JUST ANOTHER DAY

 

JUST ANOTHER DAY... 

It's just another day, another Monday or as famously known, traffic day. You are ready to go, all charged up and optimistic of what the new week holds. The weekend hasn't been interesting because you've been indoors and so away from human touch. The only time you were really excited was on Saturday when your favourite team won their third straight match. Now it's Monday, one of the days you dread and also love (Monday gives you mixed vibe: excitement and stress) 

It's Monday and as the day requires, you've to leave home as soon as possible in order to avoid crazy traffic in Lagos especially Third Mainland Bridge. Lagos traffic will humble you, make you rethink your life, cause and job with its shitty salary and endless stress and nagging from your boss. You set out as early as 5:15am just to beat the early morning craze of traffic and you're surprised as always to meet a mammoth of people at the bus stop. You wonder if these people had any sleep during the night. Their night rest and the numbers of hours they slept isn't your concern, you've to battle with them to get cabs and 'danfo' buses. That's your major concern.

Luckily for you, you get a cab, a very comfortable one, one of those 'the owner' cars. You're glad that you won't have to worry about the mouth odour of the bus conductor, the sweats of other commuters rubbing of your body and smelly nature of public transports in Lagos. You are the third passenger in the car so you get the middle seat at the back. You sit down, calm your nerves and start thinking of what your day would or could be like. You wonder what mood your boss would be in today. Due to his erratic nature, you and other workers are always walking on thin ice around him in the office.

You try to take your mind off these office worries hoping that this Monday brings something fruitful. In your optimism and positive thinking your mind wanders to the bills you've to pay. You shake that off your mind and decide to plan your income and expenditure better once you get your pay on the 30th day of the month. You quickly say a prayer asking God to 'bless your hustle' and bring you financial freedom. To lighten the mood, you connect your counterfeit Apple Airpods to your phone and start listening to music on your phone.

Your journey to work normally should last for one hour, twenty minutes because you live on the mainland and work on the island. But this morning, you're going to be late not because you didn't wake up early but because there is a long line of traffic at Ogudu bus stop. You start wondering when you'll get to work and how your boss would rain words and saliva on you when complaining about your late-coming. This traffic gives you enough time to reflect on some events in your life. You remember Sade, your ex-girlfriend who broke up with you because according to her, you were too myopic, uninterested and emotionless in the relationship. You start wondering if you'll ever find true love in this Lagos. Your love life has been nothing but a roller-coaster since you broke up with Khadijah, your girlfriend from your university days.

Your life seems to be playing out in your mind, literally as the traffic slowly clears up. You make a mental note to go out more, attend parties, participate in office games and hangouts. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find an amazing lady to be your companion and if possible your wife. At that moment you remember your conversation with your mother two weeks ago. She had called you on the phone to ask you about your plans as regards marriage and settling down to start your own family. You gave her the easiest excuse that you were still trying to move on from your last heartbreak from Sade. She told you not to dwell so much on the past and put yourself out more. She even invited you to one of her friend's housewarming party but you declined firmly using work as an excuse.

The traffic finally clears and your mind is back on the road. It's 7:12am already and you start getting irritated and anxious because you can't face your boss in this frail state of mind, especially on a Monday. You hope and pray that you get to work before the stipulated 7:45am. Your Monday that was looking bright and beautiful by 6:00am is now blur. You get to work by 7:41am, you've to race up the stairs to your office on the third floor on the ten-floor building that houses your office and other offices. You tell yourself 'keep calm, it's just another day in Lagos, just another day to endure several hours of boring work and constant nagging, just another day to fake your smile and work for your pay'. Indeed, it's just another day...

I'm AbdulQudus, thank you for reading. ✌🏾