Hop-On Hop-Off

Ein.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Sue couldn't figure out what really happened with the tenant who had temporarily moved into the apartment above hers. And although she admitted that he wasn't the most pleasant to deal with, who could've so brutally assaulted let alone thought of using pitbulls to kill him?

Mystery thriller felt right with just a sprinkle of romance in it when the idea first struck to my mind. But now that I was actually typing and trying to put my idea into coherent words and sentences, it felt more difficult than I imagined. Especially, the filler chapters I had to write to reach that one chapter where the idea, title, characters, everyone and everything related to this fictional atmosphere of mine just made sense. 

God, I was a sucker for that superiority which seeped into me during those moments. Even though it lasted temporarily. 

Maybe that made me a little sardonic but again, I didn't graduate as an English major for nothing. I did it because it made sense given my love for writing, literature and everything related to that subject. 

Little did I know that the degree would lead me to a job I half heartedly chose, a shabby apartment with its rent sky-rocket high and never-ending struggles to get just one book published. If I counted on both my hands' fingers, it still wouldn't be enough to figure out just how many times my attempts to reach out different publishers led me to false hopes and nothing more. 

Disappointment sunk into my stomach at the thought of those failures with self-doubt just begging to be let in at the edge but I chose to not go down that path today. Instead I picked up the remnants of my latte before the tapping of keys resumed. 

Ding! Ding! Ding!

I startled at the intruding noise. 

I checked the time on my three-year-old watch to see it was 1:45 p.m. and that I had forgotten about the last alarm I snoozed off just fifteen minutes before because I chose procrastination over action.

One of these days, that same procrastination would be the very reason for the job I was destined to lose. 

"Shit, shit, shit," I kept muttering under my breath as I gathered my bag, double checked for my ID card along with the bright yellow fluorescent HOHO jacket which proudly read PRAGUE HOP-ON HOP-OFF TOURS in bold red and money and my tram card for that month. 

And then I sprinted out of my apartment in a haste, only pausing to lock it for a second before placing the keys along with the rest of the necessities in my bag and praying the God above to not get me fired today. It was too soon for my poor heart to bear the loss. 

It took me five minutes to reach the tram station and another ten minutes to get off at I.P. Pavlova where I met Bob angrily waiting for me in his own yellow jacket from the company. 

"I know, I know, but please save the lecture for later. We're already five minutes late to the schedule." 

I let out a sigh of relief at his grunt and took my seat at the head of the row as was a bus conductor supposed to before I picked up the black mic waiting for me in the holder beside and said into it, "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the blue line. Our tour for today would be running five minutes later to the schedule due to technical issues. I hope you have a great day ahead exploring the beauty of Prague." 

My voice reached to the tourists through the small speakers placed on the double deck as well as the first one. 

"You're lucky kid, I haven't reported you for your tardiness back to the office...yet." Bob side-glanced me as I wore my hideous jacket. I liked yellow as a colour but this made me look like a mixture of mango and lemon, no offence. 

I sighed, picking up one tour pamphlet from the deck of them and mindlessly skimmed over it. "And I'm forever grateful for thy tiny mercy, m'Lord." I was horrible at British accent but it always brightened Bob's day because it made him laugh.

As expected, he let out a chuckle at my sarcastic remark before continuing, "I'm being generous today because the office would get into a havoc if they lose anymore employees. And also because, they're expecting a new one today after weeks of strike. Now, wouldn't want to ruin the short lived relief of boss, would I?" 

He raised an eyebrow at me before changing a gear and knocking up the speed a little. 

I ignored the threat in his playful voice as I reeled from his last statement, "Wait, we've a new employee joining in today? I wasn't aware about that." 

Bob must've felt the confusion radiating off from my expression because he clarified, "Yeah, the name's Felix, twenty-five and joined as the driver for green line since they've the most shortage of 'em." 

I was too stunned to speak but somehow I found my words to say, "Whoa...I guess boss must be dancing in a tutu in a field of flowers at finally having a new employee after the strike fiasco last month."

The fifty-something old man let loose another chuckle as we reached our first stop for the day, "So much that Gina somehow convinced him to hold a welcoming party for the new lad. Surprisingly, he agreed because he didn't want to make the newcomer like rest of 'em and give him an opportunity to strike or worse, resign. Or else this company would be doomed in a few months if it went on like that."

I had never heard so many words from Bob at once but I kept my mouth shut on that topic for the next ten minutes as I announced the spot we had reached, bade goodbye to the former and scanned the tickets of new tourists who joined in. 

When the route to next stop resumed, only then I let my curiosity get better of the situation, "I still can't believe boss agreed to a welcoming party. I mean- it's his fault he made the contracts so conservative that people opted to go against him. Anyway, when is the party?" 

"So many questions today Doro." Bob was like the grandfather figure I never knew I needed until I was assigned to work with him. 

He sighed, "I don't know much on the details but I think it's probably in somewhat the coming week. Záleží na šéfovi." It depends on boss.

He slipped into his regular Czech accent fluently as I struggled to get right my next few learned words of said accent, "Je nepředvídatelný." He's unpredictable.

Bob let out a whistle, "Someone has been finally taking those lessons offered by the company." 

I snorted, "I heard it yesterday from someone and Google translated it."

I laughed at his questioning stare just as we reached the next destination from our schedule. 

"This is spot number 2, Old town square."

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*drumrolls 🥁🥁🥁🥁* And here's the first chapter!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this story is coming to me itself and honestly, i cant wait for the entire journey. Let's hope i can actually finish this one because i havent written something entirely complete in more than a year and it's making me feel weird and stuff.

anyway,

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