A long day at work

A Long Day at Work

I remember him saying, that as long as we remember to live righteously we have nothing else to live for. Things and phrases like that, emerged from deep down his rusty throat every time we happened to meet. Reminds me of a whale on the sand gasping to reach the pale waters to be rejoined with life. For him that ‘sea’ was everything he could have ever wanted. That was the man and those where his friends, combined, like siamese brothers; sleep and death.

Then you’re walking down the street, early on a Monday morning, and suddenly you bump into a random guy named saliva; he explains that even if the coffee suddenly spills on your shirt while you are already late for work on the next day that comes after Sunday; that it did not happen by accident, not in a million. And that thought brings him to life, gives him the opportunity to stand. You recall him saying: ‘of all the things I have experienced in life, the only thing that allows you to feel alive is faith and faith alone, but never luck’. And just because you are too preoccupied to pay attention to him, you ignore and proceed to your ‘destination’; you forgot that the strangest things happen at the most unusual moments, and the signs are all over you.

So because of your ignorance, Saliva finds you again and packs you in a box; he sends you away. After some time, when you are awake, you emerge with passion from the bonds, and out you are from the shell. You find yourself in a little fishing boat. You look around and all you see is the endless sea and nothing but that. The small boat has no engine, no supplies, no nothing, just a tiger exactly across the other end of the fishing boat, staring right back at you. Then you remember one of your other friends, fear, the unforgettable life time partner. So while time passes by slow and steady, the only thing that circles your mind is the power of a full grown orange and black stripped jungle tiger that sits right across you silent and proud. You can feel the fear all over your spine, and you shiver like a new born child, when it leaves the warm womb of his mother. After a while you are still there surrounded by thoughts, you remember your brother…death! You remind yourself that as time goes by, the tiger gets more and more hungry, and there’s nothing you can give her to eat. You look pale and lost, you stare right into the tigers eyes, not knowing what’s going to happen in the next five or ten minutes, but then suddenly it gets dark. You lift your head up to look at the sky and with a pale look you salute the night, the stars, and the moon. The tiger doesn’t seem to look tired so I guess that keeps you awake, but for how long that is? Then you quietly sit yourself down, nice and slow avoiding making too much noise in-case the tiger gets crossed. In time you find out that if the tiger doesn’t sleep, you don’t sleep, although I guess sooner or later one of the two sides has to make the first move, and eventually that first move is made by you; eyes closing… But a moment later, they are wide open again; you’re in a zone, finding it hard to escape. The tiger is bold, and strong, on the other hand, you are scared and hopeless; not knowing what to do.

Days went on like that, with your eyes wide open staring at the beast, not able to function properly; you’re starting to fade. You feel like you can’t take it any longer, you’re loosing it, you have to sleep or else you will cause your self to die before the tiger eats you. The tiger breathes slowly and sometimes she opens her mouth wide, exposing her big crystal white sharp teeth; things like that make you paranoid, but eventually after some time you give up. You think that: ‘if I sleep maybe then I will be able to figure something out, but if I don’t I might cause myself a serious damage’. On the other hand though, 'if i try and stay awake and the tiger sleeps, i wouldn’t know how to kill her to get some food'. Soon somebody is going to get hungry, it’s just a matter of time basically, and you have nothing to use against a great tiger like the one you are looking at right now, who is just a few steps away from you. Eventually you fall asleep but the tiger is still there. After sixteen hours, a great sound manages to wake you up; a sound of a big wave…

After that you find yourself scattered all over the ocean, swimming and pushing hard to stay on the surface. Eventually you manage to turn the boat and with struggle you get back on it. You look around almost hysterically, as shocked as a nerd, who failed his final exam. In your shock you realise that you are no longer with company; you are all alone. Panicked as you are, you look at the sea, because you are so curious about what’s going to happen; where was the beast? Suddenly you hear the water gashing. The tiger swam close to the little boat in need. But you didn’t know what to do, nor what to decide. The tiger needs your help or else she will drown, and you think; ‘if I help her survive, I’m at the same time helping my self live, but if I let her drown I also put my life in danger because I’ll have nothing to eat’ So in all that enthusiasm i decided to give her a hand. You are no longer alone; you are as before, as if nothing ever changed. ‘-How strange, you think as you stare back in those circled eyes. She is back in your boat, and brought all your ‘friends’ back; you know the fear of night, the fear of sleep and not waking up, the fear of insecurity and desperation, that hole inside your soul.

The tiger opened her mouth and words came out; big words…as deep as the ocean, as far as the stars live. She spoke; -All this time of wasted energy, and all this separation between us is like a razor blade cutting through your veins, I could feel your fear surfing through your spine reaching your guts. You thought that you were awake but you where dreaming. You broke the bonds, you’ve helped me live. So because you are brave I will spare you for you spared me, and I need you, as much as you need me. I’ve been watching you day by day, melting like a candle slow and rhythmical, so soft. I’ve been your fear and your misery; I’ve even represented death didn’t I? Said the tiger right before she turned into that lovely background wallpaper on your personal computer screen.

You realise that you had that wallpaper of the tiger for far too long. You realise that nothing is real anymore. You run looking for saliva where you last met him right outside your office but there is no one there. You look at the clock on the front wall of your luxurious office which is decorated by empty beer cans scattered on the table and some on the floor, a cigarette bud between your fingers, and some ash on the table. Your eyes like flames, are you still dreaming? Are you still here? said the voice of the cleaning lady. It’s almost midnight, and everyone is gone, you really should get going, maybe tomorrow you will remember saliva as you cruise through life and perhaps pay attention for a moment or two. It’s late you should probably get back on the boat…


harris potamitis