The Friday ride!

A typical software engineer doesn’t know what he is doing and loves his/her Fridays. I am no exception. Every Friday starts with a thought that I have to leave early today. It never really matters if I have anything special to do or not. The joy of leaving early can’t be felt unless you have experienced it. And I sincerely hope, nobody gets that chance! And mind you, I am not a sadist.

Nevertheless, I packed my bags and rushed towards the bus stand. I made myself comfortable at the window seat and pulled out my iPod in a regal style. It is one of those few things which catches attention of others sitting beside you, as if I had got something which came from mars. And that’s not why I treasure it. I genuinely like this product coming out of Jobs’ factory. The bus was getting filled by each passing minute and I was just waiting for the bus to start. And finally the moment arrived with a lovely damsel sitting by my side. Mind you, it doesn’t happen that often but I wasn’t complaining. You can rest assured that my lips were to be kept zipped till either of us got down of the bus.
With the opportunity sitting to my left, my face found some kind of polarity towards right and that meant my view sweeping everything in its sight except the one which mattered. But it bothered me the least not because I wasn’t interested but because I was quite used to it. I have had many chances in the past, but as they say, I squandered it all! The bus kept on moving and so did the precious moments. Don’t call it timidity. I choose to call it ineptness or ineptitude. You see, some kind of training and I will be right on track!
Resigned to the fact that I will be the only one of my kind, I decided to count the number of vehicles overtaking my grand vehicle. One, two, three... The time kept on passing. That’s the incentive of leaving early on Fridays! As our bus advanced towards one of the many known bottlenecks, another bus came along with ever reducing speed. Now we were almost in sync. And I happened to take a look at one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen in my life. It seemed that my heart skipped a beat or two. Her eyes darted back at me and I, as if in oblivion, could not respond suitably. What is expected of chivalry? I seemed to forget this at that very moment. I could not take my eyes off her.
And as if in retaliation, she also chose to respond in a similar way. Mind you, these are rare of the rarest occasions for me. I was in a trance. And how I wished that it should never end!
For a change I cared to look the other way, the gate of opportunity which was closed long back. It was more because I didn’t want to show that I was gasping for breath. To get rid of the lumps of throat, you need to do it intelligently. I hesitated to look back towards my favorite side. As a manager, you are required to think on your toes. I thought god could have given me a better situation to test the same. I had to take a decision, and I took. As if she was expecting the same from me, she got defensive. And to tell you the truth, I loved every bit of it. Suddenly her bus started speeding. I looked at my driver and his inability to surge ahead as a car was stuck in front. I cursed the car driver with all my might. Why such things happen only to me? And then I realized that my bus too has engaged itself in the most important business of catching up with each passing moment. I took a big sigh of relief. As expected, I neared the bus. Now my eyes were hooked not to her but on the one sitting next to her. And I again took a big sigh of relief. Now our looks were playing hide and seek. As expected, we were not complaining.

Suddenly the bus surged past and took, what I thought at that point of time, an unbeatable lead. But soon I was to be proven wrong. I could see in the distance, the bus offloading some of its passengers. These were some crucial moments for my bus to make a march as fast as it could. And it did. Soon, she got down the bus. I was happy that my journey was one to be cherished. But soon, I was to be proved wrong.

There she walked hand in hand with a guy. I can never understand why all the gorgeous women are never single and most importantly with a guy you would never want to be. My first opportunity too had vanished into thin air by the time I stepped out of the bus. The second one, I thought was never an opportunity. It was like a mirage. But I am not complaining!

My iPod was playing Linkin Park’s In the end. Nice way to wind up your Friday!