A wall of hot air waited stealthily on the other side of the sliding doors. John knew the arrivals hall at Chhatrapati Shivaji was the last air conditioning he would enjoy until he reached his hotel, where cool air was not guaranteed in any event. Generators were temperamental in Kankavli. He stood, allowing the cool to seep around his neck one more time before grasping the case handle and braving the oven.
The cab driver was preoccupied – he drove erratically and spoke into his phone speaker quickly, his voice full of anxiety and irritation. The previous week’s earthquake had brought devastation to the area fifty miles south of the airport. John slid sideways across the back seat as the padmini criss-crossed the unmade roads, avoiding oncoming traffic but not potholes.
Usual hotel, usual room. A smile from the usual receptionist as she handed John his key. Four hours later he would attend his first meeting with Aditya, the CEO of a newly formed water company and John was prepared for resistance. His predecessor had warned him of the proclivity which had been shown at the suggestion of a new route for the existing pipework.
Mumbai was slowly improving their water systems but John was here to implement changes which would benefit huge parts of the city, and following Mother Nature’s recent reminder, he knew the work was needed. This was his fourth visit in as many months and this time he had a plan ….
(Daily word prompt flash fiction piece … today’s word Proclivity)
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