I SHALL RETURN

While I was growing up, I had the best time of my life. I know that those memories are the few things that will never leave me, the treasures I will carry with me wherever I go, no matter how old I was. I know some of those memories are pretty embarrassing as it is for most people. About my embarrassing stories, don't hold your breath. I will not re-embarrass( If I may) myself. 

I remember going to visit my maternal grandmother (Dani- as we called her) ever so often because her home is not so far away from Kisumu where I grew up. It takes only about 30min drive from Kisumu to Ahero. We would visit every other weekend because we knew that then she would cook for us chips(fries) all by herself and serve with Quencher orange juice which was bought especially for her grandchildren. The juice was kept in a cupboard in her bedroom and would only be brought out when we were around. Oh and she would give us money after which grandpa would add us more coins. Why would I not want that every weekend? 

On the eve of Christmas, we would be cramped in my uncle's red car which until now I don't know what make it was. It was like a small landcruiser or something. Don't make fun of me, I'm not so good with cars anyway. We would move from one homestead to the next singing Christmas carols and giving gifts to the families through the night. Our other aunts and uncles would be in church waiting to welcome baby Jesus to the world or so I thought. In the morning there would be others coming back home from early church service as I woke to smell the fresh air which was scented by tall Eucalyptus trees. We would run around the compound which seemed so big back then as the adults sat out under a tree and ate as they talked. I was so carefree and I had everything I'd ever wish for in those moments. I shall return.

My paternal grandmother however saw us so rarely that when we went over, she would want to keep us forever. You see her home is almost 5hours from Kisumu City and we would not be able to go every weekend. I loved being there, I especially loved my grandfather so much that I always wanted to be with him. However, I could not stand the idea of having to go to school in the village. There was a river where we would go to get water from. 

I once had to cross the overflowing river to another village on a tree-bridge! No, its not what you are thinking. It was not a bridge but a tree stem put across to help people cross. The balancing that I had to do to and fro on that tree!!! It is then that I knew that I was brave seeing as I could not swim. The fear of falling off made me crawl on the tree to the other side. My grandfather taught me how to ride a bicycle and often told us stories of how the white people treated Africans. Oh and how he loved telling us of when he lived in Nairobi when my father schooled in Aquinas High. 

I miss waking up and going to Dani's house in the morning for breakfast. My mother would make breakfast at our house but we still had to take Dani's breakfast. Kwaru (Luo for grandpa) had his own chair strategically placed facing the door where he would see who was coming and going. He would see anyone crossing through his compound 'illegally' haha! He had a dog and dani had a cat and they had names which they responded to haha especially when dani was angry. I miss those easy days, clear skies and fresh scented air in the morning. I miss the pitch dark nights with myriads of stars in the sky.  I miss running around trying to catch chicken for the next meal and having to carry another back to town. I miss my childhood...I shall Return...

I think about both my paternal and maternal grandparents whenever I read this poem by Claude McKay. I hope it gives you some beautiful nostalgic memories.

Have a great day!

 

I Shall Return

I shall return again; I shall return
To laugh and love and watch with wonder-eyes
At golden noon the forest fires burn,
Wafting their blue-black smoke to sapphire skies.
I shall return to loiter by the streams
That bathe the brown blades of the bending grasses,
And realize once more my thousand dreams
Of waters rushing down the mountain passes.
I shall return to hear the fiddle and fife
Of village dances, dear delicious tunes
That stir the hidden depths of native life,
Stray melodies of dim remembered runes.
I shall return, I shall return again,
To ease my mind of long, long years of pain.

Claude McKay