Our bus had shrunk today, what would shrink next?

[Kalyani]

A minibus screeched to a halt in front of me, jolting me out of my daydream. I recognised our usual driver at the wheel, but I hesitated, glancing around at the others, and saw the same questioning look on their faces — we had gone to work in a fully grown bus yesterday, so what was our driver doing in a little one today? The driver honked furiously as the traffic piled up behind him. Galvanised into action, we clambered on, avoiding eye contact with each other. Suddenly the cutbacks and layoffs were a real and present danger. Our nervousness was palpable. Our transport had shrunk today; what would shrink next?

I settled myself into the uncomfortably tiny seat and gave this question some serious thought. Life itself had already shrunk beyond recognition. It had been encroached on all sides by working at the office, by working at home, by thinking about work in the loo, and by the commute to and from work, leaving me with a tiny two-hour patch in which I was supposed to have my morning and evening meals, workout, bond with my family, watch the news, catch the latest on the Brothers, and ‘find my place in the circle of life’.

Read more about Kalyani’s life in Bend Your Knees & Do Your Best– a story about a 40 year old IT professional whose neat and boring life suddenly turns upside down because of downsizing at work. And though Kalyani manages to land on her feet, she finds that her life has changed forever…