by Ncumisa Mbusi
Everyone that has conversations with me for more than 30 minutes eventually gets to know about that dream car of mine. Yes, the Mini CountryMan. It was love at first sight, upon stumbling into a pic purely out of utter coincidence. I’m not car crazy, have never been, so I never even bother with car mags. Somehow it landed up in my hands, with the Cooper as a “to be released” car of the future.
I made a promise to myself that it will be my next car when I get rid of my beloved car. The moment came, I sold my car, and I was ready for my Mini. Until I fell in love with a beautiful house, and the Mini took the back seat, For now. Till I get used to the hefty bond. Only in a few months’ time.
A few months have turned into forever; they are fast becoming a year or two. I’m shocked, happy, anxious, disappointed all at once. I’m living in my dream house, but my mini just seems to be further in the future.
To point that now, there is the latest kind of country.
The one that involves deliberating before taking each and every journey, the logistics have to be carefully planned. Ima be taking a “TAXI”. Yes, I take taxis now, and it never crossed my mind that after 6 years of owning a car, acquired in one single payment, I would land up here again.
I’m writing this, standing outside McDonald’s waiting for a friend, but now I can’t exactly just stand here and type away.
I’m compelled to grab a bite/drink close-by so I can be comfortable while waiting. This has become a trend and I seem to find coffee shops in weirdest corners in this town. There are plenty of bars too but I’m not in habit of being a “DRUNK PEDESTRIAN”, not that I am promoting drunk driving either. The coffee shops are [safe].
The strangest of all is, I usually never have money this time of the month, let alone that it’s January!! Guess what, when you ride taxis, you HAVE to have cash. More than your taxi fare even. The unexpected always happens, like when I realised the other day, on my way to work, that I took the wrong taxis and landed up on the opposite direction of where I was going. Or the following day when it started raining just when I was beginning my journey, and I knew that it would take a miracle to have a direct taxi on time and the best action plan was to divert the route to the one going faster before I got soaking wet. And the last thing you want to be is a 31-year-old, dressed to the nines, begging for taxi fare home!!
So, there’s always cash. You know what; somehow I’m enjoying life in its purest ordinary form. My body is recuperating from binge drinking, and my wallet has taken a breather from all those Thursday night outings with the girls. I’m learning, and compelled to find entertainment in ways I even forgot existed.
And this is what I realize; I am in a Mini Country “Wo” Man moment. The one I have been praying and fasting for. I mean, look at me, and see what I mean.
I’m dressed like I just jumped out of the eighties. The junk sale bag to match. I’m wearing flip-flops because it’s enough to walk in heels to work and back, I am not cruel enough to punish my feet further. I’m without makeup, face it, makeup and endless walks in the sun do not mix. The face is greasy; I am yet to find sunscreen that doesn’t grease up my face.
WHAT COULD BE MORE COUNTRY THAN THIS?
AND GUESS WHAT, I’m loving every minute of it! My view is broader, and somehow, the most important factors are even better than before. I have intimate conversations with my son every afternoon till evening; I don’t know what I used to do with my time before!!!
So, this is MY mini country”wo”man moment, and guess what, I will ride it all the way to the sunset with a smile and a cheerful heart!!!
The packaging is different, but it still is.
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, you make lemonade, and sell it at a profit!!!
