…Sweaty palms, staring into blank spaces, thinking about nothing in particular, pensive, apprehensive, accelerated heartbeat, sudden drop in the heart pulse rate, throat gone dry…

… That is how my day began. You see, Today was my first day the new job. At ‘Hotstuff’, to be precise. FYI, it is not a food joint/restaurant/something you need to laugh at. It is the name of the advertising agency where I work now. So people, be nice!!!

My day started with quite an adventure. I woke at 7am. Isn’t that amazing? I actually woke up at 7am!! The world is one grumpy place in the morning. Everyone seemed to be mad about something and there I was happy that it was my first day at work. I bought my ticket and had to walk all the way to Kandivali (I think!) to reach the 7th Platform for the slow train. Too much exercise.

I think women traveling by train believe that the day must begin with a war cry. The train pulled in to the station and before it could even halt, all the women around me started screaming. I was not sure which way to run. So I stood there and tapped my feet together and said, ‘There’s no place like home’. Then I opened my eyes and saw I was not at home but inside the train. Miracle!!

I found a corner to stand and was trying to think of happier, nicer smelling places and people(I just want to take this moment to thank all my deodorant using friends). I was snapped out of my reverie by a old dear ‘looking’ lady who wanted to know if I was getting off at Goregaon and I truthfully replied saying that I wasn’t going to. I think it was not the right answer because she went on to ask me questions like, ‘Who do you think you are? You think you can board a train and do whatever you like? Didn’t you learn any manners?’ I still don’t know what I did wrong. If there is a train-travel manual that I haven’t heard of, please someone let me know where could I possibly buy it from?!? I do not want to make dear old lady mad at me. Chances are, we might become train buddies.

Work was good. And all that I expected it to be and more… Will not say much about work now maybe later…

Now, to head back home…

*Shuts computer. Plugs in headphones and sings along with Gloria Gaynor ‘I will survive’…*