 Everyday happenings
by Nicole Anthony
Ever wondered how everyday
happenings such as getting your tea in the morning help you so much but
you neither appreciate nor even see how it helps you?
 Tarika walked down the hallowed neighbourhood at about six-forty in
the morning she was in her brand new red sweater, her iPod earphones on
as she walked down the row of quiet homes, she waved to another lady –
who was having an early morning jog before the streets began to get
crowded.
The early morning always had a way of greeting you and making the
rest of your day...refreshing! As she was walking down, she saw the new
neighbour, she has moved across Tarika’s home, but it was obvious Tarika
wasn’t liked much. The new neighbor was about fifty years, she worked at
the international school nearby, she left early in the morning and came
back about four. She always jogged on Saturdays.
“Oh! Tarika? I just moved across your house, I’m Dulani” they briefly
shook hands “I’m having a party for my grandson, next week I decided I’d
invite at least three neighbours as many people aren’t coming, he’s 13
this Monday, dinner on Sunday, could you make it?”
Tarika wanted to decline, but she didn’t want to be rude. “Well, I’m
not free Sunday afternoon, but Sunday evening is always free!” said
Tarika. “Oh! great!” she said with the most fake smile ever “See you
then!” She jogged on.
Getting invited to dinners and luncheons was an everyday happening.
Her neighbourhood consisted of some of the higher class people, so they
often lunched over the tiniest occasion! It was Saturday, she had all
the time she needed to pick out a dress, gift and some kind of dessert
to cook and take for the dinner next week. But her spine tingled; like
it always did when she was excited, scared or something bad was going to
happen.
It was sort of a hunch, but she went with the “being excited” theory.
So as the week went by, Tarika went through her daily routine,
jogging from five to six in the morning, cooking toast and egg and oat
meal on weekdays (week ends were always milk rice or something of the
sort!) going to work at the library (Tarika was a librarian) coming home
and eating Chinese food for lunch, A little television and maybe surfing
the internet, then she would clean the house a bit or call the late book
returnees on how high library fees go if returned too late, and
eventually evening comes and she watches seven o’ clock news, and she
would be asleep by nine, up and awake by five for her jog!a
The week ended very soon, Sunday came as lightning, and at six on
Sunday she had no dress, shoes, gift or food for the party! she quickly
wrapped a watch that she’d brought for her nephew and pulled on a black
and red dress, she put on her black blunt heels (they were hideous,
Tarika agreed!) she quickly gathered her self together and left. “Oh!
Tarika you made it!” she practically pinched her veins and pulled her in
“Here she is! ‘MY NEIGHBOUR!’ Dulani told all the guests, everyone
studied Tarika, which made her feel uncomfortable, and then they
whispered to each other, which made it worse! “Could you go over there?
I’m busy, be an angel and serve those mini cakes on that tray for me,
will you?” Dulani was the hostess how could Tarika say no? “Um...sure!”
she walked dizzily through the crowd of about seventy people.
When she finally got to the drinks she took a cocktail “OH! no!” said
Dulani, who had popped out of nowhere “Sorry, darling, I’m out of
cocktail, you know what it’s like to make an impression on my nephew’s
friends that we don’t have enough cocktail, my nephew won’t be able to
live it down, you can go have some water! Oh wait, there, see, my
nephew’s friend spilled some drink, could you go wipe that up, my knees
are failing me!” Tarika’s heart skipped a beat; she lost her breath, her
stomach bloated inwards “Um…sure!” Tarika quickly gathered some tissue
and wiped the soft drink off the floor. As she was going to take a seat,
she saw Dulani approach.
 ‘Now what?’ thought Tarika. “Oh! hello dear, the guests are leaving,
could you escort them, and put the lights on up stairs, first room to
the right, second switch!” she ordered, this time it didn’t feel like
she was asking for a favour, it was an order. She had to do it, or those
cunning eyes of hers would pierce her for the rest of her life!
Tarika quickly went upstairs turned on the lights, and showed some
guests the door; she quickly grabbed her shawl and left for the door,
but guess who popped up, Dulani! “Oh! dear, I’m going to be all alone,
could you help me clean the house a little?” Something that bothered
Tarika was that she was so straight forward with it, she didn’t play
around with the request. She just said it! “Well...uhh...I have to go to
the library early tomorrow...” she hesitated “Oh! It would take only a
minute, oh, please do help!” she said again.
Tarika found herself scrubbing a stranger’s floors! She quickly got
the place clean and left, it was eleven forty pm when she left!
Next Monday she couldn’t jog, she was too tired. But on Tuesday, she
did manage to go for a jog. She saw Dulani, Dulani waved; Tarika ignored
her and walked away. She didn’t want to get invited to another one of
her parties! Tarika for sure wouldn’t take an everyday happening so
simply next time!
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