I did say that I unconsciously shuddered when I saw the prompt for this week’s #KISS blog. And I did think the originator was quite devious for inciting such emotions in us. Hehe. But in the grand scheme of things, it’s an amazing prompt and it’s a wonderful way to see just how much we can take in situations like these.
There’s this American TV show I usually watched, growing up. It was called Clean House. Now, the whole show was about a team called Clean House being hired by different families to remodel the house. In the sense that they’d clean the house, get the family to decide on their most precious items that they want to keep and then do some kind of yard sale for the rest of the items, using the money raised to clean that house.
It was a show I enjoyed watching a lot, especially towards the end, when everything had been cleaned and they'd bring the family in blindfolds and ask them how they remembered each room to be, and when they talked, stating how cluttered and gross it was, the cleaning team would say, “Take off your blindfolds and open your eyes.” It was an exhilarating moment seeing how transformed each room became afterwards. And they’d gasp and sometimes cry tears of joy.
Now, I have no issues with it. But one question I always asked myself was, how did they manage to live there that long? Because until the time, Clean House starts cleaning, that’s where they resided before they get lodged into hotels for the duration of the clean up, usually about a week. I’d never seen such cluttered spaces in my life, usually clothes and everything. And I’d wonder how they let it get so bad. Anyone who’s watched the show would know just how terrible these houses were and yet, the families resided there. Actively. It was mind-boggling, to say the least.
With that being said, I would be true to myself and say I would last 24 hours. And not a second more. I know I should say that I won’t last a minute, but the truth is, I absolutely would. And that’s not because my skin wouldn’t crawl and I wouldn’t imagine all the rodents in the book, lurking around every step of the way. But because I’ve happened to stay in a place like that once, I know I’ll be able to survive. For a day.
Earlier this year, a close relative had a wedding ceremony, so most female relatives were to be present a day or two days before to help with the preparations. Cooking and what have you. Now, I’d come late so I couldn’t stay in the main house since it was saturated with other relatives, so the bride’s sister said I could stay at her place with her which was in the same compound. In all honesty, I was grateful because the main house was buzzing with all that female energy and I wanted a little quiet to work a bit.
So she took me there and I gasped. She was in front so I managed to school my expressions so she didn’t see the abject horror etched on my face. Clothes. Everywhere. On the couch, on the floor. On the bed. She directed me on where to keep my overnight bag which was on some other pile of clothes. And was like,
“Sorry about the little mess. You know how these things are.”
Little mess??!
I didn’t even know how to respond because my mind was occupied with other pressing matters, like, where would I sleep?? I hoped with all my heart that it wasn’t that bed that looked like a fashion house emptied their winter lines. She shifted most of the clothes and left this little rectangle on the bed where I was pleaded to manage and again, that I know how things are.
It was at the tip of my tongue to scream, How are things?? But I was quiet. Simply because it was too late to go back home and yelling at someone ten years older who also happened to be a family member was tantamount to suicide at best. So, I shut up and focused on braving the horrors ahead.
The good thing was she was sleeping there too. But that wasn’t a reassurance because my senses were hyper-alert. Every creak made me clutch my hands and heart, hoping no dreadful rodents were waiting to leap at me. Did I survive that night? Yes. I tossed and turned three-quarters of the night but by morning, it was all good. We prepared for the ceremony and I literally sprinted to my home afterwards, not staying for one more night as was gracefully suggested by the family.
I’m not sure if any clutter would be that bad but I could stay a day, get $20 for the sole reason that my eyes were made to witness that and go treat myself to some ice cream or eye drops, whichever suits my fancy. So, yeah for the mere fact that I’ve survived before, I’ll take that chance at 24 hours and for the sake of my sanity and the fact that I don’t want to be mentally scarred for life, not a second more.
All images are mine.
