RABIAT'S DIARY

OCTOBER 1

Today I am sitting and thinking of how much i missed grandfather.

So is life.

No one is born to live forever.

Grandfathers or grandmothers are always the loves of grandchildrens lives.

We are pampered, spoilet and played with a lot as grandchildren. So nobody is suprised whenever we say silly things to our grandparents.

Rudeness wasnt allowed though.

I now sadly remember ooking at his frail body on the bed, I felt tears well up in my eyes. He looked so serene, peaceful. In that sacred rest I left him. Let him remain undisturbed.

And now as I ponder, my lips motionless I pray quietly,

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

Amen.

OCTOBER 22

It has been three weeks since grandfather, s death. I go this afternoon to see grandmother and deliver a message to her from father.

On our way I tell the driver that I would like to spend the whole day there in order to visit some friends and relations, and he answer,

"No problem, ma."

Also, I inform him that he could have some rest while I do my rounds on foot. After I have stayed with grandmother for a few minutes, she tells me that my friend Bebi has come to condole her and that she sends her condolence to our family in Kaduna, too.

"Are you dropping to see her today?" she adds.

"No, I shall go round to other relations' house I would like to see Cousin Labaran. Bebi's house will be next time," I explain and grandma understands.

So I go to Labaran's house.

His section which was built mside his father's compound is very clean.

I announce my arrival from outside and walk inside after exchanging greeting with some women outside the room. Labaran's wife, Amarya, is writing something on a piece of paper.

She stops and gets up to welcome me from inside the second room of her palour,being her bedroom. I must say I find her looking disturbed and wearing a very unfashionable dress which is too loose and has different wrapper which didnt match.

I feel like saying to her, "Why, Amarya, what's wrong with your dressing? You look awful!" But I restrain myself from saying so.

Since I would not like things to be concluded about me like that just because of mere appearances, so it is my duty not to say anything to her until she needs to be told.

After greetings she tells me that Labaran has gone to the market to do some shopping and she has been writing to her father to report him about something. "Hmm!" I grunt

"So maybe you are not supposed to see me looking like this. I even forget I was dressed this way, wearing a different wrapper from my dress," she says apologetically and promptly breaks down, sobbing. I stand there, arms akimbo, not knowing what to do Or what to say.

"Your cousin is getting married soon," she continues in between sobs." I am not staying with him anymore, I am fed up and to cap it all, he is marrying a secondary school leaver.

I have not been to school, you know. He has been making so much noise about it, telling me that soon he is going to feel like the enlightened man he had dreamt of being, and that he would start life as a new person." ´That unfair, I must say.