" The trifling days are often the most memorable, despite their obvious lack of spectacular events "
Michael James
November 1, 2014.
Days are exquisite measures of time, a full twenty four hours of pure opportunities. One's life can forever change in a day depending on what one make of it.
"JOHN!!!!!!!! " yelled my father that fine morning. The newest day of the last month to Christmas. I was feeling hopeful that morning for inexplicable reasons and as I hurried to the call this feeling didn't diminish . I already knew the reason for the call , father's reminders were merely customary. "You uncle is ill he started"...."okay that was new" I thought. "I would like you to go visit him and send our regards"he concluded . The visits were sort of like duty that was paid often but today's reason was different . It was one imposed upon my father by circumstance and family. He had however delegated to me. I guess he felt it should be a thing of honour to me. Not like there was any incentive attached except the fact that I got to change environment for a while. All I got was a day and a day and a day was all I needed. I left after being intimated on such news to prepare for the journey.
I checked my Nokia torch phone "one bar "I exclaimed in alarm. EECD had denied us the buzzing humming sensation for a week. It was almost a miracle it had survived that long. I was most certain my mother's pride. her techno p5 wasn't endowed with such miraculous abilities.
I picked out my only ironed shirt, a compendium of history on its own. It had single handedly survived five long years and was witness to so many occasions I had lost count. I picked up my grey trouser and checked my wallet for such duties when delegated were absolute with all its seeming consequence.
Some minutes later I stood at the bus stop, clutching two cellophane bags one with a choice aggege bread the other containing a bunch of bright yellow banana with black dots here and there and a bottle of golden brown groundnuts. The place was alive with noise and colours. Hawkers could be seen competing over who could draw the most attention to their wares. Beggars were abound seen almost in every corner raising their palms in silent plea to the bustling crowd to take pity on their plight. "EMENE.....EMENE.....EMENE!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed a conductor before me. Then I remembered where I was to go. "Ego ole. How much" I asked him. "#50" he replied and I boarded. I do not recall to well the journey for no sooner did the vehicle start than I was asleep. I woke a few minutes to see that I was at least ten minutes away from my destination." OGAPU!!!!!" I screamed to the conductor beckoning him to stop the bus. He did then I hurriedly paid him and alighted. Outside the sun was happy, his cheerful smile could almost be seen through the foamy clouds above. I walked in silence still clutching the bags, the price of duty. My phone beeped and I took it out to examine, careful not to touch the rubber band that held it together lest the battery failed. I see a message. "Interesting, a message". I thought. The message was from NSF a organisation I had submitted an essay to last month. I clicked on the message and it opened. Congratulations it said and my battery gave way. I sigh in frustration and marched on." At least" I thought "it could be good news" . At the corner I take a right...started down the road and took a left before I came to stare at the place my cousins called home. It was an ancient flat with walls that had over time surrendered its coat to the rain, to refer to the house as painted would undoubtedly be very offending to say the least. Its roof were once silvery, all that remained from what time had stolen was an exaggerated rust, a thick brown devoid of shining abilities. I practically lived in a hut but that was still far better than this. I sighed in frustration when I recalled they lived on the topmost floor and then I started up the stairs taking them two at a time. I soon stood at their door. It was a dark brown blemished with religious stickers, one said "ALL MY ENEMIES SHALL PERISH IN JESUS NAME" . I grimaced at the cruelty of the message then I summoned the courage and knocked on their door, it sounded more hollow than last time. AUNT REGGY answered the door."oooooh"she said in mock surprise(like she always did) "we have been expecting you". I flashed her a small smile and reached forward to hug her.
As she opened the door further to let me in I knew she would tell me what a good man my father was for sending me over with all I had come with and how my uncle would be so pleased at my coming that he would get well immediately. One thing though troubled me, the fact that I would be without the ability to resurrect my battery since the humming vibrating sensation was more scarce at their place than it was in ours.
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