Jobseeker’s Diary

It’s always nice when it rains. It reduces the dust and there’s also that fresh air feel all around. But that’s only if it rains in moderation. Too much rain leaves many of us cursing. I don’t know how many times it has rained this week but I know I want some serious sun. Too bad we can’t control when the skies should open up, otherwise I would make sure it only rains at night after we’ve all got home and into our beds. I hate it when it rains in the morning or in the evening, because then, we don’t really have a choice but to brave the cold and get to work or home. Twice this week, I reported late to work because I was caught up in the early morning downpour. As is the policy at my workplace, I might as well have stayed home because come end of month, I will not be paid for those two days. So when it rained again the following morning, I had no choice but to brave the rain so I wouldn’t miss the roll-call. I had an umbrella but the wind wasn’t about to let me have even a little peace. I constantly struggled to keep hold of my umbrella and not only got wet in the process but also ended up with one of the umbrella’s metallic spooks caught in my hair, and by hair I mean wig. You know most girls wear those these days, don’t you? Anyway, I tried to pull the spook out but it just wouldn’t come out. I must have been a sight, but fortunately, there were not many people on the road that day. After several failed attempts, I decided to wait until I got to work. The only way I would get it out was if I removed the wig first, released the hook and then replaced the wig. Because I didn’t want anyone to see my “bad” real hair, my plan was to use the privacy of the bathroom at work. Good thing is that the toilet is near the main entrance, I thought to myself, so I would head straight to it. Still, the sight of me clutching a dripping umbrella indoors where it clearly wasn’t raining was ridiculous, almost like wearing shades at night. But I decided not to let that bother me and instead just walked as fast as I could towards the toilet. My little plan was working until a client who had stopped by for breakfast asked to borrow my umbrella. Funny enough, I’d envisioned that scenario and I had prayed fervently for it not to happen. At the risk of being called mean, I just proceeded to my destination. She had after all asked in Kinyarwanda and though I understood what she was asking for, I replied in English, muttering a “Just a minute” before walking on. I did manage to get the “umbrella” out of my hair but it’s an experience I wouldn’t want to go through again. The other inconvenience has to be the mud. I have to negotiate a couple of tracks from home to the bus stop and by the time I get there, my shoes and at times the hems of my pants are covered in mud. I hate it because I have to clean them up and though that’s not exactly backbreaking work, it’s still an inconvenience. Here’s to hoping for some sun to dry up all the mud. Almost forgot about Easter. Our Lord is indeed risen and we should celebrate. The fact that I had to work through the holiday dampened it for me though. Nevertheless, Happy Easter to you all. To be continued...