Part 1:
B- Part 1
Part 2:
B- Part 2
Part 3:
B- Part 3
Part 4:
B- Part 4
Once we are home, the boys make presents for Simta. When
Sadie arrives she asks her brothers what they are doing. “We are going to Simta’s
birthday. We are making presents.” Buiy tells her as he shows her his efforts.
I sit outside on the steps with a cup of tea in my hand,
Sadie creeps up and sits beside me. We smile at each other and watch village
life. A man is walking up the street offering fruit to passers-by and
homeowners. A cow passes our house sedately, its little belly rocks from side
to side with each step. The man who is offering fruit, sells some and enters
the house with his wares, leaving his bag outside. The cow nudges the bag and
gently starts to munch on a mango that falls onto the floor. The cow is
careful to chew slowly, juice dripping on to the floor. Sadie and I chuckle as
the man realises what has happened to his missing mango and watches it
disappear. The man nods, raises his arm, pats the cow on the head and takes the
precious food bag away from the curious bovine.
Sadie sits back, she tucks her skirt under her knees and
plays with her hair haphazardly. Her hair is long and thick, Sadie wears it behind
her ears. Her thin face is clear and her eyes are bright. She turns to me and
asks about Kairo and myself, how we met and when we fell in love. I warn her
that it is a long story but she says that she would like to hear it. I smile
and tell her.
“I was passing
through the village of B- with my brother and sister. We were headed for the
city of T-, for we were told that we might have family there. My parents died
when I was young so we were eager to trace any family history. When we entered
the village, we decided to re-stock our supplies and rest for the night. We set
up our tents behind the village and cooked dinner around the fire.
“The fire attracted
much life, unfortunately mostly of the insect variety, but a group of young
people walked up to us, including Kairo, and asked if they could sit with us.
We realised quickly that they could not understand our language and that we
only had a basic grasp of theirs. Most of our attempts at communication
resorted to hand gestures and mime, which led to much laughter. We were told
that they saw us arrive and buy food and that we were the talk of the village.
Our blue eyes and pale skin made us attractive. The girls wanted to touch my
sister’s fair hair and comb it. The boys played with the fire, stacking all the
spare pieces of wood and poking the flames. I looked at the group and I caught
one boy staring at me. His eyes held fear and his mouth was trembling. I smiled
at him but his eyes lowered instantly.
“At the time Kairo
and I were twenty four. Both of us considered too young to engage upon any
relations other than friendship. When Kairo and I married he told me that he
knew straight away that he wanted me, but he also knew the impossibility of the
situation. We were too young, of different nationalities and I was only in the
village for one night.
“Towards the end of
the evening most of the group left for their homes. We said goodbye to them one
by one and many smiles passed between us. Kairo and his friends stayed on and
he tried to talk to me. Soon night arrived, Kairo and his friends left and my
brother, sister and I, amazed by the friendliness of the community, made
ourselves comfortable and slept.
“Dawn broke, my
family and I woke up. As I left my tent I found a small wooden statue, it had my
name carved into the bottom, with a small ‘K’ at the toe. I knew it had come
from Kairo, I put the statue in my purse with my valuables. Once we were packed
and ready to leave, my heart fell. I felt safe and calm in this little village
and was sorry to leave, but the prospect of finding family was a greater need
so we left.”
Sadie gasps, “You left?” I chuckled at her impatience. I
continue, “Love does not always arrive in a flash and expect a person to be
overwhelmed by its depths straight away. Sometimes it needs to grow and only time can
allow that to happen. If I had forced events then I am sure I would not be sitting
with you now. The people of B- are not foolish, they realise that a person
cannot plan a time when love will arrive. They just believe that if love is
strong enough it will be alive for a very long time. Many people believe that
they’re in love and wish to marry early. They succumb to their instincts rather
than their intellect and after a while wonder why they didn’t wait and fulfil
their training and purpose beforehand.” Sadie nods, holds my arm and asks what
happened next.
I tell Sadie, “I left for T-, found my family and settled in
the city comfortably. I learnt the language, completed my studies and watched
my brother and sister marry.
“I had many friends and
there were men who wished to court me but marriage held no interest for me. I
wanted to join a religious order and be a missionary. The problem with my plans
was that I did not believe in the God they taught at church so I decided I
would help the poorer folk and move from village to village. My thoughts of
Kairo had faded long ago and only surfaced when I focused upon the little
statue, I did not intend to look for him. I was committed to my cause of
charity.”
“But you found him!”
Sadie interrupts.
I laugh, “Yes, I moved around, I helped the elderly to die a
dignified death, free from fear. I would make fires and cook for the homeless.
I helped to sew clothes, find people a job and teach people how to look after
themselves.
“Soon, I arrived in
the village of B-, I set up camp behind the village where my family and I
camped seven years earlier I then slept; exhausted after my
journey. Once refreshed, I decided to explore the village. As soon as I entered
I felt peace grown within my body. My walk slowed to a stroll, my shoulders
relaxed and I started to smile. I remember feeling this vividly for I did not
just feel at peace, for the first time in my life I felt at home. I conversed
with the locals, bought some food and asked where the poor and homeless gathered.
In fact, it was Peto that gave me the directions though I did not know that
then. I walked to a large white building, inside there was much commotion. Many
people were cooking, serving and eating. Laughter and chatter filled the room,
music was being played by a small group, some of the children were dancing
while the older people clapped.
I hold my hand to my heart, feeling joy at my own words,
experiencing my own fresh wonder at the images I conjured and look at Sadie.
Sadie’s elbows are upon her knees and her hands sit under her chin; she stares
at me with rapt attention.
“Did you see him
then?” she asks.
“Yes, yes I did,” I
sigh. I talk more to Sadie, ‘At the end of the line of servers, I saw the boy
who left the statue beside my tent. This time he is a man. His black hair is cut
very short, his strong arms held the pots and pans that contained plenty of
food and he was smiling at every person who offered their plate. I looked for
my statue in my purse, when I found it I walked up to him. I gave him the
statue. Kairo looked at me and I remember his eyes expressed amazement. He
could not believe I was the same girl, he kept repeating my name very softly, ‘Tanga,
Tanga, Tanga’. I did not expect him to act in this manner though I did not
really expect anything. He told me to wait for him. The rest, as they say, is
history.”
Sadie looks at me and smiles, she takes my hand and holds it
gently. My words exhaust me so I say nothing else. The warm evening makes my
body restful. I close my eyes and doze lightly.
