Suddenly

Suddenly Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The Drunken Prophet Mid 98

I enjoyed spending time with dad and I was interested in the things that he liked. He had influenced me to join a local football club. It was an easy decision because my close friends Jason and Miller played for the same club. We'd play league matches on weekday nights and on Saturday mornings. After the games the club transport would drop us off at our homes. I'd get off near BE's home so I'd get a chance to see her.

On one Saturday morning as I walked pass her home I saw her outside, she was this sunshine of a girl. We looked at each other and she smiled and waved at me, that smile would probe me to pass her home every Saturday morning for the rest of the football season.

The scene at school was becoming somewhat intensified with entangled bodies in hiding places making getaways from the FBI prowling for victims of love at the crevices of every corner and under every stairway. These cosy concrete hideaways were the love haven of many at the time. Nobody seemed to care much for hygiene or the phobia of nocturnal eight legged creatures that also made love in those same spots.

I love you's were floating gracefully in the courtyard of our assembly area like kites on a breezy day. Fully armed with paper bullets, messengers embodying the form of trusted best friends were sent out like brave arrows seeking targets of desire. "My friend asked me to give this to you" they'd say as they handed over the scroll sealed with a kiss.

Summoned! Juvenile relationship court was in session, little notes on folded pieces of paper held the fate of the loved and unloved alike, Yes, No or Maybe, those were the opted replies. If yes, then you would cordially stand next to your suitor, male or female, and spend your aimless free moments "going out".

I for one had no extra pocket money, my brother and I made minimum wage working as the neighborhood paper boys earning 5 dollars a week which we were saving to buy our first pair of sneakers. Ever since I was eleven, my brother and I worked as local paper boys delivering the newspaper to a few streets in our community. This got us some degree of popularity and admiration from many of the older folk who'd look upon us with eyes of pity.

Mondays were days set for customers to pay us for the weeks' papers delivered and it would usually meant a few extra for us in the shape of tips, but most would delay payment which meant a delay in our weekly loot. Those paper boy days instilled in me a work ethic which I wasn't aware of, but I was developing an attitude of hard work besides the financial status. Going out with a girl or dating was out of the question. I didn't have the money for it and I had greater problems in the shape of my dad, he would have my funeral before he lets me woo some chick from school.

Going out was not on my radar, I couldn't find a reason why I would want to spend time with a girl, a female, what could she possibly have to offer? I had all the cheap thrills and free laughs my stomach muscles could possibly handle with dad on weekends and with my new found friends at school.

Ah Saturdays, Saturdays with my dad, it would start early. We'd love the outdoors and dad would indulge us at the beach, 7am was the departure time but I usually delayed everybody. We'd pack our fishing rods, tackle and bait, careful not to meet or bump into any of our neighbors as this would be bad luck according to the chronicles of Dad, seeing the wrong person before going out on a fishing trip would almost guarantee that we would have a bad days fishing.

The beach was my favorite place in God's whole Earth, the manner in which the sand would flow endlessly into the melody of the timeous waves just kept me in a state of intrigue. In most ways I would be amazed at how creative God was and I would take the time to walk with slower feet and wider eyes just to give myself enough opportunity to see the artistry of Gods hand.