|
 
Friday afternoon, Features desk,
Sunday Observer what comes to mind? Havoc.No matter how early the copies
start pouring in, some unforeseen circumstance will pop up to make my
life totally miserable. But then again I’ve never been very zealous
about punctuality.
I remember the good old days, when I was a kid. I woke up every week
day 45 minutes before my school van was to pick me up. I sit up on bed
for five minutes, drag my reluctant wobbly feet to the living room,
collapse on the sofa and sleep for another five or so minutes till my
mother drags me to the bathroom, dreamily brushes my teeth... I wake up
with a jolt only when I splash some water on my face.
By the time the van comes honking in front of our gate, I haven’t yet
combed my hair. I pull on my shoes and socks at the ready in my right
hand and ribbons on the left and run for dear life.I’ve realized lately
that things are not much different now.
Before I found the staff van I woke up around six and left home
around eight, a lot of time to lie around trying to overcome the
overwhelming sleepiness. Now I wake up around five forty five and barely
manage to get out of the house at six thirty.
I sit on bed chewing my nails, while trying to figure out what I’m
supposed to wear. How I wished journos got uniforms.At least when I was
going to school I didn’t have to worry about clothes.
My mother packs my lunch and stands at the gate with a bottle of
water like a sentry or a runner waiting to give the relay baton to her
teammate. I simply put my palms together, bow my head and run for dear
life. One of my friends who come in the same staff van apparently
doesn’t even do that. She simply yells and tells that she worshipped her
parents and makes a run for it.
The driver jerk starts the van with a huff even before I sit. I slump
on my seat and pant like a dog. I find myself walking all bleary eyed
like a zombie, in the features desk, too sleepy to even think straight,
let alone write. I’m guessing it’ll take some time for me to get over my
jet lag. But I’m much better considering some of the other people who
bring their whole beauty parlor to the van. One of my dear friends and
neighbors actually applies eyeliner while in the van!
Coming full circle, life at a newspaper is no walk in the park,
especially for someone who’s so disorganized as me. We do our magazines
sometimes two weeks in advance and an editor of one of our magazines
once said that she wishes other people for their birthdays two weeks in
advance because she is so disoriented! Well that’s just a glimpse of how
hectic 21st century life could get. |
