Almost two weeks ago, I wrote about the flowers of the banaba tree. We planted the tree in the front garden years ago and waited patiently for the flowers. The tree finally bloomed but, by that time, we had already decided to move. Speedy said it was as though it was asking us to stay.

A sentimental way of looking at what I’d consider a mere coincidence. But strange things have been happening over the past two weeks that make me wonder. I’m not superstitious but this isn’t just a few things. It’s more like a series of unfortunate events.

First, one light in the kitchen conked out. No biggie. Lights have a life span. Speedy didn’t bother replacing it because we were moving anyway. Then, another light went. The usually bright kitchen was suddenly dim. Hellish for a food blogger like me because all the shadows were ruining the food photos. And I so hate using the flash. So, Speedy finally took pity and replaced the lights.

Then, the shower broke. Again, Speedy wouldn’t replace it. Next, it was the handheld bidet. Then, the house helper’s bed. Then, an industrial fan — the only fan we own that hadn’t been replaced in the last eight years, I think. Finally, yesterday, our own bed. Speedy’s and mine. The metal attached to the wood frame got dislodged. Speedy disassembled the whole thing, placed the mattress on the floor and we slept on the bedless mattress. We will do so until Friday evening, our last night in this house.

Household items need to be replaced occasionally. These things aren’t meant to last forever and we know that. We’ve replaced a lot of light bulbs, we’ve replaced half a dozen electric fans… All of that goes with house maintenance. But furniture, appliances and fixtures conking out one after another in a span of two weeks? Too strange.

Here’s what’s even more strange. Everything that we intend to bring to the new house had not been touched by this series of unfortunate events. The house helper and I packed most of the contents of the kitchen the other day — glasses, chinaware, all breakable things — and not one accident. The furniture that we intended to sell have all escaped any kind of mishap.

So… the banaba tree may be asking us to stay but the rest of the house is telling us to go.