monday, 29 june 2026

the alarm was set for six. i was already awake at five-thirty.

looked out the window and the lane was flooded. water sitting ankle-deep all the way to the corner. i'd heard the rain all night without registering how much had collected. had to take the long way around because the underpass near the station was blocked, water up to everyone's shins. got to the platform with damp shoes and twenty minutes to spare.

the train was packed. i held the bar near the door and looked at my feet.

the office building is exactly like it was when i came for the interview. same lobby, same cool air. a woman from hr was already at the desk with a printed checklist. i went through it with her. signed things. they made an id card with a photo i did not like.

a guy from the team, i didn't catch his full name, took me upstairs and pointed me to a desk. my manager was on a call. the laptop setup took two hours. i just sat there and waited.

ate lunch alone in the cafeteria. dal rice. it was fine. there was a loud group at the table across from me.

the afternoon was onboarding slides. the kind where someone reads out the text and everyone stares at the screen.

got home a little past seven. neha's light was on. i didn't knock.

my feet are still a little cold. today wasn't bad. it wasn't anything yet. i just kept thinking, one thing at a time, which is all you can do on a day like this.

maa called and said she was proud of me. i said thank you. i didn't really know what else to say.