Going Behind a Couple of Days

Having just got free from school’s online classes, I sat down on my desk for the next things on my to-do-list. As I chewed on an apple and scanned the bullet points I had made after my morning rituals, I nodded at the length of them. Self-study, online searches, a couple of write-ups, a tuition … and while I was thinking, my mind also wandered to the workshop I was going to attend soon. I had got a call for the workshop yesterday regarding my confirmation, and I remembered I would also need to check on the dates of this two-day workshop.

For a break, I clicked on the game icon on my phone’s screen, and sat back in a relaxed disposition for ten-minutes’ fun. As it started, the first thing I saw was the daily reward the game gave me. My gaze lingered two blocks ahead to the bonus reward I would get, but I would have to wait for that for two days.

I was suddenly reminded of a trick suggested by a school friend once. I went to phone settings and set the date to the next day’s. It did not work. I did not get tomorrow’s daily reward today. I tried once more but it was useless. It strengthened the cliché lesson I had been getting since childhood: you cannot get what you will whatsoever before its destined time.

Anyway, having played to satisfaction, I began with the works more important than mobile games, and when I next picked my head up, the sun had already gone behind the buildings visible from the window of my room.

I gave a glimpse to my to-do list and found that my productivity had not been laudable during my day, remaining distracted from time to time. I tried reasoning out the areas I was weak in and took notes of them, and then let out a cold sigh, of gratitude, of satisfaction.

Night fell and stars came out. I retired to the living room, typing an email I had to send by all means by tonight. As I finished it, I found some emails waiting to be checked in the inbox – it had been some time before I had visited my inbox. And there was surely an email about the workshop, with my very special ticket as an attachment. I looked at the dates and time, incidentally – September 19 and 20, 5 pm to 7 pm – and then swiped down to see today's date of which I was oblivious. September 20 flashed before my eyes.

My heart skipped a beat. And then another beat.

Along with those rapid beats which follow a severe mistake, dawned the realization. A regret. Of how much of a great opportunity I had missed. How much doors would the workshop have have opened up for me and my passion. How had I not realized that the day I had received the call – yesterday – had in fact been the first of the two days, and today the second!

I knew, alas, that my wish of the clock going two days back was futile in an era of no time travel, no time machine.

I composed myself and pacified my mind. And also made a tiny but true prayer of thanks and of strength and memory for future.

Just when my younger sister came with father’s phone, asking me something. Taking hold of the phone from her, I inadvertently looked at the date. September 18flashed before my eyes.

“I know something abut you, brother,” she whispered quietly in her childishly cunning way, “I know you had been playing games after your classes for more than half an hour. But I'm not sure if papa does too.”