The Morning After

I am sleepy. I only got about 4 hours of sleep before waking up at 8am for work. I am trying to cut down on my caffeine but today, I just have to forget about it because I am in dire need of a black coffee. After 4 days of holidays, I don’t want to start the first day of work in the New Year will a puffy red eye and non productive day. It is not my fault but all this happen because the papers gave the wrong information.


According to the papers yesterday, at 3.55am today, one of the much awaited and biggest match of the season should be played, well for me it is. It was Manchester United Vs Arsenal at Highbury. As I don’t have Astro at my place and I have and a must for me to watch this game, I just have to go to one of the mamak around town to catch it. I mean, if it is United against Sunderland, I wouldn’t even bother to wake up and watch the game even if I do own Astro. Well, I would actually wake up and watch that game if I own Astro…hehehehe. Let me make it a little bit clearer. I would not wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth, and drive around Damansara at 3.45am till 4.45am to watch that game. Arsenal V United, missing that match was like having a date with Maya Karin and u stood her up because of work commitment.


So at 3.30am, I woke up after I forced myself to sleep at around 1am. I went straight to the window in my room to check if the kedai mamak kat depan my apartment were open. To my relief, it was and I quickly went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. No way I was taking a bath at 3.30am so powder and a bit of cheap perfume will do. I thought of wearing my bermuda shorts but I thought better of it. I decided to wear my jeans and my baju melayu.


At first I thought of walking je but it was 3.45am I am in no mood of walking, so I drove. There were three mamak that was still open. I decided to stop at the mamak that set up a big screen. There were a few other people and I took a strategic seat, just two tables from the screen. I was happy cos I can watch the game without distraction and also in comfort. I ordered myself a teh tarik and also roti canai. It was 3.50 and the game was about to start in about 5-10 minutes time. The screen was still showing the movie “Jeepers Creepers 2”. I guess they were just waiting for the game to start before they change the channel, I thought in my head. So I just sat and watched the movie with about 5-6 other guys. My order came and I checked my watch. Hmmm… it was 3.55am but they have yet to change the channel to ESPN. Maybe they will change it at 4.00am so I drank my teh tarik and enjoyed my roti canai. Both are hot and my whole body was thanking me for adding some heat.


10 minutes passed but I am still watching Jeepers Creepers 2 and the other patrons were enjoying the movie. I am getting restless. At the same time, I saw the waiters were cleaning up. Tables were folded, chairs were stacked up and the food was being cleared. Hey, what is going on? Dang, are they closing shop already? Just when the game was starting, they decided it was time to closed shop. Arghh….so I finished up my order and paid. I am getting out of here and look for another place. So like a mad man, at 4.15am, I was driving from Taman Tun to Uptown for the next 30 minutes looking for a mamak that opened and hopefully showing the game. To my frustration, none was. WWE was showing at one mamak while one was showing a Spanish telenovela. Arghhhh…they were not showing the game. I am gonna miss the game. So in frustration and despair I drove back to my apartment. It was almost 5am. I am tired, sleepy and feeling gloomy. I went to sleep straight away but before I doze off, I am still thinking of the reasons why they were not showing the game. The game being postponed or were the satellite connection not working were some of the reasons. I guess I will have to wait for later to know the reasons and also the result.


My alarm woke me up at 8am. I was contemplating of skipping work or maybe just apply for a half day leave cos I was sleepy and tired. 15 minutes after that I just forced myself up and took a cold shower, well, I don’t think I had a hot shower for ages. I got ready for work and when I was already inside the car, I realized that I forgotten to bring my socks along. Arghhh…so I have to go up to the 17th floor, opened the locked door and get the socks.


It was already 9am and as always, I will be listening to the news at 104.9fm. After the usual bad news about accidents and everything else comes the sports news. “Birmingham beat high flyers Wigan 2-0 to ease the relegation battle. Other EPL results are …………..”. Well, the Arsenal and United result must be the last one, I thought. “With Arsenal waiting for United tomorrow morning, Chelsea are 14 points ahead of their closest rival”


Guess, I’ll be having teh tarik and roti canai again at 4am again tomorrow.