The Usual Disclaimer: This post is a work of fiction. All Places and Characters in this post are fictitious and bear no resemblance to any place on the map of this world or any person dead or alive.
The CatCity Journal [20/12/2012]
09:30 Hours
"Wake Up, it's 8 hours", "Wake Up, it's 8 hours", "Wake Up, it's 8 hours", "Wake Up, it's 8 hours" .. There goes the alarm again.
Time to get up from bed and get going with yet another day of my life.
By the way readers, if you haven't guessed it yet, this journal entry is of one good old day of my life, that I spent in the CatCity.
Zhaaap!!
I slam the alarm clock to stop that irritating monkey voice shouting "Wake up".
And why is it irritating?? Because I chose it to be so.
My take on alarm clocks - their effectiveness is directly proportional to their "irritation-and-annoyance" value!!
And why do I have such an alarm??
Well, if I sleep for more than 9 hours, the National Lifestyle Agency would fine me for 30 Bucks!!
09:35 Hours
I slam my room door and start walking towards the kitchen.
All other rooms in house are still locked. All those folks have evening shifts this week, so they get to sleep until late. Lucky buggers!!
I start getting ready for the office, while the Gal next door is still dreaming in her bed!!
10:00 Hours
I get the bread and jam out of kitchen cabinet to have my breakfast.
Still thinking of "the gal", are we??
Grow up people, she is just another house-mate in this apartment-turned-into-dormitory.
Don't know when the government will start building smaller houses here, a house with one room or two, which even an average earning person like me can afford to buy or rent, as a whole unit!!
And which will give me some privacy in my life!!
I mean, imagine me bringing home a girl on a Friday night, while the house is full of complete strangers staring at us!!
What an embarrassment!!
And then they publish stats and complain that people are not getting married or married people are not making babies!!
When everybody knows that the smallest sound in his/her room gets heard by 4 complete strangers sharing the same house, how are people expected to "make babies"?
You got have some privacy for that!!
Wake up, National Family Agency!!
It's not just the inflation which is putting you out of business, it's also the race between National Housing Agency and the private builders to build bigger and bigger apartment blocks in this city.
So, don't just throw tax concessions to those with babies, throw some questions to your peers as well!!
10:05 Hours
"Pick up - it's the boss, Pick up - it's the boss, Pick up ... "
My cell phone starts ringing. It's the boss calling.
I attend the call and damn!!
The surprise fire drill in my office has just started and I need to be there [at the assembly point] to sign this attendance sheet before 10:30.
There is no way I can walk to the Metro station and get there by Train in 25 minutes!!
But then, if I don't go now, as per the mandate from National Disaster-Recovery Agency, I would have to attend the common evacuation drill at Oyster Bay next month!!
They say last year, about thirty thousand people attended this - and people were standing in queue for more than 6 hours to just sign up the attendance sheet!!
6 hours - That's almost the same amount of time, we stand in EXHIB every quarter - to get some stuff at a dirt cheap price!!
I mean, If we are getting something worth 1000 bucks at just 100, why not stand in the queue??
But to stand for signing some sheet, that too because, if we don't sign it, the National Disaster-Recovery Agency would fine us 100 bucks!!
This feeling itself is so much exhausting!!
so, I need to take the "Taxi"!!
There goes my weekend drinks money in fire [drill] :-(
10:10 Hours
I get into the elevator and press 1.
As usual, the elevator has a couple of garbage bags thrown in.
Not sure when the National Environment Agency is going to convince the National Housing Agency in installing close circuit cameras in the elevators - so that just as they fine people for making their houses dirty, they can also fine the culprits throwing garbage in the elevators.
10:15 hours
Finally a Taxi is available.
As soon as he stops, the taxi driver asks me for my ID card.
I give him my green card. He makes a familiar face.
It is the same face I see on some hospital cashier, or some Doctor's receptionist, or some Insurance agent, or some Recruitment executive.
A face which says, here comes another one to rip himself off a huge amount!!
As I sit myself in the Taxi, the Taxi driver keys-in my ID in the taxi-meter, the meter starts at 20 bucks.
For passing time, I start reading the rates card.
Base Fare
Cat-citizen: 10 Bucks
Cat-resident: 15 bucks
Foreigner: 20 Bucks
It's the same case everywhere, unless you are a cat-citizen you have to pay heavily for everything from a doctor to an insurance.
I know the cat-citizens deserve a breather in prices, at least for basic living expenses like medical treatment, but then why is it that the "City of Equality" has to charge the foreigners heavily??
I keep reading further.
Additional 5 Bucks for traffic hours: Morning 8:30 AM till 11 AM, Evening 5 PM till 9 PM.
Even while I am reading this, there comes the first red traffic light.
Ting!!
The meter adds up 2 bucks for the signal.
There are 5 traffic signals from my house till office, which means I end up paying up to 10 bucks more just for every red light that the Taxi stops at!!
Finally the Taxi reaches office.I pay 38 Bucks for reaching to the fire drill, still a better deal than paying a fine of 100 bucks, I think.
But then, it has ruined my weekend anyways.
I could have got myself 2 beers in the same amount.
YES, I KNOW its too much money for just 2 beers!!
You know what, we don't drink much around here, not because we want to drink less, but because we cannot afford to do so.
And if we feel like drinking more... we just drive our ways to the neighboring country for the weekends.
20:15 Hours
After attending the fire drill and completing my shift, I start back.
when I reach the metro station, a train to Einstein [my station] has just left the platform.
As I start walking towards my regular spot, there it goes again.
"Eating and drinking is not allowed in stations and on trains ... "
An announcement which then repeats in 10 different languages - the beacon of communal harmony!!
After all these months of stay in this city, I am still trying to figure out when the 6th language ends and 7th language begins :-)
I go and stand behind one of the yellow lines marked to enter each of the train doors.
And then, it happens again!!
There are 2 yellow lines on the sides of each spot marked for train doors and the passengers who wish to enter the train should ideally be standing behind these lines.
And then there is a straight big arrow pointing opposite to the direction of train, which indicates that the space is supposed to be for passengers coming out of the train.
But then, like many other times, A fat lady in her forties comes rushing in and stands right on the arrow.
Within split of a second, there comes a funky looking guy in his twenties and he stands right next to her - on the big arrow which is pointing in the exactly opposite direction to what they are about to enter!!
I mean, people can't you see and understand the meaning of this arrow??
People here boast of so many things good and half of them are the ones, which are forced by fines and local laws, but can't the same people show some courtesy to other fellow travelers trying to alight from trains and give them some space to come out??
And then on that day, it struck me!! and my mind was clear!!
I think now I know, why these people are standing on that big arrow!!
They are standing there because it is the only thing for which there is no fine imposed by any local agencies!!
They are standing there because they want to express themselves!!
They are standing there and saying, we are not just the puppets of local agencies!!
And we will act and do different at the first chance we get!!
It's the basic human instinct - to rebel and reveal and these people are just standing up for themselves, wherever they can, whenever they can!!
They are just displaying that they have instincts, that they are not just cat-citizens, but they are humans too!!
I know that's too deep a revelation!! But then it made my day anyways!!
24:30 Hours
I reach my house and after finishing with my jogging and eating and chatting with friends, it's about time to sleep for the rest of the night.
Today, I have lost some money, and I have found a thought.
Not a bad day to have another journal entry!!
The CatCity Journal [20/12/2012]
09:30 Hours
"Wake Up, it's 8 hours", "Wake Up, it's 8 hours", "Wake Up, it's 8 hours", "Wake Up, it's 8 hours" .. There goes the alarm again.
Time to get up from bed and get going with yet another day of my life.
By the way readers, if you haven't guessed it yet, this journal entry is of one good old day of my life, that I spent in the CatCity.
Zhaaap!!
I slam the alarm clock to stop that irritating monkey voice shouting "Wake up".
And why is it irritating?? Because I chose it to be so.
My take on alarm clocks - their effectiveness is directly proportional to their "irritation-and-annoyance" value!!
And why do I have such an alarm??
Well, if I sleep for more than 9 hours, the National Lifestyle Agency would fine me for 30 Bucks!!
09:35 Hours
I slam my room door and start walking towards the kitchen.
All other rooms in house are still locked. All those folks have evening shifts this week, so they get to sleep until late. Lucky buggers!!
I start getting ready for the office, while the Gal next door is still dreaming in her bed!!
10:00 Hours
I get the bread and jam out of kitchen cabinet to have my breakfast.
Still thinking of "the gal", are we??
Grow up people, she is just another house-mate in this apartment-turned-into-dormitory.
Don't know when the government will start building smaller houses here, a house with one room or two, which even an average earning person like me can afford to buy or rent, as a whole unit!!
And which will give me some privacy in my life!!
I mean, imagine me bringing home a girl on a Friday night, while the house is full of complete strangers staring at us!!
What an embarrassment!!
And then they publish stats and complain that people are not getting married or married people are not making babies!!
When everybody knows that the smallest sound in his/her room gets heard by 4 complete strangers sharing the same house, how are people expected to "make babies"?
You got have some privacy for that!!
Wake up, National Family Agency!!
It's not just the inflation which is putting you out of business, it's also the race between National Housing Agency and the private builders to build bigger and bigger apartment blocks in this city.
So, don't just throw tax concessions to those with babies, throw some questions to your peers as well!!
10:05 Hours
"Pick up - it's the boss, Pick up - it's the boss, Pick up ... "
My cell phone starts ringing. It's the boss calling.
I attend the call and damn!!
The surprise fire drill in my office has just started and I need to be there [at the assembly point] to sign this attendance sheet before 10:30.
There is no way I can walk to the Metro station and get there by Train in 25 minutes!!
But then, if I don't go now, as per the mandate from National Disaster-Recovery Agency, I would have to attend the common evacuation drill at Oyster Bay next month!!
They say last year, about thirty thousand people attended this - and people were standing in queue for more than 6 hours to just sign up the attendance sheet!!
6 hours - That's almost the same amount of time, we stand in EXHIB every quarter - to get some stuff at a dirt cheap price!!
I mean, If we are getting something worth 1000 bucks at just 100, why not stand in the queue??
But to stand for signing some sheet, that too because, if we don't sign it, the National Disaster-Recovery Agency would fine us 100 bucks!!
This feeling itself is so much exhausting!!
so, I need to take the "Taxi"!!
There goes my weekend drinks money in fire [drill] :-(
10:10 Hours
I get into the elevator and press 1.
As usual, the elevator has a couple of garbage bags thrown in.
Not sure when the National Environment Agency is going to convince the National Housing Agency in installing close circuit cameras in the elevators - so that just as they fine people for making their houses dirty, they can also fine the culprits throwing garbage in the elevators.
10:15 hours
Finally a Taxi is available.
As soon as he stops, the taxi driver asks me for my ID card.
I give him my green card. He makes a familiar face.
It is the same face I see on some hospital cashier, or some Doctor's receptionist, or some Insurance agent, or some Recruitment executive.
A face which says, here comes another one to rip himself off a huge amount!!
As I sit myself in the Taxi, the Taxi driver keys-in my ID in the taxi-meter, the meter starts at 20 bucks.
For passing time, I start reading the rates card.
Base Fare
Cat-citizen: 10 Bucks
Cat-resident: 15 bucks
Foreigner: 20 Bucks
It's the same case everywhere, unless you are a cat-citizen you have to pay heavily for everything from a doctor to an insurance.
I know the cat-citizens deserve a breather in prices, at least for basic living expenses like medical treatment, but then why is it that the "City of Equality" has to charge the foreigners heavily??
I keep reading further.
Additional 5 Bucks for traffic hours: Morning 8:30 AM till 11 AM, Evening 5 PM till 9 PM.
Even while I am reading this, there comes the first red traffic light.
Ting!!
The meter adds up 2 bucks for the signal.
There are 5 traffic signals from my house till office, which means I end up paying up to 10 bucks more just for every red light that the Taxi stops at!!
Finally the Taxi reaches office.I pay 38 Bucks for reaching to the fire drill, still a better deal than paying a fine of 100 bucks, I think.
But then, it has ruined my weekend anyways.
I could have got myself 2 beers in the same amount.
YES, I KNOW its too much money for just 2 beers!!
You know what, we don't drink much around here, not because we want to drink less, but because we cannot afford to do so.
And if we feel like drinking more... we just drive our ways to the neighboring country for the weekends.
20:15 Hours
After attending the fire drill and completing my shift, I start back.
when I reach the metro station, a train to Einstein [my station] has just left the platform.
As I start walking towards my regular spot, there it goes again.
"Eating and drinking is not allowed in stations and on trains ... "
An announcement which then repeats in 10 different languages - the beacon of communal harmony!!
After all these months of stay in this city, I am still trying to figure out when the 6th language ends and 7th language begins :-)
I go and stand behind one of the yellow lines marked to enter each of the train doors.
And then, it happens again!!
There are 2 yellow lines on the sides of each spot marked for train doors and the passengers who wish to enter the train should ideally be standing behind these lines.
And then there is a straight big arrow pointing opposite to the direction of train, which indicates that the space is supposed to be for passengers coming out of the train.
But then, like many other times, A fat lady in her forties comes rushing in and stands right on the arrow.
Within split of a second, there comes a funky looking guy in his twenties and he stands right next to her - on the big arrow which is pointing in the exactly opposite direction to what they are about to enter!!
I mean, people can't you see and understand the meaning of this arrow??
People here boast of so many things good and half of them are the ones, which are forced by fines and local laws, but can't the same people show some courtesy to other fellow travelers trying to alight from trains and give them some space to come out??
And then on that day, it struck me!! and my mind was clear!!
I think now I know, why these people are standing on that big arrow!!
They are standing there because it is the only thing for which there is no fine imposed by any local agencies!!
They are standing there because they want to express themselves!!
They are standing there and saying, we are not just the puppets of local agencies!!
And we will act and do different at the first chance we get!!
It's the basic human instinct - to rebel and reveal and these people are just standing up for themselves, wherever they can, whenever they can!!
They are just displaying that they have instincts, that they are not just cat-citizens, but they are humans too!!
I know that's too deep a revelation!! But then it made my day anyways!!
24:30 Hours
I reach my house and after finishing with my jogging and eating and chatting with friends, it's about time to sleep for the rest of the night.
Today, I have lost some money, and I have found a thought.
Not a bad day to have another journal entry!!
