Tripping...yes I am
Miriam Makeba is on my play list. Surprise song! combined with the rain- this song sends me places. Think playgrounds and grass thatched houses. Lantern lit dinners and BBC News at 6p.m. Listening to guys talking through their 'noses' ;).
I was 14 years of age. Living with my Grand Parents. The Best Couple ever. The closest i ever came to living with Mummy, Daddy and Joy. Yes, there was Joy-in abundance.
At 14, I was exploring and learning and exploring and messing up. Had my first crush- yeah, had a huge crush on the neighbor's kid who seemed to be a ladies' man at my school. My crush all went and died the day he showed up at my school someday and everyone was around him. Well, I know it was a single sex school but everyone was so around him.
Suffice to say, my crush died that day- before I had had an opportunity to be exploited... :D
But, his Dad was a great guy. Had all these books in his study room.. The first time my Grandpa sent me to drop off Nelson Mandela's thriller I was blown away. Totally- I didn't want to walk out of that room. The Late Mr. Ochiengs was a smart guy (oh yeah, he was a lawyer and I was a teen wearing my heart on my forehead).. He looked at me once and told me to pick 5 books. And I could keep them. As long as I read each and gave him a summary- one a week.
He passed on a few months later though. I hope he is resting in Peace. I still have 3 of the five books. I have lost possessions in my life but I can't seem to let go of my Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham and Danielle Steele. The other two, I lost at school- trying to fit in circles by sharing...
So, the evenings with my GrandPa. My Best Friend to date. My Dad. The only Gentleman I've known in this walk of life. My Teacher. My Friend. We listened to Miriam Makeba sometimes- most times before the news came on.
Oh how I miss my Grand Pa. I miss you Jajja Dad.. Ok. So, we'd sit and listen to Makeba (RIP)- aaah, and he'd teach me things about life. Little things here and there.
He taught me how to bargain something to half price with a straight face.
He taught me that family is everything. He taught me that Love is enough. I look back (with tears) at the times he would come visiting me with nothing but his copy of the Sunday Monitor and a packet of family biscuits. We'd sit down and he'd tell me about my GrandMa who was bedridden at the time.
And he'd leave me a happy little teenager.
I remember a time I was suspended after just two weeks of school!! Two weeks! I got home, and fed him my story as was. He looked me in the eye and told me loved me very much. But he was a Teacher. So, he believed my story alright, but when we got to school he would believe the headteacher's story too. And whatever punishment would be dished out, I was to accept without any remorse. So, we agreed on that and fried egg that evening. The topic was never mentioned again.
Super GrandPa.
Oh wait, Its stopped raining- and I gotta come back to right now. Right now, aint so happy. Right now has responsibilities... Responsibilities.
If i could, If it were possible, I would have loved to spend a few more hours with him. ok. at least one hour a day with him. Just one hour a day.
Wait, he is physically gone, but still here,... so, why don't I, put aside one hour a day and write my GrandPa a letter. One a day...
Brilliant... Looking forward to that-we can do this Jajja Dan. We can.
Tomorrow morning- we'll hang out together. That I promise. Right now, I gotta go and do adult runs- Things... see people, take care of them...
I love you.
I was 14 years of age. Living with my Grand Parents. The Best Couple ever. The closest i ever came to living with Mummy, Daddy and Joy. Yes, there was Joy-in abundance.
At 14, I was exploring and learning and exploring and messing up. Had my first crush- yeah, had a huge crush on the neighbor's kid who seemed to be a ladies' man at my school. My crush all went and died the day he showed up at my school someday and everyone was around him. Well, I know it was a single sex school but everyone was so around him.
Suffice to say, my crush died that day- before I had had an opportunity to be exploited... :D
But, his Dad was a great guy. Had all these books in his study room.. The first time my Grandpa sent me to drop off Nelson Mandela's thriller I was blown away. Totally- I didn't want to walk out of that room. The Late Mr. Ochiengs was a smart guy (oh yeah, he was a lawyer and I was a teen wearing my heart on my forehead).. He looked at me once and told me to pick 5 books. And I could keep them. As long as I read each and gave him a summary- one a week.
He passed on a few months later though. I hope he is resting in Peace. I still have 3 of the five books. I have lost possessions in my life but I can't seem to let go of my Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham and Danielle Steele. The other two, I lost at school- trying to fit in circles by sharing...
So, the evenings with my GrandPa. My Best Friend to date. My Dad. The only Gentleman I've known in this walk of life. My Teacher. My Friend. We listened to Miriam Makeba sometimes- most times before the news came on.
Oh how I miss my Grand Pa. I miss you Jajja Dad.. Ok. So, we'd sit and listen to Makeba (RIP)- aaah, and he'd teach me things about life. Little things here and there.
He taught me how to bargain something to half price with a straight face.
He taught me that family is everything. He taught me that Love is enough. I look back (with tears) at the times he would come visiting me with nothing but his copy of the Sunday Monitor and a packet of family biscuits. We'd sit down and he'd tell me about my GrandMa who was bedridden at the time.
And he'd leave me a happy little teenager.
I remember a time I was suspended after just two weeks of school!! Two weeks! I got home, and fed him my story as was. He looked me in the eye and told me loved me very much. But he was a Teacher. So, he believed my story alright, but when we got to school he would believe the headteacher's story too. And whatever punishment would be dished out, I was to accept without any remorse. So, we agreed on that and fried egg that evening. The topic was never mentioned again.
Super GrandPa.
Oh wait, Its stopped raining- and I gotta come back to right now. Right now, aint so happy. Right now has responsibilities... Responsibilities.
If i could, If it were possible, I would have loved to spend a few more hours with him. ok. at least one hour a day with him. Just one hour a day.
Wait, he is physically gone, but still here,... so, why don't I, put aside one hour a day and write my GrandPa a letter. One a day...
Brilliant... Looking forward to that-we can do this Jajja Dan. We can.
Tomorrow morning- we'll hang out together. That I promise. Right now, I gotta go and do adult runs- Things... see people, take care of them...
I love you.
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