The Anniversary… part 3

Goke was wrapping up to leave the office. As a contract staff, he would normally have left since 4pm, but he had extra work today.

He actually didn’t have the “extra” to begin with. But then, a couple of things happened to change that.

One thing actually.

Debby was having a bad day!

Debby having a bad day meant that Adah was having a bad day. This also meant that one or two other unlucky employees (Paul today) were having even worse days.

If Debby was the source, Adah was the distribution channel, the employees were the taps and he and the other contract employees were the buckets into which the wrath poured.

He put the day’s stress behind him as he made his way out of the office. It was his mum’s birthday and even though he was going home late, he still planned to make the night worthwhile and spend it with her and his sisters.

They had cooked her favourite soup (his also) and he couldn’t wait to go home. He had looked on, totally unfazed by the tantrums that were thrown all around the office.

Shout all you want, I just want to go home.

He had his wish eventually. Better late than never.

As he headed for the elevators, he saw Paul standing by the wall, whistling as he also waited for the lifts. He nodded his head at him in greeting and put on his earphones…  

It finally arrived. The sound of its arrival brought joy to Paul’s heart and he practically danced into. He quickly glanced at Goke to make sure he hadn’t been caught doing the “happy feet”.

As the doors shut slowly, he heard Adah’s unmistakable voice bellow just outside

“Pleeeease hold it!!!”

He reached out to stop the doors from closing and Adah slid in with another female employee (Gloria) and gave a huge sigh of relief.

“Nothing like the close of business huh!”

Paul chuckled, getting her meaning. They were all glad to be out of Debby’s ‘oxygen area’… another ingenious term Debby came up with in the past.

The doors were almost shut when he heard a muffled “Please hold it”

Reflexively, he reached out and stopped the doors again. Just in time

As the doors opened again, everyone held their breath as Debby, calmly walked in.

Gloria turned to look at Adah, Adah looked at Paul, Paul (who suddenly looked morose, given the fact that he had been skipping a few second ago) looked at Goke who (wasn’t having any of the staring game) kept his eyes on the controls of the lift.

Debby who didn’t seem to notice any of this, had settled at one corner of the lift and was tapping her legs rhythmically as the doors closed shut for the third time.

Ok, just 10 floors to go. What’s the worst that can happen? Paul calmly dipped his hands into his pockets.

Great! What’s wrong with this Paul sef? Must he open the door for everybody? Adah’s eyes shot daggers towards Paul.

Her shoes are soooo on point. Arghhh, she caught me staring! Gloria feigned activity with her phone

I never knew these control panels were this interesting! Goke just kept his eyes on the control panel

8^th floor….. 7^th floor…

Debby sneezed.

Gloria’s phone slipped from her hands and fell loudly beside Debby, as everyone else mumbled something that sounded like “bless you”… just sounded like.

All eyes were on Debby as she quickly bent down, picked the phone and handed it back to Gloria… who was in so much shock that she dropped it again. This time Debby just sighed and looked at the lift’s display screen.

5^th floor. Doors opening

The door opened and Mr. Lawal stumbled in… sluggish as always and stepped on Gloria’s phone. Hastily stepped aside and picked it up muttering his apologies and straightened himself… shabby looking as always.

Adah rolled her eyes; this was becoming an interesting crowd.

Paul checked his watch and nodded to himself.

The lift continued its journey downwards.

4^th floor… 3^rd floor.. 2^nd floor

And then it stopped and shot back up to the 10the floor, slowed and dropped like a rock to the 4^th floor.

AND THEN IT STOPPED AND THE LIGHTS WENT OUT