Kwame returns from a long trip. Before he arrived, there were a couple of people in the city who wanted to see him. While he stayed in the city, nobody needed his assistance in any thing. But once he traveled to his hometown to see his parents, suddenly he received all kinds of phone calls from people in the city who needed him to do something urgent.
They won’t spoil his vacation with his family. He took his time and enjoyed his stay to the fullest before returning to the city.
As soon as he landed, he decided to use the first few days to attend to matters pertaining to the calls he received while he was away. Once those were cleared from the table, he could now focus on personal matters.
So the next day after his arrival, he goes to see an old friend who was in town. It’s been such a long time. He knew the neighborhood but that part where Akosua lived, he had never explored.
At first, he was worried about the transport. These days, money was hard to come by. Should he go? Should he cancel?
It was a new year. Why stay indoors alone all day?
And so, Kwame set off. It was worth it. Town was calm and lovely because it was a holiday. There’s been a number of positive changes on the road, especially in the neighborhood Akosua lived.
He always thought his country was broke and filled with people desperate to leave the country.
This part of the city revealed another face of the country. The people here lived in good homes and did not seem bothered by politics or the economy. The ladies here looked finer and cultured. Kwame just couldn’t believe his eyes!
He suddenly felt proud to be Ghanaian.
Finally, his taxi stops and he phones Akosua to let her know he had arrived. She was busy at the time so she sends her cousin to pick him up. Kwame waits and waits. This cousin never seems to be coming. What was happening?
After about twenty to thirty minutes he arrived.
“Kwame, right ?” He asked.
“Yes. Akosua sent you, right?” Kwame inquired.
“Yes.” The boy confirmed.
And off they went. Walking. They walked for about fifteen minutes before spotting the house Akosua lived in. That was when Kwame understood why it took the boy so long to arrive at where he had alighted.
It was an old house, with a modern gate, in a modern community. At a corner of the house some people gathered.
Kwame looked above a head and spotted someone he thought was Akosua. And he was right.
She too seemed curious to see what he had become and so she shot her head across a shoulder and the two pair of eyes met.
She immediately looked away. That was when Kwame knew he had impressed her by his new look. She wouldn’t admit it. But her reaction gave her away.
“Welcome! “ she said, when they reached where Akosua sat with her relatives.
” Thank you. ” Kwame responded, ” Good afternoon, Ma. “
” Afternoon my son. How are you? “
“I am fine.”
“Happy new year!” Kwame wished them.
“Happy new year! ” they all responded.
“Take him to the top.” Akosua told her cousin.
“Hold the dog so it doesn’t bite the visitor.” Akosua warned her cousin.
Kwame was taken to the last floor of the house, a fine open space with a summer but. He sat admiring the view and some constructions on a giant building some metres away.
“This guy must be very dumb.” He thought about one construction worker walking carelessly on a plank at the top of the giant storey under construction, with a load on his head.
He turned to the boy now cleaning his seat with a rug.
“Can I get some water, please? “ Kwame requested.
” It’s not cold. ” the boy informed him.
” Never mind. Just bring it. I’m thirsty. ” Kwame told him.
While the boy was off, Kwame listened hard, hearing Akosua and her relatives still chatting downstairs.
His water arrives. He drinks, leaves the rest in the bottle and contemplates how to start a conversation with Akosua when she comes up.
He waits and waits. Was beginning to look like Akosua had forgotten him.
Soon, he hears her voice and footsteps mounting the stairs.
And there she was.
She had grown beautiful over the years, she had changed. Except one thing : she still rarely smiled. But when she did, as she is doing now upon seeing him, it looked precious, like a rare gem.
The initial conversations were slow, cold, but he tried his best to keep them going, though it was hard maintaining eye contact. She had this bold stare and serious look, it was hard staring into her eyes for long.
Their friendship ended on a quarrel. A bitter one. And so, after many years, it was a lot of work and efforts piecing together the fragments. No wonder their conversation started off on fragments.
Sometimes Kwame wondered why fights occur between people. Sometimes it just happens so long as people are together and working towards a goal.
Perhaps he should have made efforts to mend the broken friendship. Friendships always become useful over time. It’s best to leave a friendship without uttering a word rather than give a piece of one’s mind and walk off. It’s a small world.
Their conversations swing from the things that happened when they were apart, to the recent elections. Then finally to the bitter incident that split them.
After delving into it for a while, Kwame realized it was the past and the past is best left in the past.
Talks of how he offended her made him sweat and shift uncomfortably in his seat.
As she spoke, his mind went back to those days. He reviewed the entire incident leading to the breaking of their friendship like a referee looking into a VAR. What could he have done differently?
Sometimes things happen so fast it’s hard to predict where they’ll end or lead.
“I’m sorry for all that happened between us.” he apologized.
“It’s OK. Just that it really hurt when you did that. I don’t know if our friendship will ever be the same.”
There was some silence.
Kwame shifted the conversation to something else. An incident in the news that happened last night. The burning of the Kantamanto Market. Chains of shops burnt to ashes by a fire started by God knows who.
Kwame then stirred the conversation further into more pleasant topics they both enjoyed talking about. The failure of the previous administration and the upcoming swearing-in of the new president. The high cost of living and the business opportunities within the country.
Slowly, matters of their old rift was relegated to the back, at the bottom of their to-discuss list. It was a pleasant talk.
In the end, Kwame was glad they met. Somehow, the old friendship was revived, even if not glowing as it used to be.
It was now time to go back home.
“I have to go now.” Kwame said.
She hesitates for a while before responding.
“Sure. Thanks for the visit.”
Akosua takes him downstairs to say good bye to her mom.
As she saw him off to the station where he could get a taxi, Kwame stole glances at her. She had grown attractive. He wished to reach out and take her hand, but it was too early. Old wounds must heal first.
“I will take you out to a restaurant nearby next time I come.” he promised her.
She liked the idea. It showed in her smile.
Then just before entering the taxi at the station, he had his chance to hug her and say good bye. It was a warm hug, a good sign.
Kwame sat in his taxi and the driver zoomed off. Kwame kept his eye on Akosua’s image shrinking in the driver’s mirror as she stood staring.
Mowabites Worldwide 