Flawlessly Imperfect

She was a young, golden brunette woman who wore the most precious smile and had lips that spoke the kindest of words. He was a tall, sturdy, and handsome man with jet black, matted hair, and eyes filled with passion.  Their story should have been just as perfect as any other. But, their stars held for them a destiny that couldn't be more flawlessly imperfect.

Amelia was born with all the luxuries a young girl could want. Her father, Lord Barclay, was held in high regard in the office of British Africa and adorned his daughter with all the riches she could possibly want. Amelia had every benefit of the world but lacked that of sight. She knew the world as a place that was much more pure and beautiful than it really was for she was unable to see the injustice, inequality, and discrimination that revolved around her.

Hakim was the milkman. He was born to a huge household of 12 children that lived under the same roof.  He had a loving family and a job that paid him enough to sustain himself and his family on a daily basis. He was content and a grateful young man.

Hakim came every morning to rooms at the north of the watchtower with his alloyed can of milk for Amelia and her companions. Amelia would often hear Hakim speaking to her youngest companion, Isabella, as he stood outside the room and poured the milk from the can into their clay pot. They never touched anything belonging to the natives. Amelia liked his calm, light, and deep voice which gave her a weird sense of comfort. She liked the way he occasionally forgot that he was talking to white people and threw in slang like "Yebo!" before apologizing about it for the next half hour. She liked his voice which was chirpy and so full of life yet firm and strong at the same time.

One morning, hours before Hakim was to visit them, Amelia expressed to one of her companions her interest to meet Hakim in person. She was forbidden from doing so. She was told that people of black skin were impure and dangerous and as the daughter of a reputed official, it was not proper of her to meet him. Amelia was a woman that always got her way and never took 'no' for any of her requests. So, when Hakim came that morning to deliver the milk, Amelia summoned him inside the room. Hakim, who was taught to always take orders, went into a room that was eight times as big as Hakim's entire household. But neither the grandeur nor the majesticity caught his glance. The second his coal- black eyes fell on Amelia, he felt a big wave of new life drown him into an ocean of awe that people called 'love'. Losing his senses, he slowly walked in her direction, before he abruptly stopped as his mind flipped to reality. How disgusted she must be at his sight! His glance immediately fell to the ground. 

Amelia beckoned him to come closer for she could not feel the warmth she usually did when around people. He stepped forward hesitantly with smaller and still smaller steps. Amelia held out her hand and held his in hers. Hakim's heart began to palpitate as he looked around the room, scared that he would be punished for touching a white woman. He saw Amelia's companions look at them with a combined expression of disbelief, disgust, and fear as if Hakim was potentially capable of harming them. He then turned to the lady that held his hand, who had the most gorgeous smile that reached all the way to her eyes. She seemed to be tearing up but he couldn't say for sure. Amelia said, "I have been blind since birth. I don't know what you look like but what I do know is that you are a good man and you have come to my liking. I am Amelia, and you are -?" "Hakim," he said. 

A thought raced through his mind at that moment. It wasn't a thought but more of a realisation. She was only nice to him because she couldn't see the colour of his skin. He wondered if she would have felt 'liking' towards him if she wasn't blind. He was almost sure she wouldn't. But, that didn't matter. A person is merely an outcome of their life circumstances and situations. Amelia was a pure and nice woman, and that may be because she was blind, but that was what defined her. After delivering the milk, Hakim walked back home in her thoughts. He thought of her for the rest of the day and the night that followed. The following morning he woke up earlier than usual and went to deliver the milk. He was once again called inside the room and as he poured the milk from his alloyed can into the clay pot, he spoke with Amelia and even sat on her guest couch for a while on her insistence. This happened every morning, much to the disapproval of all her companions who had neither the power to forcibly forbid her nor the courage to complain to her father.  Meanwhile, Amelia and Hakim's bond grew deeper and stronger and truer for they saw absolute perfection in each others 'imperfections'.

One spring morning, Hakim woke to a thought that lead to the writing of this story.

Hakim realised that Amelia had no idea how beautiful she was. He felt it unfair for someone to be unable to witness such sheer beauty. So, he took a nail and began to carve the face of the woman he loved on the alloy can. When he went to her room, all excited to show her what he had made, he saw in her room two men in uniform holding guns. They were standing beside Amelia's companions who were talking to them intently. They glared at him when he entered the room and it was then that he knew that he was in trouble. He looked around but couldn't find Amelia. Amelia's companions had been too disturbed about the events between Hakim and Amelia and had complained to the guards about it. The heftier of the two guards demanded Hakim to kneel, and so he did, for he had been taught to always take orders. Just as the other guard struck Hakim with the back of the gun, Hakim noticed Amelia walk into the room and so, he made no sound. Amelia, unaware of what was happening, found her way to the couch and sat there in the graceful manner she had. The guards continued to strike Hakim with the gun's handle, on his back, on his legs, and on his face. But, Hakim made not a sound because he didn't want Amelia, who was sitting peacefully before him, to know that the world she knew was a fake. He took the pain silently without making the slightest whimper because he wanted Amelia to continue to believe that the world was indeed only a place filled with happiness and love, filled with the chirping of birds and the pleasant feel of the wind on her clear skin. 

Isabella watched this in silence. She learnt the meaning of true love and such a tender age. She ran to the door where Hakim had kept the alloyed can and brought the can to Amelia. Isabella held Amelia's hand and made her trace the carving with the tip of her finger and whispered to her, "Hakim made this for you. He is off to a different place for work and told me to give this to you as a gift of farewell." because Isabella knew that Hakim would not make it. Hakim watched Amelia with his teary, pained, and bloodshot eyes as she embraced his gift for her. He eventually took his trip to the stars as a man who had lived a life filled with love and a man that fought for this love till his last breath. Amelia lived the rest of her life waiting for Hakim to come back because she never got to tell him how beautiful the carving was and how she loved it so!

It is now the year 2008, a free and truly beautiful Africa. And as I stand at the glass window of 'Chimmamanda Antique Store' I watch Alaba, the owner, sell this alloyed milk can to a customer. For these customers, this can is merely another can with carvings that belonged to the daughter of Lord Barclay. If only they knew the love story trapped within it, they would too learn the meaning of true love, just like I did when I was a little girl. 

This is Isabella, signing off.