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T is for Tuesday

Tuesday, the second day of the week that passes unnoticed. It is not Monday, the universally hated day; because it is the first day of work. It also isn’t the weekend- the golden duo- that symbioses fun and resting. I am like Tuesday, the second born in my family. I am not Imfura, the first born, that also means noble. I also failed to be the last born, Bucura, that also roughly means the one who eats everything. I am in limbo, that state when you don’t actually have a defined individual role but fit into the bigger picture. Just like a week can’t exist without Tuesday, I guess my family can’t properly function without me in the picture.

The only reason why I always looked forward to Tuesdays in high school was the food. Our menu was exquisite then, and my mouth would water at the sight of the food. I find joy in food, every time I get a chance to eat, my moods lighten up. I tend to have a smile plastered on my face whenever I eat. In the morning, we had doughnuts, our favorite and black or white tea depending on your preferences. We also had margarine- Blue Band. For lunch, they served fried plantains, peas, and pilau. I wouldn’t miss this for anything. The masterpiece came at night when we had Ubugari and Isombe, traditional Rwandan food. We had also milk or tea on the side. I went to sleep happy.

However, my Tuesdays were not just about food. We had an amazingly flexible timetable. I had two free periods after lunch, which I used to my own will. I even wasted the time once or twice by reading novels instead of solving differential equation or doing something of that sort. After classes, we had a downtime of thirty minutes; then came time for clubs. I was in the leadership club that later transitioned into creative writing. We would seat in the freedom chair overlooking Mirayi Lake, and we talked about whatever topic a hand. the serene environment made conversations easy, and that is where I made most lasting memories.

Not all Tuesdays were routine though. I remember one Tuesday in October when I was out of school. The day before, we had a trip to the Akagera National Park. I had requested to go home right after, so the bus dropped me off in Kigali. It was late at night, so I took a motor bicycle home. I had to go braid my hair, but the hairstylist was nowhere to be found. I decided to head to the hospital then, I had to have an eye checkup and change my glasses. That is when I chose my multi-colored dominantly red cartoon glasses. Everyone was surprised, and most of the people didn’t like them. This made me grow fonder of them. Recently, they broke during an almost motorcycle accident. My closest friend was happy that I finally got rid of the funny glasses.

So what happened on Tuesday? Well, lots of stuff happened. For instance, Rwanda celebrated its twenty third liberation day, while the United States of America celebrated its independence. The stock market crashed on Tuesday in 1929, mostly known as the black Tuesday. I left the beautiful city of Gisenyi with its amazing beach to go back home to my parents. In 2008, on a Tuesday the Americans elected the first African American. A lot of things happen on Tuesday. Despite not standing out in the week, it holds so many valuable history, both to the world as a whole, and to individuals.

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