murphy's

I thought. The chance to work for a company who is willing to pay for my internship interview travel expenses is such a sweet deal. I put on my best suit, brush shine my shoes and I was on my way to catch my flight to London. I was nursing a throat inflammation, but that wasn't going to stop me. Then, came Murphy.

6 inch of snow accumulated from the 2 days of snowing was more than what the Paris rail could handle. The slippery icy roads forced the buses to move at crawling pace. Good thing I left school 3hrs before check-in allowing me to arrive on time. 2021hr. At the airport, I was greeted by an electronic map which mark out the highways and main roads which were blocked or had accidents on them. The whole map was blinking red lights! Ha. Murphy hasn't got to me yet; or so I thought. The airport was unusually crowded. I checked out the departure board and i saw why. Flight scheduled at 1500hrs are now checking in at 2030hrs. I scrolled down the list to look for my flight. "Delayed. Expected departure time : 0036hrs." Shit, I thought. I'm not going to have enough sleep. I hung around the airport, bought an Economist to read and grudgingly bought an overpriced pizza to fill my stomach. Microeconomics. Not enough eateries in the airport to drive prices down. I read The Undercover Economist. It reasoned how most of the profits from that 8euro quarter of a pizza ends up in the pockets of the airport landlord and not Pizza Hut.

Time flies. 2345hrs. An announcement "Flight xxxx to London Luton has been canceled. All passengers...." Merde. I weighed my other options. I can ask for the next flight ( pointless. it would be filled up by the people from my flight), ask for the next next flight (pointless too. I would still miss my interview), reschedule (my timetable doesn't allow for that), Eurostar trains (viable. but 245euros. what if I'm not reimbursed) or forget the interview (not an option). By the time I made sure there wasn't any direct or indirect flight I could get on, its 0006hrs. I missed the last train back to school. By this time, my coughing has gotten worse and I was feeling drained. A voice said," Go home."

After 3hrs of bus ride and 4 fruitless calls for a taxi, I was at arrived at the train station at -2 degees. Before I can get to school I would first have to climb up the Moulon plateau. The foot of the Moulon plateau is an underpass away. 0256hrs. I crossed the underpass to find the other side of the underpass locked! I walked back to the entance and saw the gate shut in front of me. Great, now I'm trapped in a cold windy underpass. Who's smart idea was it to install gates at underpass? Once locked how are people suppose to cross over to the other side of the railway lines? Someone came to my rescue after I abused the emergency button. 0345hrs. I stood under the refreshing hot bath. Thinking how the evening had unfolded. Never before had I been in such a pathetic predicament. 0430hrs.

I sat in front of my computer how staring at the Eurostar train that will take my to London on time for my interview. 231 euros. Departing Gare du Nord at 0736hrs, leaving me with 1hr before I have to leave for Gare du Nord. I'm tired and the walk in the cold had made me very sick.

I hestitate. 0436hrs.