The Misfit

The misfit 

Was it seventh floor? Or was it the eighth? Well, it must be in the reminder SMS they had sent him. He flicked open his phone. It is so awesome to feel in control of everything now a days, he thought. Clearing emails on the go, fetching a cab, checking out photos of old flames on Facebook and thinking how they might have looked next to him… well, that is if they had given him a chance. It gives a strange satisfaction that some really got a worse deal. 

Midlife quirks. It is quirky, isn’t it? He shook his head, he was getting late for the appointment. It was at a private eye clinic at an expensive hospital. He lifted his gaze from the iPhone and looked around. The large lobby, stylish reception, serving staff in immaculate suits walking around and smiling with generosity. He sighed. In just an hour he would be footing a hefty bill which would include paying for this luxury. But then, it also meant he was a ‘fit’ in such a setting now. This has been some distance to cover in life. Quite some distance. 

As he started walking towards the lift, he gaze caught a serving staff who seemed to be suffering from some disability. He didn’t know what it was, but something seemed amiss. The woman seemed out of place in a glitzy place like this. Why would someone subject herself to be pitied upon? Well, it didn’t feel like a politically correct thought… he walked on. 

He stepped into the expensive clinic and it all seemed to go like perfect clockwork. Impressive, isn’t it? Well, he was paying for it through his nose. But hey, one doesn’t always get a good service when you pay big bucks! With one minor twist to the happy tale, they decided to dilate his pupils. Well, that was tough. He couldn’t see much of what was near him. But it was all done and it was time to go home. 

Stepping out of the lift into the glitzy lobby, he put his iPhone to use again. Now to open a ride-hailing app to get a cab home. Not bad, the app announced soon with a welcome beep that he had secured a cab! But hey, what was the car plate number? He tried to focus, took off the glasses. But boy, it all seemed just one blurred jumble! If he couldn’t see it, how would he identify the cab? Well, it didn’t feel much of being in control, did it. He needed someone to help him read it. As he looked around, everyone seemed busy. 

Well, except the woman who seemed so out of place. She was free and she was closest to where he was. It was only reading a few numbers, how hard could it be? Reluctantly, he beckoned her over and requested her to read the taxi number. She tried to look into the app and struggled to read. But she was trying. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth towards her. She was not just doing a job despite some handicap, she was, using corporate jargon, “striving” to be customer centric. 

“2298”, she said. And hesitated. Peered again into the phone. And then she looked up at him with a puzzled face. The screen had gone blank. It really didn’t care people were trying so hard to read it, for the iPhone it was idle for too long! He thrust his thumb and it lit up again. “2293”, she finally concluded. Looking at him, she tried to give what was a blurred smile. That would have generated some pity in him just an hour ago, 

Presently, he couldn’t help but feel a small inkling of what could be a remote gratitude. He grinned at her, not quite sure what to say. Without giving him as much as a curt nod, she walked away. He couldn’t help but think, what would ‘achievement’ mean for her? What was it like to be like her, without much hope of a hefty bonus. May be a few friends or maybe not. Could she be married? As a matter of fact, would she ever find love? Who cared for her on the worldly matters? These didn’t seem comfortable thoughts. And yet, he couldn’t feel pity on her. She had just helped him do what he couldn’t do for all his efforts to focus and squint his eyes. She was certainly not like even the most junior execs in her office with some hope of a brighter future. Yet, she seemed like a person on her own. A person not in any race, but living life and evidently being useful to at least him. The phone rang, his driver was here. Time to step out in the hot sun and boy, having to keep his eyes half closed due to the sun glare. Did he feel much older than he had felt when he started the day?