FAMILY MAN

 The lights went off and I shut my laptop down in anger. I had wasted a lot of time typing out reports trying to meet a deadline and just when I needed to submit them, the laptop ran out of power and the mifi didn't have network. So I was justifiably angry wasn't I? I sat up, looking around my office as the heat descended.



Don't tell me it's my fault for not plugging in the laptop while I typed. That's the whole idea of having a "laptop" isn't it? When the generator didn't kick in soon enough, I stood up and stretched my weary back. The building was so quiet. Obviously I was the last one to leave as usual.

A glance at the clock told me it was time to go home. I must be getting old, or how do I explain being at my desk by 8:45pm on a Friday night? My phone was in the drawer where I had thrown it in over two hours ago. My mother had been calling and disturbing me when I needed to work. The indicator light was blinking, six missed calls from my wife.


I knew she would be upset already, so I cleared my desk and left the office. I called her when I was in the car, and she didn't pick up. Perfect.... Just perfect.     Making your wife angry on a Friday night is like setting fire to your house knowing fire fighters are two days away.

So I took a detour, to get her a large bowl of her favourite ice cream. My wife is nursing a set of twin boys, so you should understand my need to appease the gods. A nursing mother should not be stepped on. Now add the twin effect, boys for that matter. The babies are taking a toll on my wife. They just turned 9 months, and are little thunderbolts.

I spent an extra hour on the road, no thanks to all these youngsters that make it a duty to flood Obalende at night. I mean seriously, where do they all crawl out from? They have nothing to, than to wiggle waists, smoke and gallivant, making so much noise.

Maybe I am a little jealous, OK maybe more than a little. I remember too fondly, when I was one of those youngsters. Seems like a previous lifetime. When I had no care in the world, no fears, responsibilities or bills. I was out to have fun and I did. Funny thing was that with all the friends I had, it was the loneliest time of my life.

Getting home, I met the house in darkness. Obviously the norm not having power supply but what wasn't normal was the generator not running. I had an immediate sense of trepidation, as I called the gate man to explain the problem.

As I went in, I knew ice cream would not be enough to appease the gods. Never mind that I am not in anyway related to our minister of petroleum, or in anyway responsible for the unending fuel scarcity. Someone has got to take the brunt of our ordeal, and that someone is yours truly.


The screaming cry of a child, was my usual welcome home these days, and today three children were screaming. It's going to be a looooong weekend. My wife bobbed up and down with one baby, while the nanny did same with the other. My six years old daughter sat on the floor with a plate of half eaten cereal, also crying. Never had I met a child so uninterested in food, until we bore her.


My wife looked really worn out, like she was going to slump any minute. I gave her a Peck and took the baby from her. She handed him over gratefully and took the tub of Ice cream which she dumped on a side stool as she lay on the sofa.

I tried to placate the baby, I couldn't tell if he was Kenneth or Kennedy. The look the same to me. His brother seemed to be falling asleep in the arms of the nanny. I stepped outside to cool him down I'm the night breeze. It was almost 10:30pm.


It took another 20 minutes to get him to sleep then I handed him to the nanny, and picked my wife off the couch and into our room. I laid her on the bed and the air conditioner beeped. It must be Christmas. Just as I heaved a sigh of relief, the air conditioner went back off. A lesser mortal would have screamed In frustration.

The next morning, I awoke to a high pitch scream. My wife was not in bed, it was not even 6:30am yet. I rolled over and went back to sleep. I needed more time before the Saturday began.

"Daddy" Trish shrieked jumping on me. I tried to open my eyes and the sun from the drawn curtains blinded me. Obviously I had slept longer than I had intended.

"Baby please draw the curtains close for daddy"

She jumped off the bed and closed the curtains. I sat up, looking at my wide-eyed daughter. She looked on expectantly, I wondered what exactly she wanted.

"Daddy today is Barbie's birthday" She said seriously.

"Happy Birthday to Barbie" I said standing up and going to the bathroom. Of course she was right behind me.

"Mummy says breakfast time" she continued standing behind me as I emptied my bowels.

Then we went into the living room together. The peace offering was still on the side stool and of course a baby was crying. My wife looked up from breast feeding and smiled.


I am a family man, my house is always a chaos, but I won't have it any other way.





LIFE IS A CHOICE MY FRIENDS
SO CHOOSE WISELY
ENOUGH SAD