AN UNPLEASANT DAY
Getting up in the morning and having a
cup of coffee is how I usually begin my day. As a hard-working doctor in my mid
forties, to have a day or two off work really means a lot to my family and I;
because I get to spend a lot of time with them. But today was a Thursday, a
school day, so the possibility of me spending time with my children was
hindered by wrong timing. Although I was a bit despondent, because I would not
have any family time, I was also ecstatic that I had the chance to spend my day
alone. I had a shower, I brushed my silky Mongolian hair, I put on a hooded
sweater over my lanky body, I ate breakfast but, I desisted from having my
usual cup of coffee. My relaxation time had begun. The couch in front of the
television was the perfect destination for my day of pleasure. It was so
comfortable compared to the coarse chair in my office. My derrière meshed
perfectly with the leather couch and I tuned to a game of cricket. I made the
right choice. The cricket game was extremely intriguing and I could not think
of a better way to spend my day. But, my entertaining period was cut short. I
heard footsteps coming from the kitchen and I became frightened and alert. “Did
I leave the door open? Is an intruder in my house?” Thoughts ran through my
head until I had an epiphany. I had forgotten about my wife.
“Honey,” she yelled, “do you not
remember we have to go the mall today?”
My face crumpled in annoyance because
my rare day of relaxation had been disturbed. I tried to distort the truth, “I
thought we are going during the weekend,” I replied.
“No, we agreed it was today.”
She was on to me. The only way to get
out of the distressing dialogue was to just comply and follow her to the mall.
“Alright honey, I will be right out,” I replied with a solemn tone.
“Thank you,” she responded, “I will be
in the car.”
Slowly, with a gloomy face and
attitude, I got out of the soft couch and began my displeasing journey to the
car where she waited for me. I took my car keys and my wallet. On any other
day, I would be delighted. On any other day, I would have been alert. On any
other day, I would have been charming. But today, I was belligerent.
With not much
zeal, I arrived at the car; a 2012 Toyota Camry. The car door opened gradually
as I got into it. She was ready to go. I was not. Calmly, I put on my seatbelt
and tried my best to hide my disturbed spirit. But she noticed with a quick
glance.
“Are you okay?”
she asked
“Oh yes honey”
“Are you not
excited to go to the mall?”
“For sure,” I
replied in a sarcastic tone, “I am elated.”
She sensed the
sarcastic atmosphere and stopped talking. The car was engulfed in silence. The
trip to the mall was rather awkward being that we are a married couple for
about ten years; but this was just one of those days. We arrived at the dreaded
mall walking side by side. My hands were in my pockets because it was cold and
we hurried into the mall. Immediately, she went to the women section for
clothes and jewellery and my shoulders slouched. It was going to be a long day.
Or so I thought.
Ricki’s was our
first stop. I rarely go into women’s clothing stores so I was amazed by the
assorted amount of shoes and clothing they had. It was mind boggling. She went
round the store and inspected most of the items; their prices, when they
arrived at the store and so on. As I stared without much interest at the shoes,
a young boy of an African descent passed by me. He glared at me and I gave him
a quick glance. Moving on, she was in the store for a long time asking
questions and discussing with women of her age group. It lasted forever. I felt
ignored, dejected. At this moment, I dreamed about being home in the silky
leather couch watching my cricket game. Finally, she finished her discussions
and came to meet me.
“Honey,” I said
with my most pleasant tone, “are you not getting anything?”
“No.”
“Is there a
problem? Then what was the purpose of coming to the mall.” I said in an unhappy
tone.
“Were you not
listening to me,” she shot back, “when I told you that we are just going for
window shopping? And I told you the purpose it to get a cheaper deal during
Boxing Day?”
“I remember now,”
I said with a smile. But I did not get one in return. She meant business.
From there on,
she moved to a store named Benty, just across from Ricki’s, and I followed her.
This time, my hands were in my pocket; not from the cold but because I had no
interest whatsoever. As I moved sluggishly through the store, up and down the
aisle, I spotted a piece of jewellery I could get for my wife for our
anniversary. It was a gold necklace that had diamonds embedded in some of its
holes. It was stunning. Maybe coming to the mall was not a complete waste of
time I thought. Then I walked out of the store to make my wife hurry up. Again,
I caught a glimpse of the African American teenager; but this time he was
seated with writing on a piece of paper on a binder. He looked at my direction
a couple of times but I just ignored him. Was he is any type of espionage? I
thought. It is not weird to see an African American boy writing on a piece of
paper while looking mostly at you I imagined. I contemplated the ideas that I
had but without much prove, I neglected the situation. My wife eventually emerged
out of the store and move on the next one named Suzy Shere. She was in there
for a brief couple of minutes and later surface to my vision.
“I have seen all
I want to see,” she said quite enthusiastic.
“That is
awesome,” I complimented, “Are you ready to head back home?”
She nodded.
Then we began our
walk, side by side, my hands still in my pockets. We did not utter a word but
we just exchanged glances. There were a lot of teenagers today I observed.
Probably, there is an activity going on I thought. I dismissed the thought and
started my plan for the remaining hours of the day. As soon as I arrive home,
most definitely, I would have a Budweiser beer while watching cricket, a nice
long nap, a delicious meal and some family time. Before I knew, I was already
in the car driving home with a broad smile across my face.
Out of curiosity
my wife asked, “Is there something I should know about?”
I winced, “No,
not at all. I am just thinking,” I replied with a smile.
She smiled back
at me and we continued our short trip back home. Immediately, my facial
expression changed; from happy to distraught because, I just remembered I have
to work tomorrow.
