The Green Devil

I click on the IE icon and wait. I struggle with the heavy two-button mouse and fidget with the age-old key board. My computer, with its 16 MB RAM, takes its own sweet time to load the pages. I wait. And wait. As I wait, my eyes wander around the room and I see my colleague working peacefully on her brand new Pentium 4 processor. I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn to look. But I see no one. I sigh, shake my head and continue to wait for the pages to load. After a while, my colleague walks over to me with a cup of coffee and asks me, "Hey, so howzit going?" And I snap at her, "Like it's gonna make a difference to you!" And I realize I am being very rude. This is not me. Someone else seems to have taken control. But who?

It's 6 o'clock. I stifle a yawn as I wind up for the day, tucking away all the papers into my untidy drawer, trying to figure out where that used cup of coffee came from. I get up and am just about to leave when the phone rings. I pick it up. The call is for Shereen. It's her boyfriend. I hand the receiver over to her with a frown of disgust. She gives me a surprised look. Then I pick up my bag and stomp out of the office. Hey, why the hell am I reacting this way?? Just then I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around, but I see no one. I sigh, shake my head and get into the elevator. I have to get home, freshen up and go out for dinner... The thought peps me up.

At 8 I'm ready, all set to go on a date with an old friend. He turns up late by an hour and a half. I'm fuming, but I try not to make it too obvious. And then he says, "Sorry honey, I was held up at Sonia's place." SONIA! This is the last straw. "FORGET THE DATE! Go, have fun with your Sonia," I burst out. I slam the door shut in his face and run into the safe confines of my room, sobbing uncontrollably.

At that time, I feel the hand again on my shoulder and see whose it is. It belongs to the ugly green devil who surfaces slowly from his abode with a smug smile on his face. You could call him 'envy' or 'jealousy'. Those are his favorite nick names. I choose to call him the Green Devil. Because that is what he is. The devil out to destroy you. I don't know when I let him into my heart. But now, he's made it his permanent residence. He refuses to leave. And I have no idea how I can get rid of him.