This is Not Life

...I wasn't familiar with the life in Isale Eko

There is a way houses in Lagos are built. For flats, not those face-me-I-face-you apartment. These flats look like a large hall that was demarcated into smaller units. Smaller units that tenants can eavesdrops on conversation in the next flat.

Or is the ones you can hear from your own demarcation, when your neigbour drops a spoon. It is not an appraisal that you have sharp hearing no, It is mostly because landlords are trying to manage spaces and squeeze as much apartment as possible no matter how small the land is without consideration for proper ventilation and space.

It was early morning, the first time in 7months that I stayed awake till 3am, writing codes. I remembered vividly, it was 3:06am when I heard my neighbour, turn the shower knob. I smirked and reeled in the feeling of being married, the perks of loving someone and the person loving you back and you both agree to do forever together, this man could wake up so early in the morning to cuddle his wife and while at it, make babies - I caught myself smiling.

It is a 1-bed apartment and probably the kids were sleeping, he probably saw an opportunity to have sex with his wife and now he is taking a shower. I envied him, I envied marriage and looked at my surroundings, how lonely it is. I looked at my bed, it was neatly arranged, cold and with the two pillows out of place. I longed to share my bed with someone for warmth and then it struck that I am actually the only tenant that is single in the whole compound. The realization of how lonely I am, dealt me a blow. God! run am for me, make me sef dey bath by 3am… Abi, emi lokan nau!

In the middle of my thought, I remembered I seldom see him. Since I recently relocated to Lagos and packed into the compound, I have only seen him twice, before I wake up, this neighbour has left for work and he comes back late in the night, so I peered through my window to see his face but his bathroom lights were off, he was done taking his bath.

While I was trying to close my laptop and take a rest for the day, I heard the door protector open. It was 3:27am.

Is someone cheating on the spouse and trying to make him/her leave before the tenants wake up, I wondered? So I peered again to know what the secrecy is.

Alas, it was my neigbour, on suit and tie with his single-bag strap, resting on his left shoulder.

Ewoooo, na work this man dey prepare for ooo. Like this man dey bath by after 3, not because of a just concluded romantic moment but, because he had to prepare for work… at 3AM!. Even if na slave sef, him master go allow day break before he wake up. 3am when the sleep is just hitting, someone is preparing for work?!!!!!!!

The worst thing to also note is, I hardly see him. He returns mostly towards 9pm. To think of it, he leaves home by 3 and returns by 9… that’s crazy….

It was later that I understood that he wakes up early to meet the staff bus since he lives on the mainland and paying t-fare to work on the Island will eat deep into his salary, atleast for a family man.

This is the reality of many people out there in Lagos. Out of their bed by 3am and hitting the road by half-past 3. Not because they want to but, to make ends meet, they have to.

So I asked, will this type of man have time to know his children and get his children to know him?

At what stage does this strain the marriage and the wife will no longer be willing to endure or probably fill the vacuum with another man since her husband is most times, absent?

At what stage does this even end?

I was drown in thought when I heard the sound of another door protector.

Ha, the wife must have forgot to close it when the husband left, I peered again to see what a wife who has been left to cold, in bed at early hours of the day, for work will look like

Fiam, it is the man who lives at the last room by the right, with suit too but his tie was in his hands, he was rushing to work.

I looked at the wall clock, 4:17am

This is not life mahn! I just closed my laptop and went to sleep