A Hot Cool Day

22 April 2010 – There will be a power shutdown in your area from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

I read with disinterest the printed notice from the local Electric Board distributed around my housing area two days ago. And I totally forgot about it the next day.

I had enough of electrical problems for the past three weeks and I was sick of them.

Walking into an office still under rewiring, every single working day, could be really stressful. I just couldn’t bear it anymore, I told myself everyday. Nothing was ready except for the emergency rendering of a lamp and some fans. And the place was in a mess and smelled badly. The work done was unexpectedly slow. In fact, I had not seen the workers for the past few days.

Every day I had to move into another building to do my work. I know myself – I don’t work efficiently under adverse conditions. And I don’t fancy loitering around all day doing nothing much, except talking, grumbling, complaining or laughing away.

Every morning is a fresh beginning. There will always be plans to think through and carry out, many things of importance to do first, measures and countermeasures to combat the issues, and the dire need for restructuring and reorganizing the whole program. Sitting down talking, laughing and joking just weren’t my style.

Now back to the story.

I had a hot day at work. It was unusually hot and humid and I was sweating all day.

The last school bell had rung and I was with my youngest daughter on our way home.

We had difficulty maneuvering through the traffic jam. There were many vehicles ahead and the students were walking in packs with little regard to others. I shook my head and smiled a sad smile. Oh please, not like this! I had a bad day and I was sweating through.

Reaching home was wonderful. Everything was back to normal until……

Oh no, it was a power shutdown to upgrade a transformer. The housing estate had expanded; more houses and shop lots were built here.

I took a long bath to cool down myself. But I was sweating profusely few minutes after I got out of the bathroom. It was only 1.00 p.m. Good Lord, I have to bear it under 5.00 p.m.

I mopped myself with the wet towel. I tried not to move too much. Then I tried to sleep.

I had a 20-minute nap and I woke up with a sticky back and neck. Uh-oh! It was killing hot.

Now is my turn to loiter around doing nothing, except talking, smiling, laughing, complaining.......

I wondered how many families had fishes in aquariums gasping for breath, I smiled to myself.

Then I heard the neighbors’ children playing in their front porch. They could really withstand the heat.

More vehicles were moving out of the housing area. They could be visiting the supermarket or the cold storage to get away from the heat, I smiled.

It was 5.30 p.m. when they had the power restored. By then, I was having an ice-cream in my mouth.

It had been a hot cool day.