The kindest thing I did this week would be leaving my earphones in my bag.
For some time now, I have been 'fated' to spend most of my hours every day in the confines of a large room with a man who I have learnt is quite chatty and enjoys talking to everyone in a friendly way. I used to think that he 'thinks' everything he has to say would be as fascinating to others as they are in his mind.
Man is fine. Married. Cheerful. Kind and you'd never find him 'not' talking. It used to irritate me at first. I would have my earphone on and he won't stop talking even when I made him repeat some of the things he said because I didn't hear them clearly.
I would wear my uninterested unexpressive flat face and he will continue to talk my ear off.
He talks about a lot of things - family, himself, Nigeria, and them himself and his family again. Or he is either trying to get me to teach him a thing or two about his phone and social media. He would ask about WhatsApp and Instagram and when it seemed he had been on the phone too much, he'd tell me how it hurts that people don't call to hear from him.
How most of his friendships would've gone down the drown if he wasn't holding them up from his end via calls.
He would talk about himself - how it surprises him that some people think he is single until they have seen his wedding ring and he would go on to show me pictures of his children.
He would talk about the street - never wanting to leave any detail out no matter how much disinterest I showed. And if I excused myself sometimes, he would continue from where he stopped immediately I was back.
Again, this used to irritate me. I left the house one day determined to just go all out and tell him any time I wasn't interested in listening. That was a day ago and I would later not tell him after a man who joined us for the day stylishly told him he talked too much and should learn to embrace silence.
It got to me. First, it was the manner in which he told him and second, that the man in my story never notices or understands any cues.
Today, I said I'd give him my ears for as long as I could. I did. And surprisingly, most things he had to say today were quite interesting.
I put away my phone and gave him all of my attention and when he began on a work that was quite tedious, I helped out for hours - listening to him all the while. He expressed his gratitude when I was ready to go. I had made his day and even made work easier for him. He said a short prayer for me and bid me goodbye.
I felt so good afterwards. I still feel so good about today.