I have never been known for my patience.
No one will point me out in a crowd and say you see that girl there she is the most patient person you will ever meet.
So yesterday my impatience made me do the stupidest thing ever. I visited the HELB offices to ask them when I am getting my money. You know coz I deserve to get paid and January was shining all the way to the pocket.
I strode in confidently with my earphones in listening to how James Author is saying he wants to give me everything, clutching my ID in my hand because they need proof I am me not just some crazy person who woke up at the crack of dawn to complain.
When I finally got to the desk the woman smiled at me, you know if you count gritting your teeth and opening your lips as smiling, sure she smiled at me. Then she asked me how she could help me so I told her.
I told her how I have to wake up before five and ran out of the house before the landlord wakes up because I have not paid my rent for about three months.
I told her how just this morning I had to eat left over ugali and strong tea without sugar.
I told her how Tala, Branch, Mshwari and Jazika had their claws in me and I was drowning in debt.
I told her how I have to walk to school because I could not afford thirty bob for fare.
Okay so maybe I did not tell her all this, I just 'smiled' back and asked her why I am seeing zeros in my account.
She chatted with her friend as she took my ID to check then she asked me if I was JAB or self sponsored. I told her JAB she checked my account and realised I was a self sponsored student.
As she clicked to change my details, she proceeded to tell me that if I had not come in, my money would be deposited into my account next week but since I showed up and JAB students were still not being paid yet, I had to wait.
When I asked her how long I should wait she shrugged and said, "sijui madam si tumetoka kuchange the details na we sai, lakini haitakua less than three weeks."
My impatience cost me.
Next week I would have been able to afford meat worth 100 shillings after clearing my rent arrears. Instead I have to wait another three weeks or probably another two months.
I guess today I am going home late again.
No one will point me out in a crowd and say you see that girl there she is the most patient person you will ever meet.
So yesterday my impatience made me do the stupidest thing ever. I visited the HELB offices to ask them when I am getting my money. You know coz I deserve to get paid and January was shining all the way to the pocket.
I strode in confidently with my earphones in listening to how James Author is saying he wants to give me everything, clutching my ID in my hand because they need proof I am me not just some crazy person who woke up at the crack of dawn to complain.
When I finally got to the desk the woman smiled at me, you know if you count gritting your teeth and opening your lips as smiling, sure she smiled at me. Then she asked me how she could help me so I told her.
I told her how I have to wake up before five and ran out of the house before the landlord wakes up because I have not paid my rent for about three months.
I told her how just this morning I had to eat left over ugali and strong tea without sugar.
I told her how Tala, Branch, Mshwari and Jazika had their claws in me and I was drowning in debt.
I told her how I have to walk to school because I could not afford thirty bob for fare.
Okay so maybe I did not tell her all this, I just 'smiled' back and asked her why I am seeing zeros in my account.
She chatted with her friend as she took my ID to check then she asked me if I was JAB or self sponsored. I told her JAB she checked my account and realised I was a self sponsored student.
As she clicked to change my details, she proceeded to tell me that if I had not come in, my money would be deposited into my account next week but since I showed up and JAB students were still not being paid yet, I had to wait.
When I asked her how long I should wait she shrugged and said, "sijui madam si tumetoka kuchange the details na we sai, lakini haitakua less than three weeks."
My impatience cost me.
Next week I would have been able to afford meat worth 100 shillings after clearing my rent arrears. Instead I have to wait another three weeks or probably another two months.
I guess today I am going home late again.
Through all this I ask myself Matiang'i you are all up in Headteachers business, where are you on universities? We need you all up in our business so that we don't take seven years for a course that was supposed to take five years. Or wait a year to graduate after coursework and then wait another year to get our certificate.
I also need you to know waiting a year to get 13000 shillings is so not cool. There are children in a sneaker factory in Bangladesh who out earn us.
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