THE ELUSIVE LEAVE

If you work a nine to five job like some of us do, then I’m pretty sure you’ll relate to this. I just had to write about my experience. So you’ve worked hard all year, never taking leave not because you don’t want to miss anything, but because there’s just too much work. That and the fact that you’re new so you’re not entitled to leave until after a certain period of time. 

So the time comes to finally take leave and you can’t because you still have so much work. So you keep working until the work load reduces but guess what? That never happens. Free advice, take the leave days no matter what. If you do, you’ll avoid the situation where your body shuts down because it needs to rest. You become so edgy and irritated you don’t even want anyone to breathe in your direction, especially those who irritate you. You cave in and finally take leave and people seem reluctant to let you as if they’re doing you a favor.

So you finally do that and guess what? It’s the best feeling not to wake up in the morning to go anywhere. You feel great. But the thing is, you have a list of stuff you need to do with housework topping that list. You have to shop for household necessities, then you have meetings to attend which you normally don't because of work, then you have to run around in the CBD to follow up on your lost ID which by the way you don’t get to because systems are down. The systems are always down on the specific day when you go to Huduma Centre. And because you work 9-5 you wonder when you’ll ever get to it. Despite that, you still have to go to the bank to pick your new pin and chip card and because you waited until the last minute, it takes you an hour. That means you leave town at maybe 4, bear with the jam and the day is over. 

The rest of the week is spent with friends and family. You decide to go visit your mum and decide to help her clean up and you get so wrapped up in rearranging things that a whole day goes by. And then you don’t really sleep well because you’re not in your own bed…. Man!! Before you know it the week is over and so is your leave. And you really need another where you can just chill but if your life is anything like mine you’ll find that you never really just chill. 

So it’s done, you enjoy it and ready yourself for Monday. That is until you realize that you still have some things to do and so you take Monday off too. You decide go back on Tuesday (when you have your Tuesday Morning Meetings aka TMM). Not the best day either but you have to go back sometime, right? Somehow, that Monday doesn’t go so well despite it being your last “free day” but oh well, you accept and move on. 

Tuesday morning comes, you wake up early so that you don’t get late, prepare and leave in good time. Then you realize that the Trade Fair is on so transport is very tricky especially because you live in a place that is always affected by the Annual Trade Fair better known as the Show. Water included by the way. So much for the Show officials saying they have their own supply of water. Anyway, you continue with your journey after a God sent matatu comes your way only for the matatu not to get you to your destination because there is a police inspection or like we love to call it, a crackdown. And then that makes you realize that you need to start getting on buses but they take forever to fill up so…. 

So you walk the rest of your distance and then get another matatu to your final destination after it successfully passes the police inspection. Now you’re happy to be well on your way and after the few hurdles, you’re good to go. And then, your friend sends you this and tells you you won’t make it.

This time it’s not your fault but no employer is going to hear you out, especially after they warned people not to be coming late especially on Tuesday’s. Or is it every day? Who knows? After all, you were on leave. 

So you briskly walk to the office which however fast you walk, is always 10 minutes away from the bus stop. And guess what? You make it 5 minutes before time and are in the office 3 minutes before time. This is where Pharell’s Happy makes so much sense. And, sadly that’s the end of the break. It’s back to business as usual.

That is basically how my one week off has been and now I realize why the use of the term leave. You leave the office to relax at home. And then you keep leaving the house to take care of other things. Leave, leave, and leave, until you finally leave the house back to the office. This is where you laugh at my puns. I’m not seasoned in those so show a lady some support. But I must say, a week away from the office does wonders. I’m now ready for whatever, I have a lot of energy and I’m super bubbly. Ask me in another two weeks, that bubbliness, will be a thing of the past. It’s just not in my nature. I still don’t get this leave thing. I’m sure I will when I can afford to go on a real holiday.


But all in all I enjoyed my time away. Time spent with friends, time spent with family, time spent with God.