Afraid of the Dark?

Are you afraid of the dark? Have you been afraid of the dark before? Do you hate being in the dark? Do you hate the dark so much that you can sleep with the lights off? Does being in the dark give you a creepy feeling as if there’s something watching you?

Well, I don’t know which category you fall into but I sure do know I was once so scare of the dark when I was so much younger, around 8 – 10. I look back now and I laugh at myself…when I tell my friends especially or just recount those days. I just hated being in the dark. There was something about the dark I hated. Growing up in Ghana where the lights went off frequently in the evenings around 7pm when your eyes were nowhere near sleep, parents and people who often used to with us would say stuff about some monsters being in the dark and quite frankly of course you would believe them. I mean come on people! A room could be so dark and all of a sudden you hear some creepy noise which wasn’t there before and strange sounds from our backyard full of trees. Damn! It was scary and believable. Besides I saw it on TV anyways, people always being scared of dark alleys and bad things happening to people only in the night. Strangely, thinking right now it wasn’t a fear of death. Oh NO! My mind was so far from that at those times. I guess I was afraid of seeing something too scary, ghosts, something inhuman perhaps.

One time when a relative and my headmistress died (people who I wasn’t even close to) oh boy! I hated being in the dark more. I hated blackouts because I thought they could appear in the window in their wearing flesh and deadly smell. Those times I would rather stay out where the mosquitoes could feast on me when there was blackout than inside. I thought that outside I could run because it was open space but inside they could appear in front on the door then what will I do.

My dad knew I was afraid of the dark and always wanted to send me to his room when there was a blackout in the evening. Damn! I hated those times but he’s your dad and I’m the eldest and I definitely can’t show fear. What will my siblings think? ‘My brother is a scardy cat!’ Hell NO! So on this occasion my dad wanted to know the time and amazingly all the clocks had stop working that week and my parents still hadn’t gotten new batteries. I felt it was intentional! My dad sent me to his room to get his watch. I remember I told him I’ll get mine rather but the man smile and insisted he wanted his own watch. My dad’s room was the last one in the hall so far from humans (what if I needed them to come fast and save me when I screamed for help) :O and was spooky at night time especially in blackouts because his room was also closest to the backyard. The moment you step into his room you can see the backyard and oh his room has lots of windows and remember what I told you about WINDOWS. Yep! Something could appear!!  I walked fast out of the hall showing confidence and slowed down the moment I got to his door. I could hear my heartbeat but I’m sure I could also hear noises’ being made by something but my focus was getting to the watch. I had to walk across the room very fast to reach his dressing mirror where the watch was and at the same time looking around carefully, hoping that nothing would come out of the bathroom and attack me. Jeeeeeez!  I got it and was out; very glad that the door which I opened widely didn’t somehow shut by some scary looking ghost I had imagined in my mind and locked me in. At least I could run out if I saw the door closing by itself. (I know! I know! I watched too movies horror movies)

From that time I slowly began conquering my fear because my father did the ‘got- get- my- watch, later my- phone- thing a couple of times and it helped.  I’m sure he intentionally did that to show me there was no such thing as ghosts and frankly I have never seen one growing up. (Don’t ask me whether ghosts exist. That’s a different issue for another day   ) Oh did I tell you that when I got the watch to my dad that day he smiled look at the time and told me to go put the watch back. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez! Twice in two nights my heart will beat to my hearing?! :O I thought, ‘the man can just put the watch down here and take it to his room later’. But he’s the dad and I’m the son and I was 10, so? And I swore I saw a light come through my dad’s room as I was leaving that made me run fast out. Looking back now I realize it was just the moonlight the shone through his room.

I remember those time too (I know there so much fun when you are younger…so many stories) and sisters, my cousin Ben and I used to scare ourselves in dark corners of the house all the time. My sister, Edwina wasn’t afraid of the dark during those times but she sure was scared when I tiptoed behind her and shouted. She would run all over and come back and hit me later. I always pretended not to be scared when they did it to me. People, I’m human. I got scared! lol

Well now there’s no reason to be scared. In my whole life I haven’t come across one spirit or one dead person in the dark. I guess those times it was just my mind and those MOVIES, gosh! Guess what? Believe it or not, I love horror movies now! LOL Yes I know, ME? lol

 

Trip To The Mountains

As a sit here to write this early morning on Monday which I gladly welcome, I must tell you the truth the weekend for me has been hectic, amazing and interesting, all packaged in one.
This weekend was when my grandfather, the late J. K. Koppoe was buried. All through the laying in state, burial and thanksgiving, it was great. Great to see all those family members of old who assemble only at times like this. Hey! I even had the chance to see my mum’s elder brother who arrived from the States to bury his dad, my grandfather. Sometimes you know what I dislike about occasions like this. I’m sure you know. When the old folks see you all so grown up and manly now they keep recounting your baby days and never let you stop hearing it. People who took care of me when they came to visit back then when I was a baby see me and ask whether I know them, of course I don’t. How could I? They send me on assignments to find out who they are. When it is one person it could be very annoying then imagine several.
Anyways that’s not what I came to talk about…because this has nothing to do with trip to the mountains. Ohhh my grandfather was buried close to the sea and it was nothing to do with mountains, I know!

On Saturday which was the same day for going to bury grandfather finally was the only day in the month too when the family could go visit my sister at school. It’s an all-girls’ boarding school and visiting is allowed once a month, so if we missed this one, my sister would have to wait till April to see a family face again. Everyone was tied up in the funeral so I volunteered to go see her and send her things to her. My cousin Ben joined me. I know what you thinking. Why should my sister be at school when it is her grandfather’s funeral? Well, there’s this strict protocol with those schools: if it the child has to leave for a funeral it has to be someone very close, either her siblings or her parents. (period) nothing more so she couldn’t make it.
What was interesting about this trip was that was that my girlfriend always wanted to go see my sister, her school and just get out of the boring campus on weekends…lol. So knowing well she’ll like it I invited her. She initially didn’t want to go because I was going with my cousin but everyone in my family’s cool so she later decided to tag along. Even my cousin also didn’t want to go because he said we would put him in the back seat but he changed his mind…hmmm I wonder why?
My sister’s school, Aburi Girls is on the mountains. The journey there was nice, we were all talking and eating and laughing in the car. I was so happy Vida decided to join us, trust me it was worth it; having your woman sitting by your side on a long distance journey, oh boy! It’s good! You know the thing with travelling on the countryside in Ghana; no traffic and lots of free space to speed on but mind you; it could be dangerous with the sharp curves on the mountains so watch it!
My sister was so happy to see us since she was expecting us let alone three people. She came running and jump on me but no way, the girl had become too very to carry. I wonder what they feed them with. I though confinement in school and bad food coupled with the so many learning hours makes you skinny, (it made me) but…ohhh no, not for her! She hadn’t meet my girlfriend before and vice versa…long story short the two of them walked to my sister’s dorm laughing and talking, I wonder what about? Hmmmmm on the first day…well I’ll let you be the judge of that. When I asked them what they were saying they all declined to say something. The game is on now, huh?! We took pictures and all with some of Edwina’s friends. (Yep! Edwina is my sister’s name. I know don’t let us fool you, we aren’t twins. It represents more than that, A BOND) the picture taking was good for me because Vida always had excuses for not taking pictures, and my sister asking her to join us…sure she couldn’t refuse. LOL
It indeed turned out to be a great time for all the four of us. We meet so many of Edwina’s friend and yeah her school mother too, Lily. Oh I miss my sister’s loud voice. Anytime she saw her friends and wanted to call them to introduce them, shouting was no problem. I teased her that in a program she wouldn’t need a public address system. It was also great because my girlfriend finally met my sister and saw Aburi. Trust me if I hadn’t gone with her, she wouldn’t let me hear the end of it. I still remember the previous one…oh boy! My cousin also met up with some of his school mates (my cousin is in Senior High, but with his school its different. He took permission to come home for the funeral).
My sister really wanted to meet all the uncles and aunts. I guess they would have to pass by and see her. Then again that will be a whole string of permissions and signings, maybe sometime later. Sorry sis.
Could you imagine? I asked my sister to give me a peg and she declined saying Vida will give it to me for her. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeees! Now they are pulling stunts too on me already! Opps! We had to be getting back to the funeral. I was sure they had finished with the burial, dad called to confirm and we had to say bye to the girls and leave. You know that’s one thing I would remember this hectic weekend by, the string of those moments. With me everyone’s happy, I’m happy! Then we are back on the road, and my painful thigh had to drive too soon and Vida reminding me that when I wear my seat belt means I’m about to go turbo fast and then she buckles hers. Care to join?!

 

Lovely Love

              If I’m right this time: you are wondering why I use the same word twice in the subject. Maybe I just drew your attention to it. Well, it is as simple as simple can get, then again, it is not so simple. Lovely is an adjective describing a human being called Love in this script. She is the younger sister of a woman I adore very much, and will give up the whole world for….. but that’s not the issue now because on a topic like that there’s no end. I am going to briefly try to tell you about someone I have not spoken to for up to an hour. Like I said I’m going to try; Why? You know sometimes it is kind of difficult describing a woman because you could leave something out and I don’t want to leave out all the stops.

              The first time I talked to this woman, okay for the purpose of her age now, allow me to use, girl. She’s got a dozen in her. When we talked, the first impression was she had the same voice like her Big Sis. You know what I think now? I’m so off the point now if you ask me; she has her own unique voice. When you talked to her first, whether stranger or not, you feel like you have found a friend in her. Let’s say you mistook her friendship and wanted to use it as a leverage to talk to her sister, you will be making a big mistake. Why? Though maybe you would be talking to her elder sister, you will be missing out on someone full of some much virtue and best of all a confidante if it came to the worse. We still on her voice; day by day as we talk there’s this feeling that occurs to me and actually does happen that though she may be so young, she seems to have all the answers to all your questions. It makes you think twice about the statement of long ago; that some people have their mental ages way higher than their real age. That’s a tip people, don’t disregard young people. Like a preacher I know says it best; great things come in small packages.

                 I’m sure by now you are dying to know how she looks. Yo guys! She’s still a young girl; don’t even think about it, or else you going to have a problem with me. and that sure is not pleasing if her elder sister is added to the equation. Love is fine! I mean like FINE! The first time my eyes beheld her and that was a few days though not so (my cousin’s word) ‘dressy’ she was okay dressed. You know what caught my attention the most.

                Hey! Where’s your mind? We were talking about her looks. Have you ever heard the statement black is beautiful? I’m sure you have, unless maybe you haven’t stayed for long in Africa or been so close to them. We also love to rub it in. Well may I please correct that statement in regards to Love; the beauty of the African woman surpasses the mind’s eye. Don’t you dare try, try, and try to think I’m exaggerating. Dare not! I recall actually telling her the first day we talked face to face that, “I have to change my mentality about you.” I’m glad to have known her.

                   One other point I will touch on when it comes to Love will be her laugh. Maybe that’s what love really is. I mean love laughs at any situation despite the consequences and feels what you feel. Say what? I don’t really know her well, because Ed you have surely have just known her in a few weeks. Boi! Let me sound some knowledge into you. How long will it take you to realize that someone is full of love? I don’t know about you, but I’ll sure know in a few minutes. When I engage in a conversation with Love, the girl would not put off laughing. She is like one of those people to me if you feel so down, just a simple hello or hi from them will send you sky rocketing. I know if there’s something I can compare to her sister will be their way of saying hello’s and hi’s when any party talks to you on phone.

Frankly there’s simple loads more but like my best friend has started saying, “take it all in”  

 

Adom the graced #2

If you have read the first script on my cousin, I told you I will fill you in more on stuff on the amazing stories on her. I remember so many people telling me that all I just wrote on her was mainly about her hair. I wonder what people are going to say this time.

Well you by now, you will already now, I’m in Abidjan staying with her, though I will be leaving back to Ghana in a few days. Now back to her.

She has been my closest friend yet still a family relative in this country I found myself in. I recall one time during the beginning part of this year; I told her she is my sister. Guess what she said? “No! We are only cousins, not friends” She said that laughing. I remember her elder sister also making the comment one time, when she said I was kind of like, in her own language, bothering her. She said making those female hand gestures, “you and Adom (the woman in question) are friends, but you and I, are family!” I just stood there stunned. Maybe it was true but I have never really taken the thought like that before. But then come on folks! We were all cousins! Why the distinction? (I didn’t ask you for an answer; I know! )

Adom, my cousin, sister and friend… of course she’s a growing teenager with all those moods swings, which is very interesting to oversee… I prefer to call her woman, not a girl! In the long run she’s going to be one, if not already! Going back a little into time, I know I have really been worrying her. How do I know? She always tells me, but apparently she tells that to almost everyone, I bet you will be on that list soon!

Well it was this one day as always when I asked her to make some food for me, being as polite as always. Oh my God! You know what she told me, “ Go and prepare it yourself.”

“Ohhh!” I can see you almost saying that! I told her that I could but I just wanted her to prepare it for me. Shocked to the core when she told me, “then you aren’t hungry!” So unfair, you think? No! Because in the end I still got my food, she prepared it! Most at times when she is doing stuff for me, mainly cooking, she tells me, she isn’t going to do it the way I like it and she is going to add all those things I detest. You know how times our sisters get and with Adom, there no difference. It makes you kind of want to get close to her and when you do get close to her she says, “Don’t touch me!”

Hmmmm, with the don’t touch me issue. I mean what’s wrong with touching your sister’s hand, is there a problem. Sometimes I think it is one of those stages of teen years because my biological sister, Edwina is just like that. “Don’t touch me! It is not for you!” The latter part of the statement firstly sends me into a laughing jamboree but then when the show is over. I ask her, in this context Adom, “Me, your brother I can’t even touch you and then someone who at this moment we don’t even know, can! Hey… I mean you have a sister, have you ever had the moment with her before (if you are a brother). The whole little things with your siblings can blow your mind off.