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For Tutch...On Your Birthday
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I would like to write something for you Tutch .Before doing so let me greet you Happy Birthday...where ever you are.. The last time I had seen you was almost nine years ago. That morning prior to our trip here in Canada, I had this pilot sunglass which I so proudly offered you as a memento...a remembrance for I know that I was to embark on the unknown where I will be moving and trying to exist in a completely new environment..a different setting..a mixed culture and people..and a job, I know then ,that was easy to have. You, in a matter of a constabulary officer's way, rebuked my offer and retorted that you had something better than the one I was offering.That sunglass ended up being with me and I still have it even today. So we left and the the memory I had of you was just your silhouette as we moved away from where you guys were waving us goodbye.Years passed and I stopped counting the number of winters we endured. In those years, the exchanges of communications between us came only in snippets and yet each time we seemed overwhelmed by whatever bits and pieces of information we got. For a while I was so full of regrets. I had given up so much that it came close to bothering me. But when I reckoned that you were there and doing good in the service, I felt elated for deep in my heart I know you will stand for what our name meant all these years. We are synonymous to success, good behavior and a paragon of what guts ,determination and inherent talent could do to our simple lives. This was the standard we elevated in that simple place, West Rembo. I know, many tried to emulate us even in envy but only a few came close to what we accomplished. I had reserved in my heart that if and when I go home someday, there would be a ''take charge'' guy who would look after whatever and wherever my caprices take me. I was so proud every time I hear your accomplishments. I share those with my co-workers and they fancy how great it would be to be a constabulary officer. By then ,the pride in my heart had swollen. The advent of new technology gave us a way of better interaction. I was given the bonus of seeing you even in slow motion via the internet. The feeling was great. The chat and the conversation seemed endless when we found time to get wired. Finally the chance of us seeing each other loomed with the planned wedding of our only sister, Bobbie.I felt ecstatic at the thought and each day that passed was like one hurdle I crossed. But fate had a different plan. A very personal reason overtook all my preparations, shook my gusto and ruined my expectations. I passed up the chance, a decision I regretted so much up to this day...and we had that conversation last Christmas, December 25 to be exact...You asked for a florsheim shoes...and I said ''no problem''..and with a degree of calculated persuasion, you tried to sway my sentiments and practically begged many times for me to come home for a re-union on New Year's day. I matter- of -factly told you that I can't for I have work on the second. Your prodding stretched our conversation and when we finally said goodbye, little did I know that it would be my last. You had your wish in the end. I was back there on New Year's day in flesh and blood. You met me in silence..a very deafening silence. I lived my worst nightmare.. that of going home that way after many years of absence.. I thought that was all. I gathered my strength and limped my way back to where I left off. I was just in my few strides when fate messed up with what I have in mind..this time a big chunk of me came off. My dear wife Mariam, my wife of nineteen years got ill. She fought hard in her battle. As the days passed, I was just contented with simply feeling the warmth of her hand.I told myself that for as long as it doesn't go away, things would be alright..this warmth finally slipped away one day...and the other half of me fell off.. My dear brother, I wish and hope that you did welcome my wife Mariam wherever you two are right now..I know it is a place where there is peace ,joy and eternal life....I remember the time when my wife was leading the prayer in December and each time she reads MARAMO, she would say, ''maramo'' in Canadian accent..and each time she did this ,you would see our shoulders moving up and down in our attempt to suppress laughter...I do remember the time when in one of our video conferences you mistakenly called Bom-bom's boyfriend Iko ...good memories I'll have no problem remembering... We surely miss the two of you. May you help us have peace and comfort in our hearts and allow us to accept everything with confidence and hope that if and when our time come, we will see each other in the great beyond... udic |
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