Kiki series is a weekly series. Click for Episode 01
02- Turn of Events
It would be a shame to end up on the wrong side of history since history repeats itself over and over again, only in different forms.
I always pride myself for listening to people, people with experience. It’s one of my best qualities. In my first year in University of Lagos, someone told me that the University days are the best years of my life. “Your life just gets more and more out of your control after school. You have to enjoy yourself now” he said and I listened. From that day, I made conscious effort to make the best of my years in school. I found myself getting involved in activities outside of classes, signing up for ushering jobs and the likes. It was good advice, until it wasn’t. In my final year, I had to think intensely about my future. Everyone has to at that point I presume. I was approaching that point where “my life would get more and more out of my control”. I realized he hadn’t advised me on what to do at this point, perhaps he had not figured it out himself. I knew for sure though, that I was not prepared to sound as regretful as he did.
I left the studio at 3pm but didn’t get to the chance to leave work till 5. I was going for my aunt’s 50th birthday party and frankly I wasn’t in a hurry. Especially because the party venue is not far from my work. My mum already called one too many times “to see if I had decided not to show up again as usual”. The story behind the question is simple. I didn’t go for a cousin’s wedding. Just once. I barely even knew the groom (my cousin) although if I didn’t have another event fixed for that day, maybe I would have considered going.
“That question stopped getting at me a long time ago mum. I am just leaving work”
“Ok. please help me with wrapping paper on your way. I forgot to wrap the present”
“I’ll just get a gift bag. You can’t start wrapping the gift at the venue. What’s the size of the present?”
“You have just decided to do what you want as usual. Just get me wrapping paper don’t worry about where I’ll wrap it. It is a gold Jewelry set because it is her golden jubilee. I hope it is a good gift?”
There we go again with the ‘as usual’ I thought to myself “Yes I think it is quite thoughtful”
“Ok. Thank you. See you later. Don’t forget to get gift bag too”
This woman confuses me. Is it just me or was I not the one who suggested the gift bag? I thought to myself as I pulled out of the car park
It was all ‘family galore’ at the venue. I greeted aunties, cousins, friends of family. There is never a dull moment at family events, particularly these ones because this is the side of the family I was close to. My dad has 4 siblings, all girls. They are conversation lovers and very entertaining ones too. They always had something new to say and they are extremely close. Growing up around them is one of the reasons for my chosen line of work.
I was with a few of my cousins now and one of them was complaining about school and how he can’t wait for the remaining two years to just pass.
“Are you kidding me?, I loved school” Daniel said. “The parties, the escapades. Those were good times”. He looked at Tomi, his girlfriend and she was giggling as if she could relate.
I rolled my eyes inwardly. These two just met three weeks ago.
“I’m telling you, it doesn’t get better after this men. You better be catching all the trips you can now Femi” Tunde said
“It could get better or worse. You decide” I said
“I am sure you’re having a swell time. But you have to admit Kiki, being in school protects you from so much” Tunde said
“Yes. From the hardship of deciding how you wish to live your life.” I said sarcastically and winked at Femi. He laughed. “There is a bright side to every stage in life Tunde, if you don’t realise that now, you’ll always be looking back at a better past.”
Tunde sighed “Oh well. I hate to sound discontent, I guess life has been good so far”. He surrendered.
Sarcasm is my way of turning a conversation around when it starts going in a direction I am not comfortable with. I also realized I was in the same position as the person who advised me before and I was not going to help my cousin conclude that these will be the best years of his lives. But deep down, I agreed with Tunde.
The economy is unstable. The price we pay for basic comfort is high. People have come up with the perfect solution- get rich and if you want a more permanent solution- stay rich. And I have listened yet again. The only problem is, you never know how expensive it is to keep your life within your control.
I had just started eating the fried rice in front of me when I decided to check my phone. There were hundreds of messages on the work group. This was strange. I was not about to read through all the messages so I decided to open Tony’s private message to me. I read it and lost my appetite immediately. I was just about to find out how much it cost to keep your life within your control.
God. What a waste. I thought to myself as I looked down at the food in front of me and realized the rest of my day had been ruined.
……To be continued…….
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