Time Wasted

Siri was running late after having spent the early morning conversing with her grandmother who had been reluctant about going back to the Care Center.

She did not want to send her away but she could not look after her with the kind of job she was tied to and she did not want the incident that happened a few months ago to reoccur.

It was the weekend and her grandmother was at it again.

Every weekend they had the same fight. It was getting tiring.

Siri packed her bag and placed her laptop inside and then ran to the room to get her neck scarf.

Grandma went out of the room Siri was scattering as she searched for too scarf. She sat on the sofa, tapping her leg rhythmically and impatiently.

That weekend like every other was starting with a fight with her grandmother who was furious at the work situation her granddaughter was in and today it seemed like they were about to have a second go at it.

"Who leaves for work as early as this? Back home it's only farmers that had to wake up when the cock crows oh."

"Well, this is how it has always been. Stop being dramatic about it.

"You haven't seen drama yet oh."

Siri laughed in the room and announced she had found the scarf. She came out and looked at her grandma who had a very deep frown on her face. She walked towards the door.

"Mama, I'm off!"

"You're not going anywhere without eating young lady."

"Geez, I almost forgot the proposal document."

She ran towards the table and started to sort out the documents she would need. There were lots and lots of papers.

"Leave that and go and eat first."

Her grandma's voice was soft yet stern, Siri ignored her, she was remembering the important things she would need one by one. She was still bulldozing through the house trying to ensure she did not forget any important document when she remembered the call she had received by 3 am.

The call for the impromptu meeting came in then and she had woken her grandmother for them to catch up a little before she had to leave.

Her grandmother stood up and went to stand by the door as Siri came back into the sitting room.

"I know you heard me, so I wonder if you will push me away from the door when you want to leave. I won't budge till I see you eat something. Just look at you! You're just a bag of bones!"

She frowned heavily, made a tut-tut-tut sound and stood across the door hands akimbo watching her only granddaughter and remaining family insist on working herself half to death.

She could not remember any time Siri had enough time for herself, she was always up and doing, working multiple jobs, attending classes and, applying for scholarships, scraping and saving and it killed her inside. If only she had not lost her daughter and son-in-law all those years ago.

"Mama! I'm running late, should I quickly make you a sandwich?"

Siri shuffled through the drawers one by one till she found the micro-USB

"Eureka!"

""When will you ever learn to speak your language?"

What I speak is my language mama. Also, being skinny is the trend these days, if only I had the height. I'd be working with the best modelling agencies."

Siri laughed at the scornful look her grandmother gave her and slung her heavy bag across her shoulder holding the laptop in one hand.

"You're very tall, it's not your height that is the problem it's your cold, personality.

I am very fun and you know it mama"

"Yes, only I know that. Also, won't you put that thing in the bag? Someone could snatch it from you and runoff. "

"That's true, I heard it is becoming a regular occurrence. You see! What would I do without you?"

She walked over and kissed her grandmother on the cheeks dropped her bag on the tabletop and took out the sliced bread from the fridge.

"I am not eating bread oh."

"Okay, I'll just make mine, because I know you would not allow me to leave without eating so I will promise you to eat it on the bus? That's only if you would stop being so stubborn and let me off this one time."

At the last sentence, grandma stepped away from the door and slowly approached her.

"Did you just call a ninety-year-old woman stubborn?"

"You know it's true."

Grandma pinched her cheek hard and she screamed loud rubbing the assaulted area.

"You're lucky we're not in your home country, I would have smacked the living daylights out of you."

"Nobody beats their children anymore. Even those from your home."

She drawled the "your" and threw a piece of cabbage in her mouth chewing sassily which made her grandmother try to reach for her cheeks.

"It is your home also. Your roots. And it saddens me till today that your parent never got to take you to where you come from."

Grandmother shook her head and sat on the only high chair near the countertop.

"What a way to destroy the mood mama."

Siri prepared the last sandwich and thought about her parents. She tried to remember what they looked like but she could not. She resolved to look at the family album as soon as she got back from work.

"Alright sexy mama, I have to go now"

Grandmother grinned from ear to ear at the compliment and smiled happily at her child. The look of content was visibly written on her face. Siri went in for a hug and was held warmly.

"God bless you, my child"

"And you too mumsy. I called the Care Center and they will be here by 9 o clock to pick you up." "Will you be able to manage by yourself?"

"Yes. I am not a child you know."

"I hear, when people get older, they tend to be more like children."

"Siri raised her brows comically and looked away as if she had just said something helpful."

"I will slap you and go to jail."

"Mama! You know I would never report you."

"That's annoyingly true."

"I love you!"

"I love you too!"

And with that she opened the door and ran down the stairs, not wanting to risk having her grandmother come up with another subject for further discussion. She bumped into the neighbour who looked better than some days before

Both looked at each other, sizing themselves up, waiting on who would apologize first.

"Sorry."

Siri spoke first and walked past. The neighbour called to her

"Hey"

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk when you're back from work?"

"Maybe."

Siri moved along ignoring the bold holes loopthe neighbour's stare was drilling into her back. She shook her pack of sandwiches and mouthed " sorry " to the burger man who laughed pleasantly. She was surprised he was out already. It seemed like everyone was trying a little too hard at their jobs these days. She wished people earned as hard as they worked.

The paper man on the other hand was not yet out and she wondered if maybe she should buy from another stand to check the lottery. She quickly dismissed the thought and resolved to stop buying the paper altogether, she worked for a news agency so she was usually up to date in the news update daily. Buying the paper for a lottery was more of a loss than a profit.

The air was clear, she wished it was clean too. She could see daylight struggling to spring forth held back by darkness.

She got to the bus stop boarded a bus and sat quietly at the back munching on her sandwich. She and a few others were on the bus. One lady was snoring in the corner, two elderly women were chatting noiselessly and a small group of school children were sitting quietly.

She looked at the elderly people and wondered how it must feel to be old. She remembered her grandmother at home and she sent a reminder mail for the pick up by 8. She finished up the sandwich and connected her earpiece to her phone. She had only begun to listen to the first song when she had to alight.

The short walk up into the building was pleasant as not many people were loitering around and the annoying security man who usually made faces at her in the name of trying to be friendly was nowhere to be found. She went up and walked straight to the marketing department and headed straight for the conference room and was greeted by blank stares as she took her position close to the exit door.

"Since most of us are here we are going to start the meeting now..."

The manager's voice was firm and her words were eloquently poised. Siri quickly brought out her recorder and opened up her laptop to take notes.

"What are you all being paid to do?"

The question as an opener immediately set everyone on edge, the workers around looked at each other as if challenging themselves to answer. Everyone settled for silence.

"I said what are you all being paid to do! I need hands raised and answers from people."

Murmurs could be heard from here and there and thereafter a couple of hands were raised.

"Yes?"

She pointed to Miss T who was equally outspoken and unafraid for some reason most people did not understand.

"We are here to sell the news to people, we are paid to ensure that the news gets to and makes a strong, positive impact on as many people as it possibly can and I daresay, we are being paid to do a good job of marketing EagleNews to the world."

Some people nodded their agreement other people gesticulated with their hands.

"You've always been good with your mouth Miss"

People sniggered at the ambiguous statement and Miss T sat down slowly giving the jesters' death stares.

'Do you think you're all doing a good job?"

Silence

"I think-'

"Please, please, please! You're not the only one in this meeting."

The manager rolled her eyes and looked at other people in the room.

Siri looked at the manager closely, she looked like she would be in her early forties but did not look a day over thirty. Her blonde hair complemented her brown eyes and the makeup accentuated her skin and gave it a dazzling glow. Her lips were full and her skin was fair. She was slim and curvy but lacked a height to accentuate her gorgeous figure. Her fingers were slender and her hands were reddish.

"Siri?"

Siri was still lost in thought and did not hear her name till the third time. By then all the workers present had turned to face her and they were all puzzled by what they thought was an outright disregard for the boss in charge.

"Would you like to share what you were thinking about so intently while you pass me the USB for the PPT?"

"Huh?"

Siri started but quickly regained her composure.

"I was a bit distracted but I am fully focused now. The USB is here."

She fished it out of her pocket and went to hand it to the guy who usually helped out with setting up and controlling the slides.

"As I was saying..."

Siri walked back calmly and exhaled deeply. She wondered if she was truly afraid or just enchanted by the manager. She wondered how it would be to head a department of people and have the influence to make people work harder and smarter, make people respect and fear or even envy her position.

Siri had studied Mass Communication in College and had immediately applied for an internship at EagleNews. She hoped to be able to start from the bottom like most people and work her way to the top like some few.

"Are you taking notes?"

Siri immediately looked up and answered in the affirmative.

She looked down and noticed her recorder was not showing the red light which meant it was recording and her heart did a double-take.

She quickly reached down for it and took it up from her lap and then she noticed the light was at the other corner. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked up to meet her manager's eyes glaring at her, she immediately started to type a couple of consonants to look busy.

That's it for today, I want all your reports on my desk before 2 pm today. Work hard.

And with that, she exited the room and people began to exhale. She was happy to note that she was not the only one who was intimidated by the manager but she felt irritated that old-time workers were still shaky. She did not want to be like that.

"Hey, please make 5 copies each of these."

Mrs T stretched her cheaply done nails into Siri's face. She looked up at Miss T who remained uppity after the whole ordeal and a tiny spark of respect was ignited.

"Got it."

She took the documents and watched as everyone left the hall.

She remained sitting for a while before taking a deep breath and packing up. She quickly brought out the recorder and stopped the recording and transferred the recorded file to her laptop. She put everything else except the documents into her bag and exited the hall. As she walked closer to her desk she heard the phone on her table ring and she mustered all the strength and courage she would need to get through the day.