I NEVER EXPECTED Noleen Utterance TO DO THIS..... While in school, I faced a very difficult month full of hunger and stress, because I had no penny on me. I used my little pocket money to pay a friends phone which was stolen from my bed while he left it in my custody. I employed financial assistance from family and friends to no avail. Then one day, the sun spoke to me, I was sitting on the lawns infront of my hostel, staring deep at the sun as if it wasnt scorching. He said I was too forgetful, he scorched harder when I tried to challenge. This sun must be crazy to tell a hungry man that he wasnt serious, I thought. A swift wind blew across and I stared it walk past me, I wish I was the wind, I wish I had no birth place and death place and travelled to distances without fare or visa or any direction, I thought. A funny disco sound alarmed from my stomach, which reminded me of my hunger. I had not eaten the whole day and the sun had already started his jouney to the west. The sun came back right in my face and said again that I was forgetful and even the winds were smarter than me. I wish I could slap the sun before he reached the west or kill it half way to cause an eclipse. I watched a leaf fell from an apple tree which stood in the lawns like an impotent man dressed in suit and tie. It never produced apples, the best he gave us was tired leaves which could no longer adorn him. Everything around that tree never pleased me and it was worse when I was hungry. But that day, the falling leaf reminded me of a book I read about a boy who was in search of his Destiny. The sorcerer he had met in a village had told him to pay particular attention to omens, thus, to read the details of sudden happenings on his journey. One in many omens, a leaf had fallen off a tree to signify the death of a family relative back in his village, where he had left many years ago. I got up abruptly from the lawns and a deep fear took a quick tour across my heart. I hope is not what am thinking, I soliloquised . That was just a book, I thought. I dusted my butt and swallowed some saliva, it had lost its taste or I was satiated. I had eaten my saliva all day and thought I needed a change in diet. I took few steps but before I reached the entrance of the hostel, the thoughts of death had frightened me twice and my skin had started responding in goosebumps. I stopped at the forecourt to read some notices and a green designed paper held Lorrettas campaign for hostel Secretary. Instantly,I remembered she had invited me to her room for lunch, when I met her on the staircase earlier that day and had playfully told her I was hungry, and that she would have to take me on a lunch to win my vote. I decided to head straight to her room and just before I moved a step, a lady passed behind me and complained about the intensity of the sunshine. I looked at the sun and he smiled, I smiled back because I then knew why he said I was forgetful. Lorrettas door was ajar, I elongated my neck and looked furtively into the room. She saw me and ushered me in with beautiful laughs. I hope my lunch is ready ooo, I said with a tongue-in-cheeks face and she smiled. I have some indomie noodles, do you care for some?, she asked. Who is that hungry beggar who had a choice in the menu?, I asked my thoughts. Aaww sweety, anything goes okay, I replied her and it looked as if everything in the room laughed at me. I felt ashamed because, I knew she had considered my lunch request a joke but there I was to prove to her that indeed man was starving. We discssed the forthcoming election, I told her how easily she would win over her opponent. I pointed out her confidence and mentioned also that she was more sociable than Vanessa, her biggest fear. We talked, laughed, planned and waited for the noodles to get ready for consumption. But where have you been all this while, I needed someone like you long ago, she flattered me or maybe she really meant it, because I had spoken some real encouragement into her agitated soul. I had put a million smile on her face and it appeared, I brought the future so close to her eyes that, she could read the election results to her victory. And here we go cliff..., we were not going anywhere, that was how tertiary ladies said food was ready. She served me on a table very close to her windows, I could read the forest that stood behind the hostel. I forked some noodles and gently inserted the fork into my mouth, I kept my gaze on the forest while I munched. I saw a leaf fell off a tree and again fears gripped me. Lorretta please could I use your phone?, I knew I had asked too much but I was afraid of my fears and couldnt hide my shame anymore. She willingly gave it out and I dialled my mothers number. We exchanged greetings but her voice was dull, I asked her what the problem was and she reported that our only grandparent, my fathers mother had died just about an hour ago.I became terrified, I looked into the windows and looked up into the sky, I was searching for the sun or Its sister wind, I needed a supreme friend to talk to. They both seemed to have gone far from me or I had sheltered myself from them. Lorretta noticed the sudden change on my face and attitude and questioned if everything was alright. I tried to explain to her how much we loved our granny because she was the only one we had. My mothers parents died even before I knew my name. My dads father also died before my birth and now, her wife, my fathers mother, our only granny had also died. I teared down and she placed her arms around me. She whispered some words but none could earn my audition. I was lost in thoughts, I had started believing in omens and a part of me was happy because I felt I could then read omens and could also talk with nature. Thank you so much for the food and your time but I would want to retire to my personal comfort now, she agreed on conditions that I wasnt going to weep so badly and that I would visit her again soon. My mum had advised that I stayed in school since she had no money for my transportation home and back to school. She said I could wait till the funeral ceremony was due, but I needed to see my grand mother. I walked slowly down the dusty road and contemplated deeply on my empty pocket, my grand mothers death, the omens and Lorrettas generosity. Too many thoughts. I looked around for omens, I was getting fascinated by my understanding of natures language. A car drove past me and I saw that the wind screen had a south African map appended on it. Immediately thoughts of Noleen came in mind. Another omen, I thought and smiled. I brought my phone out of my pocket and sent Noleen hi on whatsapp. Luckily she was online and replied quickly, soon we had entered into serious chat and I told her about how difficult the time was, she advised me and promised to remember me in prayers. Trust me, I didnt want prayers, I wish I could tell her that, I needed cash. And as if she was an angel or had the powers to read thoughts, she added that she would send me some money. I screamed what! out of astonishment. I didnt believe her though. I wondered how on earth and in this our world of lies, could someone trust another she had not seen before, but just met online, so much that she would send him money. Then she proceeded to ask for my details, does she really mean this?, I asked myself. Well, what have I to lose, I gave out my details and I NEVER EXPECTED NOLEEN TO SEND ME MONEY FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO GHANA, and it was enough to take me home and back to school. Angels come in different ways and I met my on Facebook. Oppong Clifford Benjamin
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 00:23:01 +0000
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