Melancholy...

CHAPTER 3

The bright African sun reflecting into my clear brown eyes woke me up the following morning.I looked over at the mattress my mother and little sister shared and saw it empty. I could feel the absence of Crystal on the small raffia mat we shared together. Stretching my legs,i forced myself out off bed and walked out with my toothbrush in hand. Crystal and Mia were brushing their teeth,and my mother was fanning the coal pot with a saucepan of water on it.By the time I had finished brushing my teeth,Crystal was bathing in the wooden structure we had managed to set up behind our room and my mother was bathing Mia behind the wooden structure.

I stood for sometime watching the sun rise. School children in their uniforms walked by the house in a loud chatter. A small smile took over my face as I began to think about the time I used to school.

Oh,the good old days.

Getting a hold of myself,i quickly helped my sisters to get ready for school as my mother heated the dry fish soup we had been managing for the last week. After having a breakfast of some kenkey from last night's dinner,my sisters set off for school.

Crystal and Mia attended a school set up by a non-governmental organisation whose main aim was to ensure that the less privileged could enjoy quality education at a very affordable price. Initially,I wanted them to attend a school financed by the government(commonly known as a government school),but my mother insisted that they attend a better school which had good disciplinary measures and better teachers. Besides,she had friends who were actually the owners of the non-governmental organisation which made payment of fees a little flexible.

After my sisters had left for school,I took a bath and got ready for work.Because of the scarcity of jobs in the country and my inability to complete my basic education, I sold water bagged in sachets on the streets to earn some income.Tying a scarf around my luscious natural hair,I took the small basin I sold the water in and crossed the road to Sister Owusuwaa's shop.It was at Sister Owusuwaa's shop that we refrigerated the water I sold on the streets. In front of her shop,there was a small table where my mother sold items like biscuits,toffees,recharge cards and so on. I know you are wondering why my mother does not work. My mother suffers from a condition which causes an inflammation in the joints making it difficult for her to walk. Most buildings here in Africa are also inaccsecible to the physically challenged,and this made it difficult for her to get a decent job. As a determined person,she tried so hard to work in spite of her challenges but had to stop upon doctor's advice.

I arranged the things she sold neatly on the wooden table as I talked with Sister Owusuwaa. After everything was done to perfection,I loaded my basin with three bags of water,knowing very well that I would have to walk all the way back later for more.Sister Owusuwaa was the only person I knew who offered to keep the water I sold in her refigerator for free and though I had to walk quite some miles for more when the ones I took finished,it was worth it as I didn't have to pay any extra thing.

Selling water on the streets was no joke. There were so many risks involved.Almost everyday at least one street hawker is sent to the hospital because he or she has been knocked down by a vehicle. The most disturbing thing was that most of these street hawkers were children just like myself. But we had no choice but to do it,as almost all of us were bread winners of our families.

Some two or three years ago,if you had told me that I will be selling on the streets,I would have laughed in your face and asked if you knew who the hell you were talking to. But here I am today.

Life is indeed a journey.

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End of third chapter. It is a boring but I promise it gets better as the chapters go on. Do you think it is right for the mother to leave all her responsibilities on the oldest child because she is physically challenged? Comment your answer! Don't forget to like and share.

Xoxo, Arianna.