Learning To Fly

The Beginning, With No End

"Welcome to Chicken Empire, where your tummy gets chummy. My name is Noah. How may I be of assistance to you?"

I attempt to inject a bit of joy into my tone, but still end up sounding monotonous like a robot.

In all honesty, I was starting to feel metallic.

"I hav... complaint concer... order."

The connection falters but I still manage to get what she says.

"My sincere apologies ma'am. What's the matter with it?"

"It's -" She continues but the rest of her words end up being lost in transit.

"I'm sorry. You said what?" Tapping my finger against my temple, I close my eyes and wish the day would go by faster. Having worked here for eight years after graduating from university with a degree in foreign languages, I could feel my life ebbing away without really finding the time to live it out.

"It's my chicken." She finally manages to pass across.

I wait for her to continue. When she doesn't, I sigh, desperately wishing I can let out a shout in frustration. However, the only thing I do is to stretch my lips even further into the false smile I have been wearing all day simply because my boss is watching me from where he is sitted.

Unfortunately, being fake is beginning to hurt.

"What is wrong with your order, ma'am?" I probe further.

"It has meat on it." She giggles.

"W-what?" I was flabbergasted.

A pause.

Another giggle.

Then, "I said it has meat on it. Oh. My. Gosh. And I think the wings just flapped."

With glazed eyes I watch people walk briskly on the busy roads of Lagos, wondering who they are, what their stories comprises of. Wondering if they are like me, stuck in a stereotypical configuration on how life ought to be lived.

As if my puppet strings became detached, I suddenly snap to reality. Is this really how I desire to spend the rest of my life? Attending to crazies?

Shaking my head, I place the phone on the counter, not even bothering to end the call while she kept whining about her imaginary problem.

I gently remove my apron, letting it drop to the floor with a soft thud.

I have served a lot of customers over my working years, but I have never met one as eccentric as this. I hereby refuse to reach that stage, for I've been holding out for as long as I can, barely restraining myself from lashing out on an innocent person or object.

"And where do you think you're going?" My boss drawls, bringing unwanted attention to me as I walk towards the exit.

I wave, not even bothering to look back. I don't care I'm not resigning properly or that I won't get my pay even though it was almost month's end.

"Well then, you are hereby suspen-"

With a carefreeness I never knew I possessed, I slam the door.

Grinning, I step out into the open and fling my arms wide open with careless abandon as I let the setting sun kiss my face with its radiant orange glow.

I have spent a considerable amount of time slaving away, never really having moments for me time.

Now however; I watch the trees sway in response to the caress of the soft evening breeze and I join the birds to belt out melodies.

I beam at the budding flowers, jump over the little plants and breathe in the refreshing scent of the oncoming rain.

I also find myself admiring ladies, not just staring past them like before.

My lips still hurt from smiling, but it is no longer the unreal kind.

I explore my new found freedom all day long. Then with flashes of lightning and the rumblings of thunder accompanying me, I dance home at night with raindrops falling all around me like perfectly carved crystals.

I also jump into puddles with glee, laughing as the water splashes on me.

Then all of a sudden I pause as I stare at the crystal drops, my appreciation for God's creativity increasing all the more.

I begin walking home again, a smile on my face and a skip in my step.

Certainly, this is the start of something different.

Something simple yet extraordinary.

It is time to live.