Grouchy morning

Grouchy morning.

Some things can never be explained. Perhaps that is how I should sum up
my morning today. Now that I can look back, I realise that had I taken
enough care, I would have known something unusual was about to happen
to me.

The alarm went off at exactly five thirty in the morning. I know it was
five thirty because that is the time I usually set my alarm clock. I
reached out for it in the dark and switched it off.
My God! I had barely slept and it was already morning, another hard
day at the office. If I had a choice, I would have continued in my
sleep.

I saw myself out of bed and into the shower. The water was unusually
warm and I wondered how this could be so during the cold month of
October. Out of the shower I turned on the Television set for the
morning news. It was strange, but I had spent a whole thirty minutes in
the shower. I poured myself a cup of coffee from my flask as I listened
to the news. Thirty minuets latter I was dressed up and ready for
another day.

I usually leave home at fifteen minutes to seven in the morning. I know
the taxi takes up to twenty-five minutes (not allowing for a traffic
jam) to get to my place of work. I have to walk another three minutes
up the stairs to the office. Considering that I am supposed to report
by eight in the morning I knew I would get there well in time.

It was very important to me that I got to work in time today. I had
been working on my punctuality since two days ago when I had received a
verbal warning from my Boss about late coming. Boss said he had been
monitoring me and according to him I had been reporting on average five
minutes late for five days in a row. I did not believe Boss and he gave
me no chance to explain. Deep inside me I knew it was just one of those
periods when he is in a sore mood. I had resolved it within myself to
report to work as early as possible and to steer clear of Boss all
times.

I was now in the taxi and it was raining again. Oh these rains! It was
only yesterday when we had to wait for two hours for the roads to clear
of 'floods' before any taxi could venture to 'sail' us home. The warmth
in the taxi was inviting and I felt like dosing again. Perhaps I could
close my eyes for a minute.
Suddenly the driver stepped hard on the brakes hooting at the same
time. Wait a minute was that a hoot&;#8230;&;#8230;..?
The ringing continued. It was the school bell for the primary school a
few meters from my home. That bell went off at exactly eight o'clock in
the morning. I woke with a start. The wall clock in my bedroom
indicated eight o'clock. How could I have dreamed all that time? How
was I going to make it to work in time? Damn! What would I tell Boss
now?

I pulled on my trouser. I reached for a shirt, a toothbrush and my
watch. The shower and breakfast could wait. My brain was now working at
maximum efficiency. I remembered that neighbour one (I was not sure of
her name since I had just moved into the block) owned a car. If I could
get a lift and avoid the struggle for a taxi that I knew was definite
considering the time&;#8230; Just as I tied my shoelace I heard her
car start. I grabbed a tie and sped out of the house. Too late she was
gone. I could only see the red of her taillights as she braked to avoid
a porthole.

The taxis from Bweyogerere follow a definite pattern in the morning.
They are almost empty if you get to the stage before seven thirty in
the morning. After that they fill up and one has to use all kinds of
tricks to get onto one. After nine, they are empty again and one can
comfortably get a lift to town.

I surveyed the taxi stage. There were five students. Three girls and
two boys in school uniform. There was the shopkeeper with her usual
company, her nursery school going daughter. Neighbour two on my block
was standing behind the shopkeeper arms akimbo, surveying the road for
any signs of an unfilled taxi. Then I saw him. The tall man.
I called him the Ostrich in my heart though I never got the guts to
call him that to his face. I did not like this man. It all started one
rainy morning. The taxi had stopped just infract of me and I was
wondering at my luck when he ducked under my arm and squeezed in past
me. He always seemed to appear from nowhere and he had beaten me to the
taxis on several occasions. I loathed the idea of Competing for a taxi
seat with this man. Reluctantly I crossed over and joined the
group.

No one of us had expected it to stop. I was the first to react because
it stopped right in front of me. The taxi was full and I did not expect
anyone to alight but I was not taking any chances. Swiftly I moved to
cover the taxi door spreading out my arms to avoid some one overtaking
my position from behind. I did not turn to look but I was certain it
was the Ostrich breathing down my neck. Now the passenger was getting
off. I turned to give the Ostrich one triumphant look as I prepared to
take my seat. Suddenly things started happening very fast. There was a
yell, a push, as I got plastered with some warm sticky substance. I
staggered losing my footing and with it my position. I gave way as a
stench enveloped me and the small crowd around me dispersed. In a flash
the Ostrich had overtaken me and the taxi sped away.
It took me over one hour to shower and change my clothes. I had now
given up getting to work in time. It did not matter to me weather Boss
believed my story about the sick woman, the vomit and the taxi.

The work place was deserted when I got to work. Strange! I looked at my
watch. 9:45, 09:09:00.
How could I have forgotten? It was Independence Day.