{"id":2801,"date":"2019-07-08T17:08:10","date_gmt":"2019-07-08T17:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaobserver.co.ke\/?p=2801"},"modified":"2019-07-08T17:08:10","modified_gmt":"2019-07-08T17:08:10","slug":"on-beat-19-kilometers-in-my-shoes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaobserver.co.ke\/index.php\/2019\/07\/08\/on-beat-19-kilometers-in-my-shoes\/","title":{"rendered":"ON BEAT: 19 kilometers in my shoes"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Njeri Mbugua<\/em><\/p>\n

My feet are killing me.\u00a0I’ve been struggling. I won’t lie. I’m at that place where this job is for bills and taxes and the hustle is for food and survival.<\/p>\n

I remember getting into my\u00a0little studio\u00a0last night and looking at the mess I had left behind.\u00a0Clothes from about two days ago lay spread out on my floor, my bed unmade with everything from a spoon used two nights back and match sticks, so many burnt match sticks\u2026.<\/p>\n

An ashtray hangs on the edge of the bed and my joints of illegality seem crowned on top of the mess.\u00a0I have no motivation to clean any of it. Usually, I’m a neatness freak but not tonight. Or yesterday night. Or the night before that.<\/p>\n

I’m exhausted.<\/p>\n

I got lucky today. I had left the house with no money but still managed to get to work on time and make an extra Sh70 that I used to come home. As I light up another matchstick, I think about my assignment tomorrow.<\/p>\n

The invite said 7.30am.<\/p>\n

I finish burning my thoughts and start sending those vicious “I need a favour\u201d texts. I hate them. I hate sending them. I hate getting replies to them. Everyone I reach out to either claims to be in the same spot as me or just has enough to last them the day.<\/p>\n

Fair enough. The universe will work something out.<\/p>\n

\u00a0I light up another matchstick as I wait. Zero notifications.\u00a0I wake up around 10pm to a call from a relative. He needs something done tomorrow. I don’t want to, but I will. I’m tempted to ask for money but I can’t.<\/p>\n

They said I work now, I can take care of myself.\u00a0The fallacy of it all!\u00a0I light up my third matchstick and find a Seth Rogen, James Franco flick. You know the one about pineapples and the world ending.\u00a012.30am.<\/p>\n

\u00a0For messages, hope?<\/p>\n

Failed. \u201cInsufficient funds in your M-Pesa account as well as Fuliza….Dear customer, you have exhausted your data bundle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dial *544# to…<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are sorry, our system review shows you currently do not qualify for a branch loan…\u201d<\/p>\n

Hey. Imagine pia mimi sina<\/em>….<\/p>\n

I light up my third and half matchstick as I keep reviewing the messages. Over and over.\u00a0Finally, I fall asleep with what I believe is a solid plan.<\/p>\n

One time, two times, three times, go! I don’t want to be late so as soon as the 4.30am alarm goes off, I’m up.\u00a0I’ve barely slept.<\/p>\n

I keep tossing and checking my phone then my laptop,\u00a0sleeping again, or at least trying to. As I sit up, the intensity of what I am about to do hits me… I can’t do this. Snooze to 5.00am. Beep… Beep… Snooze to 5.30am.<\/p>\n

Three more times and I finally wake up at 6.30am. I get ready in an almost reluctant mood, light up another matchstick, get it halfway and leave.\u00a0Before I leave the house I use my Pewa bundles and google distance from my location to Nairobi. 19kms.<\/p>\n

Approximately three-hour walk.<\/p>\n

It’s 7am and rest assured, I get to my event at a little past 9am.\u00a0Began? No dear.\u00a0Good because my feet are killing me!<\/p>\n

Breakfast?<\/p>\n

\n

Njeri Mbugua is a graduate trainee at the Star<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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