Swarthy Bright

BEAUTIFUL MOMENTS; Swarthy Bright

After another long walk with my bag following Mark's description, thank God the weather wasn't too harsh, I was getting close to where seem like an area designated for farming. I saw farmers working on their farms, weeding, cultivating planting etc. I kept going hoping I will see Bright. It was taking time and I was already getting tired, I approached some of the farmers and asked of Bright, they seem not to Know him, I described him the best way I could yet it was difficult for them. I was already getting frustrated when I remembered the name the lady we met in his uncle's house called him, "keme, keme, his name is keme too" I quickly said to their spokesperson a woman who was one of the farmers "keme, keme, keme" she called the name repeatedly trying to remember something "oh oh oh oh oh Ebikeme!!! She said smiling with relief "his farm no far form here sef, just turn left and go front small you go see him small house" she said, him been don dey here since Monday oooo" she added  "Since Monday????😳 I exclaimed, "doing what? "Farm na" she replied picking up her tools "ok thank you ma" i said and hurriedly walked off towards the direction she gave.

Walking on, I saw a small tent skillfully made of palm fronds and sticks, and ahead of it was a large cultivated land. "this should be the place" I said to myself. I peeped inside the tent and I saw garri, a gallon containing water, a mat, seeds for planting, plates, two rubber cups, spoons, few food items, some dirty clothes and a slippers that looked like Bright's slippers. Looking out I saw him coming carrying bunch of more palm fronds on his shoulders covering his head and holding a cutlass in his other hand. Bright!! I called. He quickly dropped the palm fronds to see who called clearly and as soon as he  identified me he froze, his eyes wide open, his mouth slightly opened in great surprise!!!😦 "Uncle!!! He called what are you doing here?" he was confused, and didn't know what to do or say..he just stood there with a brief faint smile on his face. I walked up to him and he lowered his head cleaning his sweat with his tattered dirty clothes. He looked tired and extremely warned out, I felt so sorry for him. "You have been here working for the past one week? I asked in disbelief and anger, he just nodded his head and smiled faintly again "come, come" I called him, he came and we walked to his tent. "You know what, pack your things let's go" I ordered "he smiled "go where?.....I can't oohh my uncle will kill me" he said putting some things together, "he sent you here? I asked not expecting any reply, "is he not aware you need to be in school? I asked in anger
"is he not the one paying my school fees? He responded "he came home on Sunday" he continued "thank God I left your place and came home before he came sef, I think he checked on his farm later that Sunday evening, he felt I did nothing there and sent me to the farm on Monday" he concluded. I was so angry, sad and so sorry for him. I made up my mind to do something even though I was clueless on what to do. We talked for a while and he told me everything, in fact he even felt safer in the farm than with his uncle just to avoid maltreatment and s3xual abuse. "He will soon marry and I'm not sure of staying with him as his wife" he concluded. We kept talking and I enjoyed the his company, the cool natural breeze, the quietness of the place and most expecially, his company☺️

"Uncle I think you should be going, it's getting late and you know here is far from home oo" he reminded me. "Are you still working today?" "No I'm done for today sha" he said sitting down on one of the hip he made close to his tent. I couldn't think of living him here even though he has been here a whole week alone. "I'm going to stay with you here" I replied him.."haaahhhh no oooo Uncle you can't stay here oo" he said smilingly" I dropped my bag and books, took some of the palm fronds he brought and made a mat out of them. "Uncle your are serious" he asked in a surprising tone, "you will see" I replied. He finally accepted after some arguments and debates.

"I think you need to bath" I said to him "yea I will just go to the stream" he replied "you have a stream here? I asked excitingly "yea, it's so clean and cool" he replied with some sense of happiness and aliveness "oya let's go" I said and off we went to the stream ☺️