(The opening sentence for this story was suggested by Uma of One Grain Amongst the Storm. If you want to join in the fun of suggesting a future opening sentence for these stories, click here for a peek as to what’s what.)
One more time, he stood up and walked to the window. That was the trouble working in a busy office seven stories up with only one bathroom. At present, Dolores was probably in the bathroom applying yet another layer of makeup, or Gavin was there mesmerized by his muscles in the mirror. Bathrooms weren’t for any of that. Japendra wanted to pee. Looking at the street view from seven stories up might take his mind off what was fast becoming an urgent necessity.
There, way down in the street, a mother was comforting a toddler who had dropped an ice cream in the gutter. Japendra wanted to dash down and buy the kid another ice cream. The world is full of such hurts. In fact, he would like to buy every kid in the world an ice cream. But why stop there? Why not buy everyone in the world an ice cream? And there, not far from the mother, was a man looking through his wallet like he had lost a fortune. There! He’s found it! It’s just a bit of paper. Probably a grocery list of things to purchase on his way home that his wife had given him. Finding the list could well save him from divorce. And passing in the street, a dilapidated old car, putt-putting quite a bit of smoke from… Ah! but Dolores had just appeared exiting from the bathroom door…
Japendra didn’t want to overdo his haste. It was a busy office after all. People would notice. He wanted to appear nonchalant. He sauntered towards the door. Just as he arrived, Jock pushed past. “Gotta pee,” said Jock.
Japendra returned to his desk. One more time, he stood up and walked to the window.
Weave a Web 
Jalendra is too polite for his own good, or that of his bladder.
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There’s a medical person talking! I hope you noticed the reference to a shopping list in the story!
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That was such a delicate touch, BA. 🙂 I thank you.
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And, Japendra is also too polite … He is Jalendra’s twin brother, who sometimes goes into work for him.
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I taught him, but that was before he was a twin.
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You made me do a genuine belly laugh, for which I thank you.
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…and that, Japendra explained to a fuming manager and disgusted head of the janitorial staff, was exactly why the office ferns were dripping.
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I would think the office ferns would be dead…
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He has a balanced diet, with little asparagus.
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!
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Hah!
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I was out on a trip while Japendra was walking intermittently to the window trying to take his mind off his much tormented bladder only to be flooded by compassion for the woes of the planet as it goes about the sun. I congratulate you for the intimate stories you have spun by just standing at the window, not to mention his personal trauma —and it’s not the cup of tea of the average pen-pusher —and the excellent name you have picked up for the protagonist!
And a million thanks for the Ice Cream! Now if only I could find that slip of paper that contained a hastily scribbled ghazal rather than a list of groceries, I would add one more leaf to my fast fading sapling!
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Thanks for the comment and I’m glad you liked (licked) the ice cream. A grocery list in the form of a ghazal is a possibility is it not? The mention of a cup of tea was very cruel considering Japendra’s plight.
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There you go! You have got a mischievous chip in your Tinker.
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His bladder must be awesome!
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At least the pot plants were safe!
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