Man, what a day! I swear, Downside’s got a way of throwin’ curveballs. Woke up late, as usual. Alarm? Nah, that thing’s just a suggestion, right? Anyway, I’m a Refractor, which sounds fancy but really just means I fix stuff. Glasses, lenses, you name it. But today? Today was a whole different kettle of fish.
So, I’m rushin’ outta my flat on St. Mary’s Road, tryna grab a cuppa from that little café on the corner. You know the one, right? The one with the dodgy Wi-Fi and the best bacon sarnies in town. I’m halfway there when I trip over some random dog’s leash. Like, come on, mate! Who leaves their mutt’s lead just chillin’ on the pavement? I’m already late for work, and now I’m face down in the gutter. Great start, right?
Finally get my coffee, and it’s like liquid gold. I’m feelin’ good, ready to tackle the day. But then, I get to the shop on High Street, and it’s chaos. I mean, proper madness. My boss, old Mr. Jenkins, is yellin’ about some shipment of lenses that went missing. Like, how do you lose a whole shipment? It’s not like they sprouted legs and walked off! I’m tryin’ to keep my cool, but inside, I’m fumin’.
Then, outta nowhere, this bloke walks in. Looks like he’s just come from a rave or somethin’. Hair all over the place, clothes mismatched. He’s got this wild look in his eyes, and I’m thinkin’, “What’s this guy on?” Turns out, he’s lookin’ for a pair of glasses. But not just any glasses. He wants some custom ones that’ll make him look like a rockstar. I mean, mate, you already look like a walking art project.
I’m tryin’ to help him, but he keeps talkin’ about how he wants to “see the world differently.” I’m like, “Bro, you’re in Downside. You’re not gonna see much different unless you hop on a train to London.” But whatever, I’m here for it. I whip out some frames, and he’s lovin’ them. Finally, a win!
But then, just as I’m about to ring him up, the fire alarm goes off. Seriously? In the middle of my sale? Everyone’s panicking, runnin’ out the door. I’m just standin’ there, like, “Do I grab the cash or the glasses?” Priorities, right?
We all spill out onto the street, and it’s a right mess. Fire trucks zoomin’ down the road, sirens blarin’. I’m standin’ there, clutchin’ my coffee like it’s a life raft. The bloke with the wild hair is still there, shoutin’ about how this is the universe’s way of tellin’ him to embrace chaos. I’m thinkin’, “Mate, you’re just lucky you didn’t burn your eyebrows off.”
After a while, they figure out it was a false alarm. Just some kid messin’ with a smoke bomb. Classic Downside, right? Always somethin’ weird happenin’. I finally get back inside, and the guy’s still there, grinning like he just won the lottery. I sell him the glasses, and he leaves, shoutin’ about how he’s gonna change the world. Good luck with that, mate.
By the end of the day, I’m knackered. I head down to the pub on Church Street. You know the one, The Downside Arms? Best place to unwind after a day like this. I grab a pint, and it’s like heaven in a glass. I sit there, thinkin’ about how mad the day was. From trippin’ over dog leashes to fire alarms and wild-eyed customers, it’s all part of the Downside charm, innit?
So yeah, that was my day. Just another Tuesday in Downside. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.