The first attempt was August last year, it was a studio with a corner acting as the kitchen and bathroom next to it. I hated it on first sight but I really wanted to move out, we bought a few things with my cousin went over to clean it up but that remained just a wish. I never lived in that studio, I went over there in a weeks time, got all my stuff and claimed back my deposit. Ever since every time I said I was going to move out, nobody, would think I was serious, they would take it as a bluff. One of my friends used to tease I was a mamas boy and would sent greetings every time I said I was going home…
When I started planning on moving out, Henry said that was just a pipe dream and he feared next year would find me still moving out. He even bet me I wouldn’t, well Henry I want my winnings! The execution of the plans happened two weeks ago, I stopped with the procrastination and started acting. Suleiman was busy wondering why I need a vehicle to move while all I have as possessions fit in a suitcase, to some extent which was true.
The week before moving out I had started a serious house hunt, and I will tell you this free of charge, it is tough getting what you are looking for at the particular price, location and specifications you have in mind. I asked few friends and got several suggestions of the neighborhoods they considered good but I think what they gave me were just places in their comfort zones. Henry is the only one to suggest someplace so far from his own place, maybe it’s because he knew I would be raiding his food! But after thorough consideration it is the place I got what I really looking for, and fulfilling your expectations is never that easy; the floor will lack tiles, the kitchen will be too small, the bedroom won’t have built-in wardrobes (Very important if all you have is a suitcase, like yours truly) etc. After going through several advertisements I shortlist a few houses I need to start with, but I was shocked to learn that when you engage an agent, they will show you a vacant house and whether you like it or not you will be forced to pay a viewing fee, to be shown another you will have to dig again into your pockets! This was something I was not prepared for, I felt somebody was just stealing from me, same way I feel when paying VAT on essential commodities. Good thing I had asked my childhood friend Kash, yes the one we dreamed of retiring at 21 together here (hey ladies see how loyal I am? I value relationships ;-D), to accompany me and we decided that money would better be used to do something we would scout for the house ourselves. At one place the landlord asks us, “do you have people?”, we look puzzled and ask what he means, apparently only couples are allowed to reside there. He lets his wife show us the house nonetheless and we are left wondering does he think we will make his wife want to cheat or what criteria he uses to make such a ridiculous rule.
We continue with our search and as we are about to finish, some guy approaches Kash and tells him not to fear as he won’t mug him, who starts a conversation that way anyway? He was a little rugged anyway and am sure Kash was ready to take the flight option rather than fight, was I not there, 😀 okay I kid. He tells us he will show us some houses and he won’t charge us a thing, this got me listening since his approach was different. Kash’s prospective girlfriend, Makena, (she is my neighbor though he has nothing to worry about I am yet to master the location to her house) joins us and the guy who I learn is named Joseph leads us to the said houses. I am usually paranoid but this time round I was a bit trusting and true to his word he shows us some houses; everything about them is just as I had in mind and am sold. I talk with the owner’s daughter and agree that I will move in the following week.
My mother never thought I was ever serious, she used to brush my claims, I think she thought I was too scared to move out of my comfort zone. On Saturday Victor who agrees to carry my “suitcase” to my new house comes to pick me and that is when it really hit mom I was dead serious, she would have loved me moving out in January but postponing it wouldn’t make it any better, I had to go. Even the bible says a man will leave his father’s and mother’s house… right? It might be far from this context since the bible talks about him uniting with a wife to become one flesh… (Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:31) but it is still moving, yes?
We get to my new house and start filling it up, as you might guess the kitchen took precedence though I have only one spoon and fork which are multipurpose by the way, I don’t expect to be receiving guests any time soon! I got a plastic chair for the living room, yes only one seat, remember that part I don’t expect any guests? If not start reading this paragraph again! I expected to get some money, to spruce up the house and make it a bit decent like getting a bed for example, everyone I talked to was telling me how I should start from the bottom and sample a mattress on the floor, it would give me a lesson in humility! How does that even relate? Humility and sleeping on the floor or sitting on the floor? I digress, so I was saying I expected to get money from several sources before the moving date which would have sorted everything, but as Woody Allen said, “If you want to make God laugh tell him about your plans” I found myself on unfamiliar grounds, things not going the way I had expected and I was forced to finally admit I would be spending time loving the floor. When I told this to one of my older cousins they told me not to worry even their first-born came about as result of a mattress on the floor, that is the real “starting from scratch”.
I have found new friends John and Wambu one in pre-school and other in baby class, they usually take over my laptop whenever am home and demand to watch Tom and Jerry, don’t ask me what I am doing with Tom and Jerry on my computer though. They were telling me how someone’s dad works at night he is not a thief, such innocence I couldn’t help being amazed, I am sure if I get a girlfriend they will treasure these two since they will be the source of unadulterated information about what goes on in ‘uncles’ house. Every purchase no matter how small seems to make a difference as the space keeps reducing. I seem to have found time to read more and watch those movies that fill my hard disk but never had time for and meditate more. On weekend you will certainly see me heading to my cousin’s to raid on food, I now understand why people consider ‘her cooking capabilities’ when searching for a mate.
My only plastic chair broke and every one was wondering how heavy I had become, but by the way I see things headed, I will hit the recommended BMI weight without even exercise. It has been a huge learning curve for me and I seem to have overcome some of my comfort zones, I can only hope things will be better and every challenge/terror barriers I come across only lead to happiness.
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