a chance encounter

[totient]

the scene: 11:15 am, at the bike shop nearest to my house. I'm buying a new front tire to replace the one that's about to blow out, and some bits to fix my brakes so that I don't wear through the sidewall of the replacement tire -- I really can't put this off any longer. As I'm ringing up my purchases, I hear a voice: "shouldn't you be at work?" It's my team lead, who has taken just as long to get out of his house, and has put off his urgent bike repairs just as long as I have. And I know that he's not staying any later tonight than I am.