Memory holds lots of her, the kindergarten, lower primary as well as the middle primary Zara.
An old album that grandpa keeps to himself deep inside an old cupboard at his home in the village, as well has a picture that reminds me of Zara. An old cupboard that mam claims to be older than I and the rest of my siblings, over the years has kept this picture that was captured on a special day.
It's a picture that has by now lost part of it's lower right conner along with which, my left shoe was eaten up at a cockroach feast.
I saw it last year, in December when I visited Arua, having spent a period of eleven years with out going there.
In this picture, Zara stands relatively close, behind me in a uniform dress with a blue color slightly paler than that of those that the rest of us are putting on, standing in between Nakkazzi Grace and Nalwoga Josephine.
In front, with my back facing the entire choir I stand. Holding a black wired microphone, singing a particular song that I can't guess as of now, even at a bet of a million US Dollar odd.
In accordance to the smiles that the all of us have on, it must have been a hilarious day. A hilarious speech day indeed.
Down the road in nursery, memories are unclear, I am less certain if it isn't a spontaneous fabrication but still , I'll bring it on.
Time memorial when our primary school was sarcastically called Nabuti kibaawo by kids from other neighboring fancier schools, Late Madam Kironde attends to us in a wooden dusty floor baby classroom on the extreme right end of a wooden block that stands adjacent to a number of evenly spaced blossoming moringa trees. In a classroom with poles eaten up by tamaites, she at all times keeps a straight guava tree branch cane with her besides a short desk in the left corner, close to a window pane that never had a window. On top of the desk, a number of picfare and budget exercise books, a blue pen, a cup of pencils and an old brown corrugated hand bag with a mutilated zip, are rested.
On this particular day, Zara arrives late at school. Having found the majority of the seats occupied, desperately wandering for space, she finds one on a wooden bench in front, sits alongside a number of bullheaded kids. At the right extreme end, she sits. Hardly had she sat down than when she was pushed off to the ground by an anon. A giant boy, tall and big. The agitated and chickenhearted me groans discreetly. On seeing this, I marvel why a goon would do such a cruel thing to an immaculate lilo girl. Out of the blue, something happens. It must have been an answer to my prayers.
Late Madam Kironde grabs the goon up by hand and gives him three ponderous straight guava tree branch cane strokes that set a blazing fire on his bums. None of us noticed her pick up the straight guava tree branch cane. The three put the goon back to his senses. I didn't smile right there but, deep inside my heart, I did. Peacefully, the lilo immaculate Zara sits back. There must be a repulsive force in between her and the goon for he keeps a safe distance away from her. The straight guava tree branch cane back to the corner, Late Madam Kironde resumes; "Twakomye wa? "
In Peace Rest Madam Kironde.
Outdoor physical exercise lessons, fun time.
Drawn out to the field, Late Madam Kironde instructs us to put our shirts off. They are off in a twinkle of an eye, exposing our rib trailed chests. The girls as well are instructed to hop out of their blue uniform dresses. Stupid boys have their yellow teeth exposed on seeing the pink, blue, and green knickers. Memories vibrantly vivid like it just was yesterday. Out loud, she declares. What we have for today is, Kkapa egoba emese! The objective of the game if for a boy (kkappa) to chase a girl (rat), grasp, hold her at hand and bring her back to the circle (cat's dining table). The words were hardly out of her mouth when we all are wildly ablaze.
In her, white knicker Zara thinks that she could run faster than me. Hmm, good try but, I am the cheetah here and she is the prey. I am the cat and she is the rat but not Tom and Jelly. It takes me less than forty-five seconds to grasp her by hand, bring her back to the cat's dinning table and that's triumph. Majwega Peter comes back with Nakkazzi Grace. The rest of the memories are faint.
To Zara, that must have been some random kindergarten boy but to me, that was Zara the immaculate lilo girl.
I'm less certain. It must have been primary four when she left if I ain't oblivious. Nalwoga Catherine had left a year earlier. Taina had been her nick.
Taina that I last met in 2019 returned back to school in Primary Five. When she returned, it was crazy of me and how my optimism sky rocketed. Zara's return's expectation and anticipations limits were the skies. I thought that she would return as well. Years went by. The more time that went by, the more my hopes faded, until when reality hit. I finally came to realize that, it's not that everything in the world would work by our wills. Time went by till when we accomplished primary school. The rest must had forgotten all about Zara by then but, I hadn't yet. We used to take a single route back from school. When she left, going back home reminded me of her, going passed her home as well did and till today, the Nabuti primary school girls uniform still reminds me of her. I did really miss Zara at school. When she left, it really never remained the same.
Inspired by a true story.
