A Cup of Tea

I surely like to have my cup of tea as I love it. There is nothing as blissful as having that cup of tea when I need it the most. Early cold winter morning after a night which has not allowed me my regular dose of sleep sure demanded a cup of tea. And so I set myself to find that cup of tea at 7 am, knowing that its going to be difficult in a secluded area where the hospital was located. My first expected stop was the cafeteria located at the groun floor of the hospital which offered little choice on the menu and a machine which deliverd hot milk which could be transformed into tea with addition of sugar and dip of tea bags. Yes I needed couple of tea bags to get the tea concentrated to the level I liked. As I walk out of the ward I see the elevator waiting at the floor above, which swings me into a mad rush towards the call button. These evelators here have a notoreous habbit of making you wait if you miss on. At this point my luck held and caught the car on time. Down in the lobby was my first disappointment as I found myself walking pass the empty cafeteria with its glass doors tied down by a chain. With the need for tea turning into a drive I started calculating my options. I checked my pocket to find the keys to my bike, but the thought of riding the bike in search of tea was discouraged by the bitter cold outside. With the bike out of question I could think of the CCD joint which is just 5 min walk. Am sure they would be serving tea after all they had the same vending machine as seen in the cafeteria , all i needed was some sugar and tea bags. But would it be open so early in the morning was a doubt. At just 5 minutes walk it was an easy chance I took to find my second failure as I saw the shutters jammed down. Another thought springed as I walked pass CCD knowing another 5 minutes down the road was a south indian restaurant, now this was a sure place to get the tea and so I pushed forward in this bitter cold now wanting more and more of this elusive tea. Mid way through my trail the failure raised it ugly head and the disappointment finally set in as sight of closed shutters welcomed me. I droped my head and started walking back, now this bitter cold was feeling more cold.I checked the time - 7:30 am what a god forsaken place was this. How stupid was the person who has built a hospital in such a place. How stupid was the doctor to refer such a place. I just went upto the ward sank myself in the chair put on some music on the phone, closed my eyes and waited. The music seemed to do the trick for me as I opened my eyes it was already 8:30 am which seemed a more hopeful time. As a learning from my prior failure I decided to first confirm about the cafeteria timings. This surely helped reducing the agony of failure, but not the agony of wait. Another 30 minutes is what was expected as a wait. I am not sure what I am doing in such a place where a man cant get his tea in the morning and trust me 7 am is not that early to have tea but its near about perfect time to have tea. I have always lived in places where I get tea by 7.All this thinking kept my brain engaged without making it realize the slow the time was moving. It good that the time doesnt stop for anyone. From situation to situation it at times slows down and speeds up, but never stops. And hence when I got back to my senses the time was right for me to move my butt off the chair. This time i wasn't as lucky as before and at the lobby the elevator made me wait. Another 5 minutes and I was down in the cafeteria. Once on the ground level it was all smooth sailing. I just ordered my tea as usual. Out of my daily habit I asked for a tea bag along with the tea, which was promptly denied by the attendant stating - sir, we don't give extra tea bags. At the looks of it I knew this guy was new, I told him that I have beem having the tea there for last three days and every time I have taken an extra tea bag with its applicable charges. The attendant just informed me that the policy had changed over night and I will have to buy another tea. This actually pissed me off and I responded - what am I going to do with the extra tea- make pickle ? And ordered him to just give me the damn tea bag and take the money for the tea. After having my cup of tea I realized how I was acting like a arrogant snubish ass with the poor attendant. How was he to know how much I had to go through to get this cup of tea. All I want to say to that attendant is that buddy I am sorry. Hope someday you get to read this - thanks :)