The Mother's Child

Chapter 2

Festival Seasons

Life in the village is paramount  with festival  seasons. It comes in a while; so every villager is much eager than before. The atmosphere  radically changes  to party moods only.
You have not set all eyes on me! This is the perfect time to clad in that long kept cloth; probably a  suit. Well pressed like a new bride.
You can imagine how all these people chose their designs; seems the same seamstress  did the outfits.we are not related by blood nor even ever met each other anyway by coincidence;  but this day imitates a reunion.
"Be good little  boy! Joseph?" Grandfather has never stopped  cautioning  me.
It sometimes  gets nagging.i feel so irritated  at most times by his rusty voice.
It scares the hell out of me! I feel like a criminal  guilty of crime.He wears a scary face along with Grandmother.
Grandmother  is such a naughty  lady.
"Leave my boy,and straighten your neck,you look shorter than I!" She speaks out in disguise  for my defense.
I am adorned in a kitege.Its an African cloth stitched to make an outfit.Finding a professional  tailor is most times uneasy and expensive.
Grandfather saved his yearly incomes from the coffee sales he made; to afford me a presentable outfit and a pair of new sandals on this day.
This in a very long time, comes once.

Today I am seated in church ,fine furniture, glossy windows  with portraits of saints,Hail Mary mother of Jesus, and Jesus spilling on the cross right in the center of the church.I see the clergy  take the front seats,and the chairman as though have reached heaven.
I feel a little convulsions  down my tummy.I have not been to such crowds before.
I can feel like all eyes are on me. I try very hard to keep them low ,looking at my thighs and play about my fingers.
The priests arrive and the whole congregation  raise.They single" a new born king has come to the universe   .....Jesus the savior is born". To this, my consciousness  strikes back ,to know that this is actually christmas day.
It is a long sermon and I find it already  boring,only to sneak out of church.There are plenty of children playing outside and conversing  about their parents.

  I have literally never  known where mine have ever been up to . My grandparents  have taken not time to tell me about their whereabouts.

"Don't ruin your suit Joseph!" Someone patting on my shoulders.Get inside church! you have got to say your prayers to the Almighty.You have short earthly life my son!" Its these words that alarm in my ears on this day.Its none other than grandfather.He never wants me out of his sight.
I could here little chatterings  these ladies across; in the other column."the bastard child of his son" while pointing fingers  at me. (Uttered  in a local dialect) offensively.
It's around mid-day and the sermon has ended. "May peace be with you...." the high priest concludes.
"And all with me" I do reply deep down in my heart. I felt there many intriguing  questions that needed answers that long haven't been given vital attention.Festival season  is all about merrymaking so I keep my cool.
Meals are served and drinks.There are lots of new faces at home. They are aunties and uncles.Parents to the abandoned cousins I stay with.They have come along with petty gifts,biscuits, belts,candy, books and pens.
I sit over there, staring at them but seemingly  nobody recognizes  my presence. I am left cocooned in my own misery.My eyes glowing with some tears soon exploding; atmost feeling like an empty vassel.

Christmas day has never been my day.the whole world seems like is against  me.
I can only pay visit to the kraals and play with the calves.They are very naughty.They like to jump and lick my face with their rough tongues.Their mothers are so protective  but they actually know me better.I have long been with them since child birth and never left them.I have become family.They recognize my ordour, my voice that they respond very fast. I need no cane to tame them! They follow me wherever  I go to the grazing lands. They are loyal friends.They know when I am sad and start to mow at me.

I am left with the rest of the duties;house keeping, the rest have gone  to rinse their mouths.Grandmother always says ; "I have gotten to rinse my mouth,in heaven there is no beer"
It's the least of the kind I could expect from her because she has lived to her old age. She is already in her 90s.she celebrates her age every evenings with bottles of local brew unlike Grandfather who is diagnosed with disease that he eats no salt,little sugar and no beer at all.
Life is one ,there is no other replacement, live it to the fullest while you still can. He normally tells us this while in the kitchen warming himself; as he prepares  his smoke pipe.
The festival season has come to an end.the aunties and uncles  can't stay longer .They have work schedules  ahead . I have not really enjoyed much but atleast I have eaten the once time meals of the year; some fried and spiced beef stew and roasted,the loaves of  bread,and some sugar for tea and lastly being smart for a short time. Grandmother  has got to keep my ceremonial  suit safe for yet another festival  next year.