write a story about a man who is desperate to use bathroom

Tom Jenkins had never thought a simple day at the office could turn into such a desperate crisis. It started out like any other Tuesday: he woke up, grabbed a quick breakfast, and headed to work in his usual manner—coffee in one hand, a briefcase in the other. It was a routine he had down pat. Little did he know, today would challenge him in ways he never anticipated. The morning flew by in a whirlwind of meetings and emails. Tom had been so engrossed in his tasks that he hadn’t noticed the coffee he’d consumed steadily building up in his bladder. It wasn’t until he felt the first twinge of urgency that he glanced at the clock. 10:45 AM. “Just ten more minutes,” he told himself, knowing the meeting with marketing would be ending soon. But status updates dragged on, and Tom’s discomfort escalated with every passing minute. He shifted in his seat, trying to maintain focus as the marketing manager droned on about various projects. Finally, the meeting adjourned, and Tom bolted out of the conference room. The office bathroom was just down the hall, and relief was in sight. But as he approached the door, a sign loomed large in front of him: “Out of Order.” “Of all the days!” he muttered, feeling a rising panic. He dashed to the restroom on the other side of the building, hoping that one wouldn’t be out of commission too. He rounded the corner only to find a long line of people waiting outside. His heart sank. “Well, this isn’t happening,” he said under his breath, tapping his foot impatiently as seconds felt like hours. The line moved slowly, and Tom was desperate. He tried thinking of anything but his growing need, recalling the last time he had made an unfortunate choice at a coffee shop. No amount of breathing exercises could distract him now. As he stood there, he spotted a colleague, Sarah, who was happily chatting with a friend. He raised his hand frantically, but she didn’t see him. Just then, he heard laughter echoing down the hall. A group of employees were gathered, celebrating someone’s birthday. The delicious aroma of cake wafted into the air, and as if drawn by an unseen force, Tom felt his stomach rumble in protest. “I can’t focus on food right now.” He clamped down on his anxiety, shuffling his feet impatiently. The line didn’t seem to be getting any shorter. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He recalled the small café two blocks away that he had often visited. It was a risk, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He took off, sprinting through the halls, dodging bewildered coworkers. Exiting the building, the cool air hit him like a slap on the cheek, invigorating him as he dashed toward the café. He arrived, breathless and nearly bursting at the seams. The café was bustling with the lunch crowd, yet it felt like an oasis in his desert of desperation. “Excuse me,” he pleaded, squeezing past a line of customers to reach the small restroom in the back. The door was locked, and a cruel voice from inside declared, “Occupied!” Tom’s heart dropped. He was in an all-out panic now. A flashing sign in his mind shouted emergency. Taking a deep breath, he looked around. The café had an exit that led to a small alleyway outside. “No way,” he thought for a fleeting second, but desperation overwhelmed his reservations. He slipped out into the alley and frantically searched for any semblance of salvation. That was when he spotted it: a small, public restroom tucked behind the café. He hurried over, pushing the door open with urgency, and finally found his moment of triumph. As he emerged moments later, a wave of relief washed over him. He looked up at the sky, almost willing to laugh at how dramatically the day had unfolded. Surely, this would go down in the annals of office tales. And as he walked back to work, he couldn’t help but chuckle softly to himself, vowing to never take his morning coffee consumption lightly again.