The Mundane Journal Entries of an Ordinary Person

Season: Summer

Weather: Hot, I guess. I don't know. I didn't go outside or even look out a window all day.

Day of the week: Thursday

Date: 25th January, 2024

It's been an eventful start to the year, don't you think?

This morning, I woke with a start, walking into doors and walls, trying to find the bathroom in this unfamiliar place. It took me some time to realise I wasn't at home, panic and then get over my panic while I remembered where I was. After having trouble sleeping last night due to my stomachache, I fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning. Most likely around the time I was meant to wake up. So I wasn't really awake.

I think I woke up whoever else was sleeping in the other bedrooms because I heard sleepy voices and murmurs. Somebody found me walking into the walls and doors and guided me to the bathroom upon realising what I was looking for.

"I don't think she's awake," somebody said.

Duh.

"Is she sleep walking?" somebody else asked.

"I don't think so."

I definitely wasn't. I just wasn't feeling quite with it and somewhat dizzy. Even so, I had to hurry to get ready and leave for work.

Someone protected me from walking into the door post and guided me into the bathroom, leaving me by the toilet.

"Do you think she's going to be alright on her own in there?"

"Should be fine."

"Makes you wonder how she survives living alone in her own home."

I'm not that stupid, you dummy.

I thought that but after using the toilet, briefly washing my face and brushing my teeth, I still walked into the wall and the door post on the way out.

Someone led me back into my bedroom and found my mobile phone.

"Who do you call to call in sick to your cleaning job?"

Obediently, I swiped through my contacts list and pointed out the name. The hand took my phone from me and dialled the number, while trying to force me back into bed.

"I have to get ready for work," I protested.

"You're in no shape to work like this," I was told. In the next moment, I was picked up, dumped on the bed, rolled up in the blanket into a log and held down onto the bed while I struggled.

"Hello, I'm calling on behalf of Jane Brown. She isn't well and so will not be coming into work today or tomorrow. I'm sorry for the late notice. I'm sorry if you can't find a replacement but she's really not in any condition to go in to work today. I'm sorry? Fired? Why would you fire - hello?"

"I told you I need to go to work," I mumbled, trying to break free from the quilted roll I was in. "Did you just get me fired? What's a little dizziness in the mornings? What am I supposed to do if I don't..."

A hand was placed over my mouth and dark, stern eyes looked into mine. It took me a while to recognise this male stranger sitting on the edge of my bed and preventing me from going anywhere.

"Mr Duin, when did you get here? How did you get in? What are you doing here?"

"Miss Brown?"

"Hmm?"

"You aren't well. Go back to sleep."

"But I have to get up and go to work."

"Not anymore you don't," the man frowned at me. "You just got fired."

"I'll get the job back. He'll only cut 5% from my pay. I need the..."

My mouth was covered again and an eye mask from the bedside was roughly placed over my eyes. I was rolled over onto my side and my back was patted.

"Miss Brown, don't worry. Just rest up. Go back to sleep. Everything will be sorted out when you wake up. Be a good girl now."

I fell back asleep to the feeling of my back being patted. It reminded me of when I was a toddler and how my parents used to pat me to sleep.

The smell of food woke me later and I followed the scent to the long dining table. THE biggest boss of all was there with Anthony Duin, scaring me so much that I tripped on my foot, stumbled forwards, got my toe stuck in the carpet and face planted into a pot plant.

Anthony Duin pulled me back out of the pot plant and helped me upright but my legs had gone weak with fright. They would no longer take my weight.

After the day's greetings, I sat with great trepidation at the table on the edge of my seat. I was shaking so much that eggs slid off my spoon and my beans jumped back out onto my plate. My toast smeared itself all over my cheek and my porridge surprise attacked me.

THE biggest boss of all left the table soon after, probably disgusted by me and my poor ability to feed myself. I couldn't help panicking. He was the fire breathing biggest boss of all the bosses in the corporate umbrella. In short, he was the owner of the corporation.

"He wasn't disgusted or embarrassed by you," Anthony Duin said with a sigh, helping me to clean half my face with a wet wipe while I cleaned the other side. "His feelings got hurt."

"His feelings got hurt?" I paused with incredulous surprise. "How? Why? What did I do? I didn't mean to."

"He's hurt that one of his employees would be scared out of her wits by him. He's a very good man with a soft and warm heart inside. Outside, when he's working, he seems cold and unapproachable because he's busy. But he really wants to be able to get along with all his employees if possible. He climbed his way up to where he is from his humble beginnings working on the floor, see."

"Oh," was all I could say, feeling much too awkward.

I couldn't get much breakfast down. My stomach started hurting again and so I went back to bed.

Later, after waking up, I started writing here. When I'm done, I'll go back to sleep again some more.