Reverse

As the days moved to the past, Chris checked on the calendar on his phone each night before he sleeps. There was not much going on in the month of November besides the usual meetings at work, and his recreational activities such as his regular baseball practice with his company’s team.

On the night of 16 November, Chris again looked up the calendar on his phone. He was staring at the phone for a while and sighed. The Bank of Sicara’s (BOS) baseball team was competing in the City of Sicara’s Amateur baseball league. Chris made a key mistake in the final match of the regular season. BOS Falcons lost that match and with it, a place in the playoffs. The team was placed 5th in the league table of 12 teams. The top 4 teams qualify for the playoffs for the championship. The playoffs began in November culminating in a grand final in December. Now that his team was not in the playoffs, he had no matches to play on Saturday evenings. He wondered if he could change that. Every day is not a new day. When midnight struck, the previous day began. Suddenly, an entry on 15 November in his calendar caught his eyes.

“Ah...yes. Dinner on the 15th with Viknesh and Tom at Lucky Town. Oh, nice orange chicken... and that girl. I want a date with her. What happened exactly on the 15th?”

Chris closed his eyes and pictured the things happening on the 15th. He ran through the day in his head, from the moment he woke up to the last moments he was on his bed.

The day at work was nothing different from the usual routine. Lunch at 12 and back to the office at 1 pm. The 3 men were to meet at 6 in the restaurant. Chris finished his work and head up to the restaurant.

Lucky Town is a no-frills Chinese restaurant by the river. Chris had been here a few times. It is always the orange chicken for him.

The 3 lads were seated and given the menu by a petite waitress in her 50s. “Just order orange chicken. Many people are coming. I give you a minute. Hurry up and make a decision. ” As she finished her words, she went off in her small hurried steps.

Viknesh: “Wow, she’s feisty. I don’t think there is customer service here. ” He laughed.

“It’s my first time here. I am not sure what to get. Chris?”

“Yeah?”

“What is good here?”

“Orange chicken. Eat it with rice. it’s the best combo.”

“hmm...”

The waitress was back. “Decided? Come, tell me your orders.”

Chris: “Orange chicken.”

Tom: “Kai-Lan Beef.”

Viknesh: “I’m still undecided...Hmm...”

The waitress: “There is no naan or Indian curry. Just order something, Indian boy.”

Viknesh: “Hey Aunty! Your service is terrible.”

The waitress: “You are so rude. You call me Aunty? If you want curry, go next door. You go eat that with Naan.”

Viknesh: “You just ruin my appetite.”

The manager heard the conversation and came quickly to the table.

“Sorry Gentleman, I will get someone else to take your order. ” He looked at the Aunty and said: “Just go. Table 7.”

Within a minute, another waitress came to the table and took the lads’ orders.

All 3 of them looked at her and at each other. Tom winked at Chris and said: “I’m taken.”

“Good for ya.” quipped Chris.

The waitress came to the table with the food. “Here you go. Orange chicken, Kai-Lan Beef, prawn balls, and 3 rice.”

The manager walked towards her and tapped her on the shoulder. “Sandy, What time are you knocking off?”

“7. Anything going on?”

“Nothing much. I am just checking who is doing the last shift. It’s alright. Everything’s settled.”

Chris looked at his watch and thought: “Sandy. 7 pm. ”

They were finishing their meals. Chris looked at his watch again and told them: “Guys, give me a few minutes, I am going out. I’ll settle the bill.”

Tom smiled and said: “Get the number.” Viknesh chipped in: “Seize the night.”

The 3 of them knew each other for years. They were university mates. They knew what each other fancy. Be it girls, cars, or careers.

Chris went out of the restaurant. He saw Sandy and hurried his steps. When he was within meters away from her, he stopped all of a sudden. An episode of a basketball player choked at the most crucial moment flashed across his mind. Now, he choked. Sandy was out of sight within seconds. The next moment, he saw her on the bus.

“The picture’s clear now. I see that I have choked. It’s really cool to look at myself from a quasi 3rd person perspective. So, tomorrow is the chance to reverse this.”

He went to bed with a clear purpose for the next day.

On the 15th of November, the day happened just as it has happened. The aunty was also the first who took their orders. The episode between Viknesh and her happened too.

They were finishing their meals. Chris looked at his watch again and told them: “Guys, give me a few minutes, I am going out. I’ll settle the bill.”

Tom smiled and said: “Get the number.” Viknesh chipped in: “Seize the night.”

The 3 of them knew each other for years. They were university mates. They knew what each other fancy. Be it girls, cars, or careers.

Chris went out of the restaurant. He saw Sandy at the bus stop and ran towards her.

“Sandy!”

“Do I know you?”

“Well, umm... I had dinner at Lucky Town and you took our orders”

“Sorry, the bus is here and I have to go. I have an appointment.”

“I’m smitten. Can I speak to you again?”

Sandy smiled and uttered her mobile number and board the bus. Chris managed to remember the number and keyed in the new contact.

“I hope the number’s real,” Chris muttered and returned to the restaurant for the bill.

Hours later, Chris dialed that number. It is really Sandy who picked it up. They chatted and Chirs managed to fix a date with her the following Sunday (24 November) at the museum.

On his bed, he thought: “Amazing, Paul’s invention is not a lifesaver but a life changer. I can use it for more than love.”