My Life Story - Season 1 - Episode 4

5 years ago

My Life Story - Season 1 - Episode 4

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I decided to accept those chores as a normal thing inasmuch as this is my Uncle’s house and I am doing it for his sake, not until a day I overheard a conversation between Mary and her friend.

“Mary see how you are playing with sand don’t you know that your cloth will be dirty?” she paused for a while for Mary to respond but seeing that She have no intention of answering her she continues “I don’t blame you spoilt brat since your Mummy hires a washwoman”
“My Mummy has fired the woman, they have brought us a houseboy from the village” Mary finally responded and continue with her play.
I was overwhelmed with anger and I busted out of the room.

“Tell your mummy that she must be crazy for saying that” I told her with rage not knowing that her mummy has entered and she stand by the gate.

“I am crazy?” she asked in full amazement without expecting any answer from me because I guess she must have knew that i can’t give answer to her question.
But I replied her to put her into more shock “I think so if what your daughter said is true, how on earth could you tell your kids that I am your house-boy?”
“Yes it is true, so you can do your worst” she pointed out with a wicked smile.

This brought tears into from my eyes, I rushed in to pack my load but on getting inside I met my uncle on the floor struggling to get up, he must have overheard the heated conversation that ensued between me and his wife. He made some signs and utters some inaudible sounds which I guess was to appease me. His condition makes me to rethink about the situation and decided to have a little patient.

From thence, Mummy change drastically to me, raw food were measured by before by her before leaving the house for work so that I won’t cook in her absence, I must woke up as early as 4 O’clock in the morning to cook breakfast and worst of it all, I wasn’t allowed to eat from the food that I cooked, I must find means to eat in the morning myself but I can eat in the night from her food.

AFTER EIGHT MONTHS
I endured this for the last 8 months hoping that she will change for better, but alas! Things get from bad to worst but I thank God that my Uncle has improved in the last months. He can now talk, walk and do things like bathing and wearing of cloths by himself but I want to be sure that he is considerably okay before I leave him.

I started looking forward to the day I would be free from this mental, physical and psychological slavery.

On my eighteenth birthday, I received a call from my cousin, Kay, that my Mother was sick and if possible I should come down to hometown immediately.

With gladness of heart I left Lagos in the ninth month of my staying in Lagos, but what I met dealt another blow to my Destiny.

I got to Ekiti on that very day which happened to be Tuesday though it was getting late in the evening, I was glad for my homecoming but also sad for the circumstances warranting it. After greeting my Grandma and briefing her on the situation of her son in Lagos, I dashed off to my maternal home to see my Mummy who they said has been sick.

The condition I met her reduced me to tears. It was my sobbing that woke her up from her sleep.
“Mummy, could this be you for Christ sake?”
“Yeah it’s me.” she responded with a faint smile.

Though she wasn’t that robust before, she wasn’t that slim either, but she has gotten so frail and weak that I barely recognized her lying down on a mattress in her room.

“I have been waiting for you these days so that I can get well” she continues her statement.
“Waiting for me?” I asked her in perplexing
“Yeah, because you are everything to me.” she replied me with tears in her eyes. I was confused of this statement but now that I am a little bit older I can now understand her better.
I moved closer to her and lifted her up so that she can rest her head on my laps. I asked her tearfully “But why didn’t they take you to the hospital?”

“No I don’t want that, I prefer to go as peaceful and calmly as I could.” she gave me the reply panting and gasping for breath.
“I am sorry, please take it easy” kissing her forehead amidst tears. But I kept wondering where she is referring.

“And Kay doesn’t tell me it’s up to this now.”

“I personally instructed him not to, so as for you to concentrate with your Uncle over there.” Such was the large heart of my caring Mummy; even in her own critical and deteriorated state when she needed me most, she still care enough for someone else.

“Kay shouldn’t have hidden this from me.” I insisted, “And you yourself should not have forbid him.”

“What drug have you taken and what is the nature of the sickness?” I put the question to her but she couldn’t answer anymore because she was exhausted and tired.

I broke down into uncontrollable tears and gently put her head down on the pillow. My grandmother comforted me that all will be well and she has been responding to treatment lately. I wonder what kind of responding is that, since she was put in home care.

I rose to go and looked back at the door to bid her goodnight that I will be back early the following morning, she fluttered her eyes open and said, “Goodnight my son, don’t make mistake and I love you.” And with that, my Mother spoke to me for the last time.

I couldn’t sleep that night, my mind kept going back to the condition I met and left her. I kept asking myself maybe if I were around it wouldn’t have escalated to this state; I kept on blaming myself for staying long in that cursed Lagos and staying for long in that slavery caring for someone else whereas my own very Mother deserves more care than anyone at that particular time.

Unknown to me, she has been battling with leukemia, and she wouldn’t tell anybody since the Doctor have told her that there is slim chance of survival for her. I later saw the result when she has died and we were packing her belongings.

That night I did what I haven’t done for almost a year, I prayed! And I ask God to please spare her and also forgive me for coming to Him only in my time of trial.

Around three o’clock in the morning I drifted into sleep. I couldn’t go to her the following morning because I can’t bring myself to face the agony she was into, so I la!d down behind closed door in my room until evening when I heard a knock on my door.

“Please wait for me I am coming.” I said to the person as I hurriedly stand up to dress up.
It was Funmilayo. “Ah aha”, I exclaimed and hugged her and clean my tears with the back of my palm.

“How was your journey?”
“It was fine, and by the way how on earth do you know I was around?”
“Never mind” but seeing the curiosity written in my face she continues “It is Oyegbenga your friend that told me this afternoon”.
“Okay”. I could remember that Oyegbenga was there when I alighted yesterday evening and baring him, none of my friend knew I was around.

“Tuyil what happened? You look like someone that has been crying all day.”

“Nothing, it’s just that I have been weak due to the fatigue of my journey”
“Hmmm…I know it’s because of your Mummy. Don’t worry she will be well” she said reassuringly and for the moment I forgot the matter.

She broke the silent some minutes later and asked about my admission processing.
“I am working on it.” I lied to her so that she won’t know that I have been serving as houseboy in Lagos for the past eight months and I haven’t opened a book since then.
“I have gained admission to University of Ado and we will resume by June.” She informed me amidst joy and laughter. I felt happy for her and we continue to discuss till it was dark before I saw her off to her house.

I noticed some changes in Funmilayo that day that were unusual, but I thought it might be because it has been long that we see each other last. I decided against going to see my Mummy that night and that decision stood out to be my greatest regret because had I go there, i might have been able to hear her last wishes.