The basic thing I have been thinking about ever since I got posted for my youth service orientation was that, I didn’t want any of my properties to get stolen nor misplaced so I have to keep them safe.
When I pitched up at the camp, the lifestyle I had in my head wasn’t the lifestyle people live on the camp. It was totally a different kettle of fish.
I had little or no time to keep my properties safe or well. As a calm person, there was no choice than to switch to the rough lifestyle we live on the camp as it is going to last for just three weeks.
“Move!!! Everybody, get out of your rooms now! Fall out for your morning drill,” the soldier lady who’s got a knock kneed stance rushed into my room of about thirty people and made sure we all got out at that minute.
The camp wasn’t what I bargained for. All I had in mind was to either meet a man who was going to take care of me throughout my stay in camp or I enjoy my life to its fullest but having to wake up as early as 4:00 am was draining already and my dream of meeting my dream man who will spend lavishly on me was becoming shattered because I couldn’t just focus on that anymore.
In a flash, I jumped out of my bunk bed and headed straight to the general toilet. If I had my way, I was never going to use the general toilet. The toilet and the bathroom are joint together and many times, it’s usually messy. No matter how much I am in a haste, I always make sure to look fresh when going out of the hostel.
In a rush, I brought out my pair of socks which I put in my left armpit because my right hand was carrying a bucket of water and my left hand was carrying my basket of soap.
“Oh God. Will I have to go back to the room to take my detergent soap?” I discovered that I didn’t take my detergent soap along with me. Going back to my room will only take ten seconds but I was so much in a haste that going back to the room felt like ten minutes trek.
I then sighted a group of girls making use of a detergent soap.
“Babe, please may I use some soap? I forgot mine in the room,” I said to one of the ladies making use of the soap. I didn’t know who owned it so I asked a random lady.
“I don’t know the owner of the soap as well. I guess the owner forgot it here or misplaced it and that’s why everyone is using it,” that may be a sad news to owner but a goodnews to me. I didn’t have to rush into the room to get my detergent soap anymore.
I used it to its fullest. The saying that people use things that do not belong to them anyhow is true. I used it so well. I had a nice day and the morning drill went well.
I’m someone who learn from my mistakes and I would not want what happened on the previous day to happen to me again. So, I decided to wash my cloth and socks at night so by morning, I won’t have to do much. That’s a smart move.
I washed my cloth and got back into the room to watch my unfinished movie. I was pressed and didn’t like the fact that I have to go to the toilet again. I stood up and headed to the toilet to pee so I can get back inside and continue watching my movie.
“Isn’t this my soap?” I said in my mind when I saw a couple of ladies gathered around a soap. Even though I’m not the only one who uses that type of soap, I still recognized my soap. I had customized all of my items before getting to the camp so I saw my name on it and I knew that was my detergent soap.
“Should I confront them,” I thought, but what’s the point? Even though I customized it, that may not be enough proof that I actually own the soap. Karma didn’t even wait a day extra before dawning on me. I used a small detergent soap all for karma to make me lose a soap which is four times bigger than the one I used.
That’s part of my camp experience and I made sure to keep my items well. Then, I was careful not to forget any item behind when going to the toilet.