unfair if that was the case.
