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THE CALL OF THE TRIBE
It was a long and disturbed history that had brought him to his current situation
It started well
He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth
His father owned a grocery shop. It could have passed for a supermarket today.
He realised how good things were when they lost everything and then some.
The trouble started they told him, when his father developed a cough that would not go away. Up to that point he had never been sick a day in his life. By the time he got around to doing anything ab out it, it was too late.
Though his two year old mind didn't know what was happening at the time, he remembers his father's funeral like it was yesterday.
His enduring memory from the day was the way his white flower slid hopelessly off his daddy's casket and into the bottomless pit. Looking back it was as if a sign.
All of a sudden they were out of their house, forced to flee into the night with only the clothes on our backs, because his mother refused to be taken over by my father's brother, I later found out.
Her side of the family was not well to do ... he wondered how come they did not have electricity at night, had to go to the toilet outside the house, ate out of one central dish ....was too much to process for his infant mind.
HIs mother a resourceful woman soon set up a sewing machine, the ones powered by the feet and set upon supporting her family, which was not only us but everyone else we found in the household,
It didn't last long because once again they were out on their pants, although this time they had a sewing machine in tow.
It was him and his mum against the world.
As a way to keep her hope up she made a game of the "adventures" they went through.
They were "camping", when they slept on shop verandahs. They making space for the feast when they went a day or two or three hungry. And he was allowing his friends catch up when his age group started school, walking past them on the shop verandah where she worked.
Which wasn't entirely wrong because his reading skills were way ahead of his peers by the time they were starting kindergarten.
His mother, in the times when she had no work, which in the beginning was often had taught him how to read using old newspapers.
Their fortunes turned when they started living with the shop keeper. He didn't like it at the beginning because he missed his mother's warmth in his new bed, separate from hers and the shopkeepers.
It was at this time that he also started going to school. They never again needed to make space for the next meal and never camped on the verandahs.
The shopkeeper who was now entrenched in their lives was not an affectionate to him but he did not treat him badly either. Requests of him were made through his mother, who it seems he could never refuse.
His home-schooled head start meant that school was breeze, to the point of boredom. He topped his class routinely and showed a talent for mathematics.
But then the shopkeeper started to cough.
Very quickly bedridden, hospitalised, died and was buried.
He didn't know what too feel. HIs mother was beside herself with grief, threatening to throw herself into the grave after the shopkeeper. He only felt a sad sense of deja vu.
Save for one thing. They weren't thrown out of their home this time around.
In fact as far as he could tell the shopkeeper had not had any relatives. At least he had not seen any in the ten years or so they lived under his roof.
His mother took over the shop. Mothballed her rickety sewing machine to focus on the shop.
Soon he had to leave her behind and go to boarding school. He had turned out the best in the district and had to cross the country to join a top national school.
It came out of the blue.
He knew something was not right when he was called to the administration block and saw his mother seating at the headmaster's desk.
He remember's wondering who was tending the shop.
It turned out Uncle Joshua "Who was he?"had called for him. Uncle Joshua was the one supposed to inherit his mother all those many years ago. And why would i want to go back there he asked. It was the way of things is all she could manage in front of the acerbic Mr Omaba
On the way to Uncle Joshua's home she explained that being the only male descendant in the family he had certain responsibilities that he had to be prepared for
A family that had "chased" us away? He asked and she answered with a far away look that one day he would understand.
They chugged into the small trading center just before dark. He had no memory of anything. His mother commandeered a pair of motorcycles and they were soon off into the hills to Uncle Joshua's house.
Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when they turned into the compound.
A drive, straight as an arrow, three car widths across, lit on either side by garde led up a slope to a huge well lit whife mansion
Servants came running to relieve them of their luggage and lead them up the drive
He felt his mother's grip on hand tighten as they approached the house
They were led up the stairs and into a huge waiting room
The master will call for you shortly the servant said before ducking with their luggage through a side door
Drinks were offered water for him his mother asked for a gin and tonic. Yeah! In answer to his shocked look. He had never seen her drink.
The walls were lined with black and white pringskf wildlife and landscapes. There w some wooden life size statues, the type with long features-- long heads, long limbs, long torsos
The coffee table was fashioned out of a log, the seats were of papyrus reads, the floor mats were sisal weaves
He didn't have time to enjoy the simple elegance of the room before a servant announced that uncle Joshua was ready to see them
It took a while before his mother got off her seat to join him on his feet. This was proving to be an ordeal she did not think she could endure. But she braced her self and stepped forward to follow the servant
They went down a dimly lit corridor, he counted five doors -- three on his left and two on his write before they reached the big dounle doors at the end
They were ushered into a dinning room, the table laid out as for a feast
A man, grey at the temples, nursing a glass by the window, turned to face them
This must be Uncle Joshua, Julius thought as the old man crossed the room to meet them
Uncle Joshua held Julius by the shoulders and looked at him tears welling in the older man's eyes
You are your father's son he said with feeling
He turned away to face his mother. There was flicker of emotion but Unvle Joshua composed himself quickly stretching out a hand in greeting, You haven't aged a day in 15 years sister
You look well, she replied hesitantly
He was interested exclusively in the boy.All through dinner a single course meal fit for a king Uncle Joshua ploughed him with questions
What were his favourite subjects? What did he want to be when he grew up? Was he into sports? Art? Music? Current affairs?
It went on and on.
When he had finished his meal Uncle Joshua went suddenly quiet as if he was making a serious decision
He motioned for the servant who had waited silently in the corner through out the meal
Please show my sister to her room I want to talk to my son
She did not move and he looked at her quizzically
I think I should be there when you tell our sin what you want to tell him
A flash of anger creased Uncle Joshua's brow. He made as if to say something but seemed to think the better of it, alright I don't think there is any harm
Julius looked to his mother his mouth was set with determination and her gaze unflinching. He knew that look too well. He had seen it when the shopkeeper had suggested Jilius transfer to a cheaper school and she was dead set against the idea. The shopkeeper had backed down .
The doctors had given him a year to live and he was putting his affairs in order. Julius was integral to his plans.
But first, he slid across the table to Julius mother a brown envelop, this is my all my brother's property that is rightfully yours he said.
She did not touch the enevelop. But in that moment the last 15 years, five months and 13 days flashed beige her eyes .... the sleepless nights, the hunger, the worry, the having to be strong even all she wanted to do was lie down and give up, lie down and die
It was too much.
She put her head on the table before her and wept. Huge heaving sobs that came from the depths of her soul.
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