Kiki Series 3

Kiki is a weekly series. Click for Episode 02

I woke up at 6am. I had managed to get enough sleep after a couple of sleepless nights.

It had been a long week. Half of the entire staff of Pleasure fm had been laid off. Workload had increased as most of the staff had to work under two different departments. For me, not much had changed except that the work environment had gotten somewhat hostile. The station manager had gotten grumpier, demanding more efficiency from fewer staff. Workers are always under so much pressure. Not the usual work pressure; unhealthy pressure, fear induced pressure, and just like that, work had lost its substance. Just another means to get by.  

I no longer had a safe place.

I left the studio and headed towards the Konami games. This would be the most fun I have had since my aunt’s birthday last week. I went with Tony but ditched him as soon as I saw my friends. He didn't mind though. He had planned to link up with friends himself.

I sat in between Rachael and Ada. We were a total mismatch. Rachael is very loveable, she had that gentle charming smile. I never trusted that smile though. Over the years, I have come to know that I was right not to. Ada on the other hand, is more outspoken. She is a bit of a wild child and you can tell just by her appearance. Me, I’m generally put together, which is why, I was absolutely calm when Toju Thomas slid over to say hello.  He came to introduce himself. He was rather confident, as an actor, he has to be and the fact that he knew we knew him probably helped. We talked for a bit. He would go on to play a significant role in my life, I didn’t know yet. But Toju wasn’t the highlight of the evening. The evening turned around when Israel, a famous ‘social media activist’ voiced out his controversial ‘concern’ about these “so called charity events” and how they have turned out to be mere social events. He said “we come here and have fun and claim to be doing something for charity, how many of us actually follow up on what happens after the games?”.

This was Israel’s super power. He had these regular dramatic outbursts. It was how he got attention and lately he’s been getting too much of it but I guess he had a point and I felt a pinch of guilt. Unlike Israel, I did not expect everyone to feel that way. There’s nothing wrong with having fun at a charity event, it’s up to the organizers to ensure they use the funds appropriately. When I was younger, I felt that the world could never have too many humanitarians. I managed to convince myself that it wasn’t for everyone, it’s just not for me. I mean, I am a good person, I’m nice to people, charity is just not my thing.

The girls were so thankful for the weekend. I could understand. Of course I worked on Saturdays too but my hours are flexible so I can’t complain. But whether you have to work or not, weekend is generally the time to unwind. Half of the time though, my mind wandered, this past week had made me so aware of the fact that we had so little control over our lives. I thought of my co-workers who had been laid off without prior notice, no warning whatsoever and those of us who remained, the ones that are constantly in fear. And me, yes me, I feel so empty.  

I have to find a new safe place.

…………. To be continued………....

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