Trifecta Writing Challenge: Time Flies

This post is in response to Trifecta's weekday challenge. They give us a one-word prompt and ask us to use it, in its third definition, in a 33-333 word response.

This week's word is:
brain (noun)

3

: something that performs the functions of a brain; especially : an automatic device (as a computer) for control or computation

Time Flies

He raced around the house watching the clock tick away the time, thankful for the early morning sirens that jolted him awake. He had five minutes until he had to be in the car. The meeting began at 9:00 on the dot, no excuses.  Last week’s disaster was  fresh in his memory. The alarm clock that had failed him still sat in the overflowing trash. His boss’ reprimand in front of his colleagues was etched into his memory.

“Tardiness is a lack of discipline. A lack of discipline is unacceptable here. Tuck in your shirt, Intern.”

He shook the words away and stopped mid-step. He tapped his  forehead with his index finger and whispered,

“Think, think, think. Where were you last?”

He was getting more anxious with three minutes to spare. There was no way to leave without it. It was his brain. It held his boss’ schedule of appointments, some important contacts’ phone numbers, and his research notes for today’s meeting topic. He was determined  to make up for last week’s debacle.

He passed by his nightstand one more time. The wristband that he had worn in the bar  last night caught his eye and triggered a memory. He jumped and shouted out loud,

“My coat! It’s in the pocket!”

He remembered that he had thrown it in the laundry room since it reeked of smoke and stale beer. That smell would not bode well with the starched suits. Panic set in as his memory further informed him that he didn’t just throw it in the laundry room. He put it in the washing machine, sprinkled it with detergent, closed the lid, and sealed his doom.

He reluctantly walked over to the machine and opened what felt like a ten pound lid. There inside, clinging to the side of the drum, sat his fresh smelling coat and his waterlogged iPhone. He  tucked in his shirt, grabbed his keys, and thought the least he could do  was be on time today.