Mid-Night Adventure

Its 20 minutes past mid-night, when I wake up from my early to bed sleep.

I realize that I had slept off while trying to work on some presentation that’s 3 days due. However, I decide to get up because I had left my dinner plate by my bed (don’t judge me; you also do it sometimes). Hence I decide that like the self-respecting gentleman I am to take my plate to the kitchen (there’s no need to invite cockroaches or any of those funny insects), where I abandon it to wash till the day rows in (it’s in the middle of the night, you seriously don’t expect me to be washing plates at such an ungodly hour, do you, I thought so).  I am heading back to my room when I realise that the clothes rack left to dry at the back veranda wasn't brought in, and seeing as I  believe I am the last person to have hung my clothes I decide to bring it in.

On opening the door, I think I see a black object but I dismiss it. I go on to open the door wide and carry in the clothes rack. That’s when I see it, a black rat, which jets in. I close the door quickly but too late, the deed has been done.  My first hope is that imagined what I just saw but after checking the hope vanishes.

The back door leads to the dining which is where the rat is. The dining is connected to the sitting room, where my brother had chosen to sleep in. I quickly close the connecting doors to the bedrooms and the 

kitchen.

I stand on a chair, scared by the thought that the rat could climb on me (yes, I am scared of rats, aren’t you), I quickly assess my situation, I have no weapons (broom, long stick, anything) to chase or kill the rat. Scratch out that last bit of killing it, my mind can’t reconcile killing something that has blood coursing through its body.

I finally use a part of my brother’s laptop charger and chase the rat around for a bit achieving nothing, only getting it to hide under the fridge in the dining. At this point I decide to wake my brother, who has otherwise been having a seemingly good sleep. I had thought that I would have been able to do it on my own and had wanted to avoid having to explain how it got in.

He is initially hesitant to get up, saying that we should just set poison for it tomorrow morning, but I convince him that I have it blocked and it was best not to chance it (of course, I purposely leave out the bit that I was the one that caused it to enter) . He finally gets up and goes into the store which is connected through the kitchen door to arm himself with a broom and an insecticide which proves quite helpful.

My brother cannot see the rat and I begin to hope once more that it was all in my mind but with help of the insecticide he eventually gets it to leave its hiding place under the fridge to the window curtains.

All this time, mind you I had been jumping from chair to chair, which I am now forced to get down from, as we clear the chairs and table and lift up the window curtain, leaving it with no places to hide. We chase it out the back door that’s connected to the veranda.

Dear rat, 

I had thought of going down the route of live and let live, don’t disturb me and I won’t disturb you, which would have made me and you living buddies. But I realized that I wasn't paying rent and working my  off ass to let some rodent like you live off my resources, especially when I know that we won’t be able to come up with a mutually agreeable living arrangement, knowing fully well that even if we did my other siblings would not see eye to eye with me on that.

Wait till Tomorrow

Can you hear and smell the sound of coming rain? Which makes the night most peaceful for sleep, the night rain is what engine oil is to cars, it keeps the engine running effectively. No need waking up in the morning feeling all grumpy. Do you know that unknown studies show that the rain facilitates the best dreams and visions?

Let's wait till tomorrow to study for that test in the afternoon after all, the worst case scenario is that we will flunk the test but the exam is what truly matters, it is when most of the marks are at stake.

Let's wait till tomorrow to work on that business plan, with this rain we will have a much better and well thought through idea by the morning. Bring a flash drive to copy that movie I have been telling you about, by the time you wake up we will have a killer business plan that those investors will be falling over to be a part of. I can assure you that unlike drugs and alcohol that are said to be a bad combination; a rainy night with a brilliant movie makes for very good sleep. Na only you waka come, is it not in the night, the night was made for sleep, did you not already do enough work during the day. You are still young, you have a lot of years ahead, and by the way don't you know that one of those studies off the internet says that you need a minimum of 9 hours sleep especially for a bright and budding man like you.

Ehen now! I have checked the weather forecast and I know it will be bright and sunny tomorrow, or are you a learner and don't know that after the night rain, the sun comes with its fiery heat. Wait will tomorrow to prepare for that lecture and presentation. By tomorrow our minds will refreshed and bodies receptive to present our project to the panel and more attentive to listen to some of what those boring old lecturers have to say.

You seem like a sharp lady, shebi I have told you that I have checked the weather forecast, don't you know that's how they do it in all those developed countries that you want to go and work in, their schedule is dependent on the weather, sharpen your eyes now before you disgrace your people at home when you get there.

That saying goes 'we are the leaders of tomorrow', so what's even the hurry, its tomorrow not today, tomorrow. You are saying you need to prepare for tomorrow but don't you know luck's on your side, (pst pst, low voice, how do you think a certain leader got there).

Waiting till tomorrow, often brings disappointment, and self-loathing about haven’t been unable to resist that feeling to rest a while longer when there's something very important you should be doing.  Ask yourself is it procrastination making that call or is that inner voice telling you to be calm for everything will truly be alright. Each time you want to procrastinate, always remember that never leave till tomorrow what you can today.