Three years ago, the compound I'm living once suffered difficulties in getting water supply because our pumping machine got faulty and the two neighbours I had gave me a deaf ear when I told them the amount I was told by the electrician that I took the pumping machine to repair, so that's how we stayed, depending completely on a neighbouring compound for water. The worst thing is that water is not sold in the area, so anytime we're to fetch water, we must go begging the neighbour to allow us to fetch it. Gosh! I hated that moment of my life.
"Don't allow them to come and fetch water again" This was what I heard from the elderly woman who owns the compound close to us, she was telling her tenants to restrict us from fetching water. I was to buy some sachets of milk from her small shop and they didn't know when I entered the shop and heard her boldly giving instructions to her tenants and immediately they noticed my presence, one of her tenants whom she was talking to quickly greeted me to wave off the awkward moment, "Kingsley how far na?"
"Boss, I'm fine ooo! Good morning sir, Mama good morning ma"
I responded quickly with greetings to help kill the awkward moment too, they replied, we exchanged some pleasantries with fake smiles on our faces, and I bought the sachet of milk and left.
I didn't feel hurt by what they were saying, it's their water and they're entitled to give it to anyone they like and restrict anyone they don't like from fetching but what pained me was that I used to buy fuel with my money to pump water so we could fetch from there since water is not sold around.
The night of that day, I called my two neighbours, two guys around my age and related what I heard the mama saying.
"Ha! Are we not buying fuel?" Nelson, the oldest among us tried to raise his voice out of anger.
"Bro calm down, it's very normal for them to come up with such a decision due to what they think. Maybe they thought we were damaging the tap or whatever" Mero, the youngest among us said in a very calm tone.
"Exactly! It's the best time for us to repair ours because as for me, I hate embarrassment. I hate to beg for something and get turned down. Let's put our hands together and get our pumping machine repaired." My contribution was the silencer and that night, Mero transferred his money to my account while Nelson promised to give me his in two days because he had no money with him.
The next day, I begged the Mama to give me key to the tap to fetch water and on the spot, she told me she lost her keys last night. I didn't say much to her, I just smiled and left. I waited for when she drove out on her bike, to beg her tenants for keys which they didn't waste time to give me.
After the morning work, I rushed to the electrician's shop and paid him half of the requested money for him to start up the repairs. He was happy and promised to get it done before the end of the day.
"You mean today?" I was surprised when he said the repair would be finished that day.
"Yes, but don't expect me to handle it over to you without the complete payment."
"Okay, no problem, just let me know when it's ready and you'll get the remaining part of your money"
Nelson hasn't paid but the thought of getting our pumping machine that day gave me a lot of joy and I planned to pay up with my money and when Nelson pays, I would replace it.
That night, just as he promised, the pumping machine was fixed back and it was all joy for us.
As life would have it, the pumping machine of the neighbouring compound where we were fetching water, spoiled three days after we fixed our own, the table turned and they were coming to us to get water.
The first two days, the Mama didn't come to fetch, because I was in charge of the key to our tap and it was only her tenants that were coming which I didn't hesitate to give them the key tap because even when the Mama said they shouldn't give us keys, they were still sneaking out their pair of keys to give to us to fetch water.
Fortunately for me and unfortunately for her, she came to fetch water on the day that water was finished on the tank. I didn't tell her when she came to beg for the key, I just gave her and went inside and after like a minute, I heard a knock on my door.
"Kingsley!"
"Yes mama" I rushed to the door to meet her.
"The water has finished, it's not rushing" Her voice sounded so sympathetic
"Eyhaaah! Sorry, I didn't know.... and...and... there's no fuel in my generator to pump the water" I served her back a bit of what she used to serve me.
She stood on the spot looking tired with her hands resting on her waist and she was hissing continuously out of regret. And I was just looking at her pitifully as well.
After some seconds, she walked out towards the tap where she dropped the kegs she came with and went back to her house.
Honestly, I didn't have issue with giving her water but life brought that scene to play so she could feel how it was for us.
Images are mine
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