Unnamed

LOVE OR OVER PROTECTION?

I remember when i first travelled out of my small town -Gboko.

I just turned 19 a few weeks ago!

I remember the excitement, anxiety, and preparation. Most of all the series of devotions and advises that could fill a book.

If I told you my father prepared for the journey even more than I did, you would probably think I'm been sarcastic!

But yeah, he did!

From Lagos to lusaka was no big deal.

He claimed he had some important business to handle there. But deep down I knew these poor old man couldn't let his son on a plane all by himself. I felt well protected and then I felt pity for my father.

While in Lusaka. I was just getting acquainted with the food while my old man was busy looking for connections.

He found one indeed. A slender looking lady in her teens probably.

She was as dark as kiwi shoe polish. Surprisingly, she was Nigerian. Coincidentally, we were travelling for same purpose.

I knew my Dad wanted this one for my company... But my mind was made up. She wasn't my type!

She gave me her number and asked me to call her the next day. So we would take off together.. I agreed but never planned to.

The road from Mbeya to Dodoma through Morogoro is quite good.

From Mwanza onwards I do not know. Because I slept off. needful to say, I spent the previous night awake saying "amen" to all my father's prayers.

In his believe, God forbid that l sleep the eve of my journey.

This was already a one and a half day journey. And I slept almost all along. I do not know if the bus had an assistant driver but I remember that it stopped only when a passenger wanted to ease up.

From Mwanza road, we headed straight to Ugandan border, that was when Alice called. She sounded so concerned. Told me how worried my father was that we were not together.

I do not know what my Dad told this girl. But whatever it is, he did. This girl fell for the toast. I could feel it in her voice and it made me sick.

Though we agreed on where to meet in Kampala. I was busy planning on skipping this tag-along!

I spent so much time on the bus I stopped checking the clock. It was scary enough to know that I spent days by road. travelling.

It took about 6hours from kigoma to Bujumbura in Burundi.

Then 5hours to Kigali in Rwanda

Then 10 hours to Kampala in Uganda. This was the only moment I was time conscious. I had to be in Kampala before the close of work!

Finally in Kampala! The largest city in Uganda! I was amused by the architecture, the mind boggling landscape. I was disappointed because I had expected uganda to be a worse off land given their history of been subjected to poverty and tyranny.

Before I could stretch my arms and say Hello Uganda.. there was my Dad! Already in Kampala. Waiting for my arrival. I felt small! I thought I was going to explore this part of the world on my own with no one telling me to be careful with even the way I took my steps..

I was furious.. i almost lost my home training and asked why he was stalking me? But the "african child" in me wouldnt permit that.

So under clenched fists and teeths I mumbled "hello Dad, I wouldn't have made it without you"..

#fiction

#martinsDiary

#loveOrOverProtection