A woman

The time I usually spend in a matatu is usually my time to think. My mind wanders a lot, pondering about different things going on in my life. I think about work and the money I make. I think about my bills and especially the pending ones. I think about my debts and how am going to pay all of them back. I think about my love life.

I wonder if all the dreams I have set my eyes on will ever come true. I fantasize too and I watch the people I am with in the vehicle. I wonder what’s going on in their minds as well, since many usually have this far away look in their eyes. Staring listlessly ahead and fighting their own private demons. I look at them and wonder if they are thinking the same things I think about. I wish I was able to get into their heads and find out what goes on in there.

Tuesday was the eve of Madaraka day. To me it was just like a Friday since I wasn’t working the next day. I didn’t want to think about my problems and the fact that I was flat broke. I just wanted to be grateful of the fact that I didn’t have to be anywhere the next day and I could do whatever I wanted-even spend the whole day in bed.

I delayed as much I could in town before I boarded a vehicle for home. I chose a seat next to a window and sat back to enjoy the ride. There were two ladies seated behind me conversing in low tones. Now, I am not an eavesdropper, I never even want to listen to other people’s problems since I find mine are more than enough for me. But I couldn’t help overhearing their conversation. One of them was sobbing pitifully-this was actually what made me start listening to them in the first place.

She had just lost her job and did not know what to do. I gathered she was a single mother of one who now did not have an idea of how she was going to support her child without a source of income. The friend was very soothing, telling her everything would be okay and that somehow she would survive. I wondered where the baby’s daddy was and felt a bit sad that I wasn’t in a position to ask. She stopped weeping when I was almost alighting.

When I got off, they also alighted. Now I wanted to look at her face. I wanted to see how she was holding up since her story had really moved me. I slowed down till they caught up with me. When they were close enough for me to see their faces, they were sharing a private joke and were both in stitches. They doubled over with laughter giggling like two small girls. I was shocked, since I couldn’t even tell which one of them had been crying. You couldn’t be able to tell that a few minutes ago, one of them had been weeping her eyes out.

They were now laughing, their problems put aside for the moment. I felt like I had imagined the whole thing. But one thing that stood out for me was that a woman is a very strong person. She may be hurting really bad, her world may be crumbling all around her, but she’ll still put forth a brave face to the world. You would never guess exactly what was happening in her life if you weren’t privy to it. My problems faded away at that moment. I was sure I would overcome them whichever way possible. After all, I am a woman too!