I see it every time I walk pass.
They plead for another chance. The look says it all, "if I had another chance, I would use it better". You see it only in the seasoned eyes.
They are the ones who encourage the crying children to stop crying and go to school.
They tell the stubborn teens to be smart and finish their education.
They tell the fashion conscious girls to face their books and forget beauty. That if they have brains, then their beauty will be a plus.
They believe its all about getting a degree, and try to sing it to all who care to listen. Heck, they will even go out of their way to contribute to the fees of any child related to them to ensure they have it going well for them. Citing that they would have had a different portion of this life if they had listened...
Every time I pass, I see them siting in the morning, in clusters, sitting quietly. Looking at the world pass by. Wondering. Remembering. Thinking. I can't help but wonder what passes through their minds. I wonder what they had done as active youths. Did they go to work? Where they loafers? Did they get paid and look forward to the politics of the work life? Did they get good pensions?
In all my thinking, I always ended it the same way, Dear Lord, please let me retire into a beautiful life to enjoy my pension, with my family and friends too.
But its not all of them. Some have no remorse left in them, they are so hardened that even rocks would have more emotions. Some are the color of the mood they are feeling...red...with rage. They are so angry, and their anger can only be sustained by the green bottles.
You can tell their age by looking into their eyes...(if you are lucky to do so and go unscathed. By their words.
With these ones, you can tell that they think they will suddenly stumble on the "good life". They harass the bus drivers who want to make a living to give them their "usual fee". They harass the women selling food by the road side and buy food without paying. (Sometimes.). They scare the bus passengers with their jumping on the bus, removing the bus chairs to ensure they get paid, jumping off the moving bus, running after the bus in motion, and all the crazy stunts they pull. When they get injured in the process (this is quite common as you see most of them have souvenirs on their faces to show for their "adventures"), they just shrug it off and move on.
Its a life of hustle (pronounced hozzu) and they are proud to be able to hustle along. I do not know if they give a thought to a better life for themselves, but i really wish they would....Life is not meant to be so hard...or though.
I am getting so mushy...but I just learnt of the passing of a rich man who built an empire...He was a founding father and until his death was the MD/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank, yes, Tayo Aderinokun, fondly called Uncle T by his GTB staff. Uncle T has moved on to glory now, he was a hard worker, a father, friend to many, and of course, a rich man. But where did that all go? It doesn't change the fact that he is dead. Even if they bury him with everything he amassed, he will never be able to use it again. All these things are only useful on earth.
Alas, I deviate...
My main point...every day is a gift, use it wisely...Live your life in a way that when you have the privilege to look back, you will not regret any single action you have taken or regret any word you have uttered.
