1 The Home and the Dream

"Ben, can you go and find out if your father is back", Ben's mother said.

 "Ok mother, "Ben with a face that had suddenly been robbed of the smile he was wearing just before he heard his mother's words. You would expect every first-born son to be happy to go and check on his dad but this was not the case for Ben and his father Mr. Wassalainne. Since completing high school Ben has been on his fathers' radar daily on his plan to now become a man as he was done with school and the next logical step was to marry and help run the family business. The Wassalainnes run a business of planting sugar cane plantations on acres of land and selling them to sugar factories. The family was well known to most of the people of Kakoro County, this was where Ben, his mother, father, and siblings were all born and raised. This was offering a decent earning however this did not ever fit Bens' dreams of owning a car and car accessories business. A chilly cold feeling ran down Ben's whole body when he heard his father's voice. The old man with a few white beards now showing as old age was kicking in. The tall gentleman with perfectly well-set teeth in his mouth brown in color and one incisor missing looked at Ben.

 "Hello son?'' he said.

Ben with a faint voice answered his father and offered him a seat.

Under the midday sun, it was so hot that you could see a mirage at the far end of the ground. A cool breeze sweeping through Ben's skin gave a feeling of quenching thirst after a long run in the sun. As they sat there every second seemed like a thousand hours for Ben. Thoughts of what more insults his father was cooking in his brain ready to unleash at Ben, occupied the whole of Ben's young brain. At this time, one year after Ben was done with his school, his father had thrown all kinds of insults at him and to him, the borehole of insults was surely running dry. Ben was a mama's boy and he had shared his dream with his mother who loved him like he was her only child. Ben's mother, a natural beauty with brown skin and even at old age with wrinkles taking the better part of her skin was still the most beautiful woman to Ben and no woman would ever take her and no woman could ever love Ben like this lady. She was the reason Ben had all his dreams, she was also the reason why Ben held onto his dreams and was driven to always go after them. His old man on the other hand was the exact opposite. He not only pinned Ben's dreams down but also never wasted a second giving Ben an ear. He has never heard these words from Ben, were it not for his wife he would probably never have had a clue of what Ben had running up and down his brain.

"I want to have a business mother. I have a dream that will change your life and that of your father and my siblings ."  These words came from Ben to his mother one day when they were both in one of these plantations. His mother being who she was and loving Ben as much as she did, these words lit up her face and she was never prouder of her nineteen-year-old son who was already having his dream that was not drilled into his head by his teachers but one that had and developed on his own. You could see her cheeks move backward and the smile crept on her face showing all her white teeth when her heart-shaped lips separated. 

"Tell me about it son,"Ben's mother said in a low tone and this is when Ben gathered the strength to proudly tell his mother the dream.

 "I want to start a business where I will be dealing with vehicles and all repairs , spare parts and having a petrol station. This will help me make enough wealth that even my father will be proud of me for once",Ben said looking at his mother. The last statement of Ben thinking his father did not appreciate he ran a dagger right into his mother. She did not say anything but every tom dick and harry could see that her face was having a fake smile from the last statement that came from her son's mouth that now had a few beards and a small mustache around. These words took a huge part of his mother's brain and that evening Ben could not hear what happened in his parents' room but there was a huge argument over something Ben did not know.

"My son, have heard what your mother has had to say and I would like to hear it from you." Mr. Wassalainne spoke. Ben was tongue-tied and did not believe these words were coming from his father, Mr. Wassalainne's mouth. 

Ben was so shocked that he had to say, "Pardon me father, I did not get you". His father's gaze swept past his eyes as Ben stole a glance, he could see that his father knew he was shocked and did not expect these words from him. 

He boldly with a haughty aura said, " I am leaving for a meeting in the next ten minutes, please make use of the few seconds I have given you"

Ben took his time expressing himself to his father hoping not to disappoint him as he has always been meant to believe. The talk took less than ten minutes and this was all Ben needed to show  his father he does have a plan for his life unlike the village life. This does not mean that his father would be impressed by this, it was just a dream and because life is not a straight line it's known that not everything turns out as expected. After the ten minute talk to Ben's shock his father said not more than just a few statements.

"When do you want to leave for Mbarara city?"His father asked.

"I can leave on Sunday," Ben answered.

"You will leave on Monday, prepare yourself," His father replied.

Ben did not believe his ears. As his father walked away Ben's heart was practically making somersaults in his chest. These words made the whole of Ben's day brighter and more fun. The joy in his heart as he waited for Monday to come. Saturday and Sunday in the evening as everyone was at the dinner table, the silence was broken by Ben's mother.

"Ben, have you packed all your things set for the journey? "

"Yes, mother" Ben assured his mother with excitement written all over his face.

"When you get to the city, be careful and don't do anything you wouldn't do if you were at home, ''Mr. Wassalainne added. There was a long talk with everyone as this was the last night for Ben before he left and he was to leave early at dawn.

The sun was still deep down in the horizon yet to rise and sprinkle its rays over the beautiful morning dew. Ben was up before everyone else and was ready to leave in a few minutes. His father called for a motorcycle that was to take Ben to the bus stop that early morning. After bidding everyone their goodbyes in no minutes Ben was on the Bus and off to Mbarara city.