Back to yesterday

Steven

Life, indeed, is in phases and no matter how hard you try, you may not be able to keep up with a single phase forever. One thing common to all men is growth; especially the biological one. While you need to intentionally put in efforts to see yourself grow in other aspects of life, your biological growth just happens without any deliberate effort. 

Your chronological age increases as long as you're alive and whether you're prepared or not, every new age opens you up to new realities.

Few weeks ago, I was caught up in a drama that played out between a woman and her dear son. While I was waiting to see the doctor for my monthly checkup, I observed as she engaged her son in a hilarious conversation which in turn, brought back old memories for me. 

"Mummy, place your hand on my neck", the little boy requested. This he did to make her feel his body temperature. "Shebi I told you I was fine already, we don't have to see the doctor" he continued. The mother smiled and assured him that they wouldn't be staying too long at the hospital. "What if he request to give me injection?" the innocent boy asked out of curiosity. 

I observed that at this time, he was already tear-eyed as he spoke. To show him care and affection, the woman patted him at the back; assuring him that he would be fine. 

While I closely observed the dialogue between the boy and his mother, the memory of my childhood flashed into my mind. I could be very stubborn and troublesome while I was young; but not in the face of injections. If you wanted me to easily obey you, just threaten to take me to the hospital and I'd instantly become your servant.

 I never liked those men and women in "white coats". Everytime I encountered them, I was sure that they were going to wreck serious havoc that would make me cry my heart out that day. 

For a very long time, I wondered why hospitals ever existed. Isn't that quite myopic? Well, that was all I thought about hospitals and doctors while I was young. I thought injections were evil weapons in the hand of a wicked man, who would not consider my innocence and tenderness. Strange beliefs that we grow up with as kids.

My mind ran into the days that I was obsessed with drawing. I drew on anything my hand could find. Even if I found your academic certificate, I would draw on it without a second thought. My father was not really pleased with my new found love. 

He once angrily tore off all my drawings that I pasted on the walls; he considered them as pieces of garbage. I was truly hurt, but it never stopped me from my passion. I still couldn't help but draw.

Another memory that flashes my mind was the day I went in search of a friend to a church that was very far from our house. He had told me that they'd be going for a program at another church. 

They met at a particular place where the church bus conveyed them to the venue. I left my house with another friend but we were shocked to realize that, the bus had left; we were late already. We then resulted at trekking. "In few minutes time, we'll get there", we both thought to ourselves.

We embarked on the journey and trekked for many hours on the highway as kids. You could imagine the kind of risk we took. Many times, we had to cross to the other side of the road. We held hands and controlled eachother on when to move. As dangerous as the journey was, we were not bothered at all. You really needed to have seen the smile on our faces and the fulfilment that came with it.

Here is the climax of the whole story: it was already dark before we got to the venue of the program. They were just saying the closing prayer when we came in. You don't have to pity us, we were guests that were never invited. You can call us "uninvited guests". As painful as that should have been, we were not bothered at all. The joy was that we were able to get to the venue.

Our friend was very surprised to have seen us. We were sweating profusely like a woman coming out of the labour room. Our legs had turned from their original colours into darkish brown. We were decorated with dusts from our knees to our feet. We looked tired and worn out; you could see that even from a first glance.

Eventually, we came home with the bus and we were ready to face the wrath for our self-indulged journey. Our parents were overly worried. Many people had gone out searching for the two of us. They had visited some of the places they thought we could have gone. No one would ever had imagined that we had trekked such a long distance. 

When they finally saw us, the end of the story was tragic. You understand what African parents would do to you in such situation. After we had been given the kind of treatment we deserved, we vowed never to make such attempts again.

I was also a lover of toys. I just loved to have them as much as I can. If anyone has a toy, such person becomes my friend instantly. I once chased out a boy who was in our house to see a movie. 

I frowned at him and angrily chased him away. Few days later, I saw him with a toy aeroplane. I had never seen such before at that time. I was so attracted to it and I was ready to become his friend at the moment.

I ran to him so as to play together with his toy, but he refused to let me touch it. He reminded me of how I sent him out of our house few days to that time. I felt bad for what I did; I apologized but he wouldn't listen. He took his aeroplane and left for his house. I was already teary. I hated all my toys. This time, all I wanted was an aeroplane, the exact kind I had seen with Tolu.

I cried home to my mum that I wanted an aeroplane. She knew I must be talking about a toy. She tried to persuade me to go in and play with the numerous toys I had in the house but I wouldn't listen. I wanted aeroplane and nothing more made sense to me. She shouted at me since I wouldn't allow her rest. I broke down and began to cry.

While I was still crying for my new found obsession, my father, who had gone to work, returned. He saw how I was crying and rolling on the floor so he inquired to know what had happened. My mother narrated all and before I could say "Jack", he restored my senses with whip. The appetite for "Aeroplane" died a natural death immediately.

Childhood memories can really be interesting. Seeing the discussion between the young boy and the mother brought back old memories. You can never be a child forever; you won't always remain in the past but you can travel back to "yesterday" through your memory.

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