Last Thursday, I don’t remember the exact date - I am still dazed. I jumped into an Uber taxi as I set out for the office in the morning. Once seated, through the heavy office rush traffic as the car cruised, I checked my emails, solved Wordle, and was caught up with X (Twitter) while the vehicle crossed the Bandra-Worli Sealink. The route was defined, and the morning was sweltering, but the car AC was in full blast. Crisscrossing the road, my driver was diligently following the Uber roadmap.
Just as I started to doze off, the car came to a screeching halt. Two burly men suddenly entered the car, greeted me, and asked, "Sir, why are you taking this route?" Startled, I replied, "I'm going to a meeting at the office." They exchanged glances and corrected me, saying the meeting was at the party office, and since they were late picking me up, they decided to intercept me in traffic and redirect the driver.
Holy Grail! What on earth was happening? While we discussed election results and the road ahead, I was internally freaking out, wondering what twist of fate had landed me here. Despite my pleas and explanations, that they had the wrong guy they weren't convinced. I tried conversing with them in their local language and accent but only seemed to confirm their belief.
The car sped through the streets, taking sharp turns and navigating through alleys I had never seen before. The men were deep in conversation, occasionally shooting me suspicious glances. I desperately tried to think of a way out, but the situation seemed more surreal by the minute.
We finally arrived at an imposing building with a sea of people outside. My captors, still believing I was a political figure, ushered me inside. The atmosphere was tense, with heated discussions and arguments echoing through the hallways. I was led to a room where a group of stern-faced individuals awaited.
"He's here," one of the captors announced, pushing me forward. The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at me. I took a deep breath and said, "I think there's been a mistake. I'm not who you think I am."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, the room erupted in laughter. One of the men stepped forward, shaking his head. "We've had a mix-up, gentlemen. This isn't our guy." Turning to me, “ You can still be part of the discussion if you want. That crisp white shirt, grey hair, and glasses would help us.” said he.
After some hasty apologies and explanations, realising their error, I was escorted back to the Uber, still in a daze from the bizarre experience. As we drove away, the driver couldn't stop chuckling. "That was something, huh?" he said, glancing at me through the rearview mirror.
I managed a weak smile. "Yeah, something alright."
As we approached my office, I couldn't help but think back to the twenty sterling pounds note I had found earlier this week. It seemed like a good omen at the time, but now I wondered if it had sparked this bizarre adventure. Thursdays are usually mundane, but this one was downright terrifyingly entertaining.
I stepped out of the Uber, waved at the driver, and entered the building. As I was about to step into the elevator, my phone buzzed. It was a message from my boss: "Meeting postponed. Enjoy your day!"
I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. I walked to my desk thinking "What's next?" Little did I know, this was just the beginning of a day full of unexpected twists. I wondered if a cup of hot coffee would sober me up!
Just as I settled into my desk, my phone buzzed again. This time it was a notification from a mysterious app I had never seen before: "Congratulations! You've been selected for an exclusive adventure. Stay tuned for your next mission."
I stared at the screen in disbelief. What next? Come Thursday.
Do you still believe in Freaky Fridays?
[A part of this report is true]
Eagerly waiting to read what happens next!
😎😄