The Jedi Under the Microscope

As I pass by the brightly lit hallways of the the humid sweat box that is our precinct, I have felt the watchful eye of the general public shifted to my direction. Those sly glances and some unapproving stares greet me with but a hint of disbelief and to some level, disgust.

It is unnerving for a stalker in the shadows to be suddenly caught by a huge beaming light of attention. It means he's doing his job poorly. It suddenly dawned on me that the subject of whispers and private conversations are none other than yours truly. Surprised? Needless to say, yes. I've always thought that I have established my character as a person not worthy of mention or intrigue. It seems I have failed in this endeavor.

To what purpose do these conversations serve? A rumor. A poorly constructed story based entirely of loosely arranged events that have occurred within the week or so. Pathetic that these people have nothing important to do. I must say, it clearly reflects the lack of excitement or even movement in their lives that they must concoct a vivid scene about me. I've always thought that, to imagine me in your sub-conscious state, you must've really hit rock bottom in so many depths and levels. I had to gasp in disbelief as my source reveals it to me.

Oh well, the jedi have been under scrutiny before. If they find this to be a time-worthy event, let them waste it on me. As for myself and my friend, we will shrug it off never knowing what stark-raving madness drove them to this conclusion.

Conversations with a Fool

I spoke with a fool the other day, here's how our conversation went:

She wants her power to be setup under her name and she'll call back with the address in a week. I told her, we connect the power to the house, not to her.
She complained about why her bill is so high when every appliance in her house is run by electricity. I told her if her house was running on gas, she would be calling someone else.
She cries foul when she receives a disconnection notice when she hasn't paid her bill for over a month. I told her that it's just a reminder that we're not giving her power as an act of charity.
She doesn't appreciates it when she gets late fees when she was just a day late. I told her if I paid her late on a debt I owed her, she wouldn't appreciate it either.
She demands to know why we can't give her an extension. I told her she failed to comply with the last one and the other before that when she begged from a supervisor.
She gets furious when her power gets disconnected when she made partial payment on it a couple of weeks ago. I told her a past due is a past due, regardless of the amount. Read the notice, we sent it for a reason.
She claims she wasn't informed of fees. I told her to read her notices, we sent it for a reason.
She wants her power reconnected as soon as possible because she's got asthma and she's on a breathing machine. I told her a nebulizer is not a breathing machine.
Finally she doesnt want my service anymore. I told her I would miss our conversations. Goodbye.

Bounded

In the swirling brew of talent mixed in sea of voices bottled in a fish tank that is my job, I have come to unearth a truth that has escaped my notice. The peers I have come to call my friends are actually masters of their own art who have become bounded by this work.

A shark that wields the pen and brush as if the images come to life from her mind.
A catfish that can design a queen’s wardrobe to be envied in the catwalks.
A vampire that creates a world with her stories and imagination.
A gangster who moves like the wind driving to the hoop.
The china man who can earn from any trade.
The veteran tough guy who is a scholar of the law. A Spanish man who learned the ways of love and seduction.
An apothecary who knows the secret of poisons and medicines (stop patronizing yourself!).

These are just one of the few jewels I have found in a workplace driven by the sound of the task master's whip. Beasts of burden condemned helping a race of feeble-minded fools pretending to be a superior being. Their thoughts and actions shackled by rules that a fool deems fair and just.

Who shall wield such talent to good use?

Is the shark fated to use her skill only to post billboards? Is the catfish predestined to show her work only to aging maids? Is the vampire damned to explore her imagination only during avail time?

No! Someone should stop the travesty!

Unlike SBRK's (spoiled brat, rich kids) however, we cannot change jobs to pursue an uncertain path. Bills are certain as death and taxes and this job takes care of it. A lowly apothecary such as I can only dream of a compensation such as this in my profession (at least in this country).

For the meantime, call me a willing captive. I shall have my dues.
I shall rise like a phoenix from the.... (Oops) "Thank you for calling ..., this is Ashley. How may I assist you?"