Chronicles of a rookie lawyer || The one about the fight.

“Chronicles of a rookie lawyer” is a new segment I have started on this blog since my law career officially began not so long ago. It was started purposely to write about my journey as a rookie lawyer whenever something “write worthy” comes up. Little did I know that the first thing I’d have to write about would be this!.

So, I work about 28kilometers from where I live, that means I’d spend 1 hour 6 minutes getting to work. However, considering Kampala’s never ending traffic jam, be true to yourself and make that two to three hours.

Since I need to be at work by 8:30am, I try to leave home by 6:30am.

6:30am is a good time to leave for Kampala for two reasons. First, because the traffic jam is still riding solo while it’s mother and relatives arrive at about 7:30 ish. Second, because where I come from, we have two early morning coasters (mini buses) that leave at 6:30am and then 6:50am there about.

Using the coaster is better than using taxis because they are cost effective, they usually don’t do a lot of stop overs since almost everyone who boards is going up to Kampala and they know what routes to use to avoid traffic jam. So, because of that, I became a coaster girl..at least for my work journeys.

On Monday, I had to be at work really early to get some work done before 9am. So I decided to use the 6:30am coaster. What I didn’t tell you before is that 6:30 is the time the whole village wants to go to Kampala, so we FIGHT to get into the coaster. Yes, you heard right, FIGHT!. As in “push, pull, block the door, use strategies to put in some body parts before others so that you can be let in” kind of fighting…and many times, I decide I can’t be the one to come and kill myself, so I’ll wait for the 6:50am one which does not require fighting.

But what the hell, I needed to be at work early so the 6:30am coaster I chose.

6:20am, I was at the stage, along side about 30 other coaster faithfuls. As the numbers kept piling up, the Holy Spirit whispered to me to go use a taxi, after all, I’d have a 10 minute headstart and I wouldn’t need to fight and besides, there is a possibility that my fighting would be in vain. But no, my stubborn self just wasn’t taking it. What is all this about my fighting being in vain! No, I’m a self glorified coaster and taxi fighter. I always win those “getting into coasters and taxis fights”, a skill I perfected over the many years of boarding late evening Mukono taxis from the old taxi park over the years. So, fighting is not a problem, thank you but no thank you, Holy Spirit, I’m using the coaster.

6:35am, the coaster arrives, and a whirlwind of events unfold. First, my legs are not moving, so someone tell me why the rest of my body was moving, and at a very rapid pace!

I realised I’m being pushed to the point that my body is moving involuntarily. Its at that moment that I realised I had underestimated my people. I wasn’t the only skilled fighter in the area, so I had to up my game. First, I held one side of the door, to block the entrance from that side….it worked. Second, I decided some body parts would enter before others so that they have no choice but to let me in, I successfully send my right leg and subsequently almost half the right side of my body, so this is the part where they have no choice but to let me in…no!

Our people know the trick, so they are still fighting and pushing me around. I push my self forward, so at this point, my entire body is in! Phew! Victory! Or is it?!

I realise I’m in but I’m not moving, something is holding me back, what is it? My handbag! It was being sandwiched by about five people and only the straps on my shoulder were still visible. My fighter instinct said push forward so as to pull it, and I did. That’s when I heard it. The sound of my precious hand bag getting torn, the straps totally detached from the rest of the bag!

My fellow fighters, amidst quarrels about how I’m taking forever to leave the entrance offhandedly threw the other part of my bag at me and off I went to the nearest seat before I got trampled on, not believing what just happened!.

My torn bag!

All that was running through my mind was;

“wow! Atim! Really! You did all this fighting in a full well ironed suit, high heels and even got your bag torn. And besides, you may have been fighting with your potential clients/acquaintances. How are they supposed to take you seriously if one of them walked into office three hours after being pushed by you?” That’s the part where I said a quick “don’t let this happen to me today, this week is supposed to be a great one” prayer and decided that it is either the 6:50am coaster or if i need to leave early, it will be a taxi or I’d get a ride with my dad at 5:40am(leaving at this time was my day 1 experience and I wasn’t having a repeat..hahaha, but that’s a story for another day). I’d rather wake up that early than do a remake of “Shaoline Temple” every time I need to be early, at least it would be a free and comfortable ride.

Also, I need a car.

Good evening. How are you?

May October be good to you.

Atim.

All images were downloaded from Google.