Five minutes

Just five more minutes, and I would have driven pass the location to a point where I wouldn't have turned back. And that would be the end of it.

It's about a karaoke session with my usual singing buddies.

Normally I would have jumped in both feet without a second thought, but for yesterday, well...

On one hand I simply wasn't in the mood, not in the frame of mind for any socialising really. I am super-charged with negativity lately. Being stuck in a job role that you don't like and being forced to work with a system you don't concurred with will do that to you.

Ya ya, I know there are people losing their job and all that. I am not Grumpy Old Man for no reason, okay?

Anyway, throat raw from coughing ever since Chinese New Year and the fact that I can't finish a song without having to cough really does dampened my inclination to sing. What's the point going to a karaoke session if I do not intend to sing?

Let's not forget I am constantly tired nowadays. Probably the moon, probably the stress. Most likely both. State of lethargy. Just don't have the energy and interest for, well, anything.

Though, on the other hand it's a celebration for a friend's birthday. A friend who is close enough that I would feel bad missing the celebration. You know, a friend whom I care enough for.

I admit, I was undecided.

If I had left office immediately when I got out of the manufacturing floor, I would have made it in time. Only I have this habit of trying to clear at least all the e-mails in the 'last month' folder before ending the week. I am perpetually trying to catch up with my e-mails, *sigh*...   

So I stayed in my cubicle instead to clear my e-mails, and then a colleague came over to discuss work related stuff, and by the time we were done it's already 18:30 hours. Those who know me well enough will know that I don't like to be late, if I was going to be late I would at least give some heads up or notification. I could not have made it in time by then so that's it, I already told them I wasn't going anyway.

It's worth noting that for the first time this week, well, except Monday when I played badminton after work, I actually left work before 19:00 hours, woohoo!

As it turned out, traffic was surprisingly smooth for a Friday evening, I actually made good time and was nearing the location (it's on my home bound route) when I received that two phone calls.

That two phone calls, one after another, which I answered without hands-free in violation of traffic rules, when I was just about to pass the location, nailed it for me.

The timing more than anything convinced me it was meant to be.

Really, if the calls came five minutes later, I would not have been there. Because of that five minutes, I ended up in the karaoke lounge for six hours.

Life does not compute.