Rats, Roses And Paper Bones

Chapter 26:Handkerchief

It was my first visiting day since I started attending Longford High school. This school's visiting day was quite different from my previous school's. Firstly, at my previous school, parents came to visit on a Saturday, but in Longford high, they came on a Sunday, Just after church service.

Secondly, at my former school, food brought by parents were allowed into the hostels but unfortunately, at my present school, food brought from home wasn't allowed into the hostel premises. Pretty sad, right?

They probably found it hard to accept that the school's food would never live up to the standards of home made food.

I was able to put a call through to my mom last week sunday and she picked up, thankfully.

She agreed to come today, but here I was, still waiting for her to come at 3pm, halfway through to the end of the visiting day.

It started by 12pm and all parents were to start dispersing at 6pm. I waited patiently for her neverthelss because this was certainly not the first time she was coming late for things like this.

In fact, she has never come early. At my former school, I was often the last to be picked up from school on vacation day. It was a normal thing now. My sister, on the other hand, couldn't take it anymore. It was a first time experience for her.

"When is mom coming? Its already 3 o clock, why isn't she here?". She asked me, pacing around my bed.

I sighed.
"What are you even doing here,shouldn't you be at your hostel?".

She still continued pacing.

"Stop pacing around, you'll lose your breath, are you even with your inhaler?".

She stopped pacing and placed her hands on her hips.
"I came here so that we won't have to look for each other when our parents arrive". She said, then brought out her inhaler from the pocket of her checkered gown(which we called house wear).
"And, I'm with my inhaler, thanks".
I sighed again.

"You know what? Let's just go outside and wait for them there, before your anxiety kills you, literally".

I grabbed her by the wrist. Once again, I couldn't blame her, she was new to all these. I was the opposite. I had seen it all.

We walked through the school field, it was a dry and Sunny afternoon. The harmattan had already started kicking in. The grass had already lost its crispy green colour, now giving a dull brown shadow of its former self.

The mid November days were always the best times at the boarding school. The fog, the harmattan, the cold and dryness all reminded us that Christmas was near and the end of the year holiday was fast approaching.

"Let's sit here". My sister said, pointing at a couple of plastic chairs under a coconut tree at the proximal end of the field.
"We can see the school gate from here, so we can know when our parents come in".

"Good thinking". I said to her, sarcastically and sat down.
I looked around the field, families had their cars parked at every nook and cranny, chairs were arranged beside every car and under the trees, with family members sitting, chatting and laughing away, excited to see their wards.

Some were already packing up to leave, with a sad look on their faces. They didn't want to leave so soon, but they probably had a lot of other things to attend to.

All these, and our parents were still yet to arrive. It was halfway through to 4pm now.

A smile lit up my eyes as I looked through the field and spotted Michael and his family. I could see his parents too. His younger brother, who was a toddler was crouched up in his laps. It was a lovely sight. I could also see someone who looked like she was around his age right beside him.