Morning routine

Three days ago I started my morning routine. I’d like to say that because the brain is trained on recognizing patterns, I did this. But this isn’t true. It would just be an explanation I could come up with afterwards.

I started to repeat all my actions during the morning a precisely as possible, between leaving the apartment and arriving at work. And I could see some patterns. Here’s what’s repeating so far. Behold!

I put my keys into my bag-pack. I’ll do not need them until I come home and they would just be in the way until then. Leaving the apartment and going down the stairs. On the second floor I spot the neighbor from the days before, carrying his garbage bag. When I’ll be outside he’ll be at the containers. I can overtake him by just going to the other side of the street and taking the shortcut. That will bring me if not in front of him at least at the same height. It’s working.

I walk the same way to the subway. At the height of the Kindergarten, I can see the subway in the other direction is passing further down below. That means I’m probably in the right time window.

At the subway station, the handy man is there before. He wore the same jumper I had yesterday. He changed today. On the bank the old man is sitting and taking his smoke. He’s got three more minutes until the subway arrives. He gets up when the train comes in.

I know where to stand in order to be right in front of the door. No one will get out during this door, the other to left and the right, one person will leave through each.

I take the same seating spot on the empty four seater bank next to the wall. The other seats are taken, one person per row. As usual. The very tall women I couldn’t spot on the platform, but now I see her sitting right at her spot. She’s got a sad and a bit frustrated expression on her face.

On the next station the Asian woman is coming in. This time without her husband(?). She’s as usual taking the seat next to me and starts reading her book.

As we approach my final station, the small Indian guy appears again. I haven’t figured out yet, where he’s coming from, but he gets off with me and runs. There’s a five minute time frame between the subway arriving and taking the next train from the other platform.

Around the corner on my way to the other platform I see the same pair of jeans coming towards me and then - as going up the stairs, long, black hair as usual. The color of the pants changed.

There’s another pair of jeans, short black hair. From a small guy who I usually reach at the top of the stairs. His worn out jeans jacket, the spot on his head where’s he starts to become bold; easy to recognize. I do not pass him - that would ruin my timing. I don’t want to be too early.

Getting down to the other platform, the young couple is sitting on their bank. She’s like 24, he maybe max 23 years old. They’re holding hands. Good.

The weird looking guy with his headphones, staring at his mobile. Everybody is here.

I position myself to where the door of the train will come to rest. I need to be next to it, not in front of this time. There are some people who will leave the train here: The insecure looking women, the old man with his white hair and beard.

The train ride takes just one stop. As usual I’m close to the exit of the train station. I can’t see any familiar faces here. Where’s the woman employed by the train company?

The last 500 meters, the Asian guy with the very formal and correct haircut is next to me. He always wears jeans, shirt and a jacket that is a bit too short, so the shirt sticks out under it. Fashion-man, I call him. Today his buddy isn’t with him.

The cyclist with the neon-green short is passing.

Next to the entry in one of the side-offices, the usual guy is sitting in front of his screen. Though it’s very early, he’s always there, staring blankly at the screen. He’s got the face of a man you forget as soon as he’s out of sight. Perfect for a spy.

The usual colleague arrives and opens the door for me. We’ve got nothing in common, don’t talk very much.

I get to my desk, take out my coffee and wait what else of non-surprising elements the day will bring…