Whatever It Takes - Season 1 - Episode 7

5 years ago

Whatever It Takes - Season 1 - Episode 7

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We sat under the mango tree where I was teaching my siblings a few things I had learnt so far.

I was teaching them how to write their names and a little math.

Despite all efforts to convince my older siblings to go to school, they had blatantly refused citing
their older age but my younger ones were ready so we made plans to enrol them the following
year.

Being a Saturday we spent most of the time at home and sold in a sido ( makeshift shop) which
we had built and only went around the neighbourhood in the evening to sell kerosene and
matches. We had by then started repackaging sugar, salt and cooking oil. We had even began
rearing chickens and by that I mean we had bought four village chickens for the purposes of
rearing then we sold the eggs.

Suddenly a car stopped near our house and we all ran to it excitedly. Back then having a car made
you the envy of the village. Even if it just packed by your roadside we would brag and show off that
“we were not poor after all. We had an uncle who drove a land rover duh!” This was very common
amongst our age groups growing up of course you wouldn’t recall this if you were rich as
everything we admired were pretty much normal in your case.

We were all waiting for the driver to come out and finally he disembarked making all the
excitement disappear. Just one look at him and you could tell he had another place he’d rather be.

He was so cold and rude like he wasn’t father’s little brother. We couldn’t even recall the last time he had visited. It was as if he stayed in another town entirely.

” Who has come with a car?” Mother inquired from inside the house.

” It’s uncle George.” We answered drily ” Oh get two stools and offer him one under the shade. Your father will be with him shortly.” By this time we had decided to keep them outside so that if ever they caught the flu, it wouldn’t be
attributed to the filthiness of out house.

I did as mum had suggested but to my dismay uncle refused to accept a seat and I left him
standing there waiting for father.

Father later came out with mweshi guiding him to where his brother was.

” Welcome brother.” Father said ” to what do we owe this pleasant surprise?” He faked a smile

” Oh just shut up Chris!” He retorted ” since when did you have the audacity to insult my wife?”

Shocked my father stood still as his brother ranted about everything and anything. After he was done talking father slowly but strongly cut in.

” I’m surprised at how you have turned your back on us George not to mention I’m ashamed to call you my brother. I have always hoped that eventually you would come to your senses but looks like that won’t be happening anytime soon.

Now please do us a favour and warn your wife not to bother us again. For goodness sake we have kept to ourselves now and I believe it wouldn’t be so hard for you to do the same…. If we meet we shall smile but if not parting is well made.”

” Is this it?”

” Yes this is it. Now please excuse me.” Said father as he gestured to be taken back inside. Who could blame him? As for uncle George, he froze to the ground a couple minutes. I guess he
couldn’t fathom what had just transpired. he then looked around the yard as though bidding it
good-bye and slowly walked to his car and spend off living behind a cloud of dust. Father had
before this time, taken every verbal backlash but it seemed he really had enough of it all.

Even though it hurt him a great deal such that he spent the rest of the day in the bedroom refusing to eat even as little as a morsel of food.

The next day he woke up energised and ordered us all to get ready for church. We never spoke of
church at our house and we had not attended any so we were not sure which church we were
going to.

” We only have us and the Lord. It’s time to let him take charge of our little household.” Father
announced
” But which church are we going to father?” Lubuto questioned after we had found some Sunday best clothes and dressed up for the occasion.

” We are joining the best evangelists the Jehovah’s witnesses.” He responded and we all left enroute to church which was quite near our place….