Chapter 5: Caught in the Rain Without Mercy
After wrestling with the broken pipe, I knew one thing for sure:
I had to leave the house before it collapsed on me.
I dressed quickly — simple jeans and T-shirt — and decided to step out small, buy food, and clear my head.
The sky was a little dark, but I told myself:
"It's just small clouds. No rain will fall."
Big mistake.
I stepped out, proudly bouncing down the street.
Even greeted one or two people on the way:
"Good morning, bossu!"
"Morning, champion!"
Five minutes into my journey, the first drop of rain hit my forehead.
Soft, gentle, romantic.
"Aww, nice weather," I foolishly thought.
Then the second drop came.
Then the third.
Then all of a sudden, the sky opened fire!
Heavy rain poured down as if God Himself had opened all the taps in heaven.
Before I could even blink, my shirt was soaked like I had dived into a swimming pool.
I started running — but where was I even running to?
No umbrella, no nearby shelter, nothing.
I saw one small kiosk and dashed inside, only to find that about fifteen people were already packed there, squeezed like sardines.
One woman carrying tomatoes shifted small for me.
A boy with a goat on a leash was blocking half the entrance.
And some man was loudly shouting about how "the government should fix the drainage."
Meanwhile, rain was beating the kiosk roof like a talking drum.
The floor was muddy.
My jeans were sticking to my legs like super glue.
My slippers started making that annoying "praa, praa" sound when you walk with wet feet.
I just stood there shivering and thinking about my life choices.
As I looked out at the flood forming on the road, I whispered to myself:
"Samuel, next time the sky warns you, listen. You are not bigger than the clouds."
When the rain finally slowed down, I stepped back into the street, looking like a rejected cat.
My small shopping dreams had died.
My dignity had drowned.
I just wanted to reach home before another chapter of suffering opened.
End of Chapter 5