A WAKEUP call you’re desperately, in need of, and thankfully you, took it! Translated…
My neighbor traveled to Alishan, brought back some foods as gifts to me. As we were chatting, she’d noted how the clock in my living room was ten-minutes faster than her own watch, she’d reminded me of it. “That was intentional!”, this surprised her, she’d started inquiring why.
Before I was married, I was a commuter who’d never been late to work, after I married, my husband’s home was closer to my work, which made me sleep in more, I’d not gone out the moment before work started; by the time I arrive, I’d either, chased down the sign-in, or, begged my superiors to allow me to clock myself in on time, and I’d become, “the woman who lives closest to work, but is always late”.
Later on, we’d moved, and it took me at least twenty-minutes by ride to get to work, but, I still, can’t change my own habits of sleeping in, and I’d, always thought, that I’ll just, ride a little above the speed limit and I’ll get there on time. Back then, as I was riding too fast, I’d, crashed, and injured myself. I was rushed to the hospital, by the calls of a bystander, back then, I had abrasions on both legs, my left ear bled internally, got seven stitches on my chin, stayed overnight at the hospital, then I was, released.
But, I’d, forgotten the injuries, and the pains, as I’d healed, I’d, become, this, wild mustang again, even as I was five-months pregnant, I’d still, fought for my path, speeding too fast. Once, to rush to a meeting, the yellow light came on at an intersection, I thought that the cab ahead was going to, run it, I’d, sped up as well. The next thing I knew, the cab driver slammed on the brakes, and I, crashed, into the cab’s tail. The driver came out, saw a pregnant lady, under a scooter, he was so thrilled, kept asking me, “are you all right?” insisted on lifting me to the hospital. I’d checked myself, not a scratch on me, and, I’d only, dented my own rear view; I’d started up my own engine, readied myself to leave. The driver caught up to me, rolled down the windows, called out to me, “Miss, don’t ride so fast, think of the baby you’re carrying.”
always, running, late
His words were like, this wakeup call I’d, desperately needed, and, awakened me out of the spells of, “I can’t be late”. That very day as I got home, I’d, made up my mind, decided to change this bad behavior of me, rushing, knowing that Lady Luck will NOT always be by my side, and, turned the clocks in my house, ten minutes faster, and since, I’d, gotten out early, became, insulated completely with my own former months of, tardiness.
As my neighbor finished hearing, felt, that it’d been so many years since, that there is no need for me to, turn the dial to ten-minutes ahead, is there? But those words of warning from that cabdriver still rang, in my ears, and he’d not come and claim the fees it took for him to fix up his cab yet; ten minutes ahead, the warnings are, worth, way more than its, real meaning, how can I, forget it?
And so, thanks to this cabdriver, who’d given you that needed, wakeup call, and, thankfully, you’d, taken his words too, to head out early, and, by adjusting that dial on your household clocks ten minutes faster, it ensured you that you won’t be late, that you will head out early, and, you won’t rush like you needed to from when you were younger.