My Umbrella Angel

Reaching the Exit A opening at the Tanjong Pagar MRT station this morning, I peered up into the ash-grey sky anxiously. Great, it’s hardly drizzling. I THINK I can make it to office without getting too wet. After all, it's just a seven minute walk across a road and an open field, and another road, pass a building, then another road, then another building, and another road, and another field, and another road. It shouldn't take that long. Surely the storm clouds can rein in the impatient rain for just a few more minutes?

Apparently, the clouds had a slightly different idea from me.

As I hurried along, head bent with one hand shielding my face and the other clutching my bag in a vain attempt to keep it dry, the raindrops began to fall bigger. Faster. Heavier.

Oh, and did you ever notice that once people are under the safety of their own little umbrellas, they tend to forget that there are some less lucky people behind them who DON'T have umbrellas (or da tous, for that matter) and instead crawl along at a speed that matches a snail's pace? On both sides of the walkway, for that matter. And with music blasting in their headphones so that they cannot hear you when you say "Excuse me." If you haven't noticed, then you might like to try walking to work without an umbrella for one rainy day. Personal experience is a wonderful eye-opener.

So thanks to the gradually intensifying rain and slow-moving TGIF people, I've finally reached the temporary shelter of the first building I need to walk through with hair dripping, clothes damp, and sandals drenched from puddles I couldn't avoid. Should I brave the rain for the second half of the stretch since I'm already pretty much dowsed with it, or shall I wait it out until it lessens again (if and when it does)?

The second option looked WAY more attractive somehow.

Sigh. I hate having to be late for work, rain or no rain. Standing at the walkway side, staring out forlornly at the rain happily pouring down, thinking of all the things I need to do/could be doing in office right this minute if not for the RAIN...

Out of the corner of my eye, someone holding a big black umbrella strode past, almost about to step out into the rain, when he suddenly turned to look back at me with a "Hey!"

It was my sales colleague. With an umbrella big enough to share. God-sent.

As we walked the remaining stretch to office, he told me that he usually walked by the other way, the along-the-main-road route on the left. But for some strange reason, he decided to come by this way this morning instead, he didn't know why.

I knew why.

Coz sometimes God sends angels to visit us, just when we need them. In the form of our friends. Holding an umbrella. On a rainy day.

It made a perfect start to an imperfect day. Thanks, Shawn.(:

**She jumped in her seat once during Law-Abiding Citizens earlier, even though she knew a shocker scene was coming. A good movie with an intriguing plot, but certainly not for the faint-hearted...!**