Weekdays are the toughest for me as it may for many, very turbulent, one I would love to escape but somethings just exist in the movies, Stan Lee’s lucky man. Spoiler alert, this is the real world and I am not that lucky, man has got to do what man has got to do, face the days head-on.

Well, I know you would want a gist of how tough my day could get. well, I am not going into that, probably, content for another write up but hey, what would you call me if I don’t introduce you to the easy part of life? I mean Saturdays and Sundays, yaaay!!! These are the days I do domestic duties full time, now how easy is that? All the same, life is good.

For the record, this is not how it has always been, I used to have a lot of free time and I enjoyed it then. I guess I should have saved some for this very rainy day. Regardless, this too shall pass.

On weekdays I am split into two, I have to make myself available for domestic duties and be on time for academics, and by domestic duties, I also mean responsibilities to my old man and not chores, well I do one or two of that, sometimes I feel I am flash, other times I just buddy the turtle.

On one of my weekdays, I had just tied up one end of my daily chores, speeding to the other. I swiftly dashed to the other side of the road to catch a ‘troski’ (public transport), ‘abeg’ no judging, this is my quote, at least for now.

I was lucky enough to have one of these mini buses pull over.

I climbed up and the bus was abnormally full. To clarify that, if you are familiar with buses, then you know these buses normally have walkways, well this one does not. The seats have been customized to fill every inch of breathable space and the situation was dicey especially with a weird visitor like Covid around.

I took my seat between two huge ladies, literally sandwiched. I cuddled my bag just to feel at home, my dark nose mask wouldn’t make being comfortable any easier, upon getting settled I was welcomed to a subtly tensed environment.

A fair woman comfortably seated in a single seat at the entrance, just behind the motor mate asked him to put on a face mask, he violently rejected the request, verbally battering her.

The situation was slowly getting out of hand, from what it was, the woman probably in her late thirties had been insistent on him wearing a nose mask on the basis that he was putting everyone at risk.

It was just a few words from the start and then turned into chains of words. He even boasted about being seen by the police and not being queried or arrested, “madam, madam leave me alone with your witchcraft I don’t have the sickness so stop professing it on me, wearing a nose mask is not force, I won’t wear it”. He had gotten loud and daring but the woman maintained her tone, she then insisted that he shouldn’t call for passengers standing in front of her.

A few passengers joined in support of the fair lady, a few males and a couple of females giving home support. Others suggested he be left alone, purporting that once others were in the mask, it wasn’t so much of a problem if he wasn’t. Well, public education on the virus has proved ways one can contract the virus even with the mask on, so ignoring his noncompliance can be attributed to ignorance on their part.

To talk about my contribution to the issue, well, even my silence cost me extra pesewas, quite higher than I would have paid on another bus with a more cheerful conductor.

It is then clear that the exercise of one’s right is even an infringement on another’s preference, however legal. lol, the expensiveness of democracy. The duty is ours, we all have roles to play in making our lives better. FYI, publishing this is my contribution so I guess my debt is paid.