On a sunny
evening as I was leaving work, I received a call from my dad. I thought he
was just calling to say hello, like he always does. We talked as I walked to
Jinja road to get a taxi to Kireka.
While I stood by the roadside to cross the road, I saw his car
parked on the other side of the road. I thought it was just a similar car, only
to see him wave at me.
I could not believe that I was actually seeing him, because he had
not informed me about his visit. And here he was, waiting for me.
This was like a day dream, since we had talked the previous night,
and he never told me about his plans to travel from Kasese.
When I asked him what he was doing there, he said; “I came to see
you and I was willing to wait until you finish your work, so we can go and have
supper together.”
I got into the car and he drove. We chatted along the way and it
was just about home, mom and my little brother and sister. He gave me a piece
of gonja, which he had bought from Mega standard supermarket.
We then started talking about how Gonja is now sold in
supermarkets. Little did I know that the day would end into a serious talk of sorts?
So when we got to the pork joint in Namugongo, we ordered for our
meal and drinks. He took his usual drink, Tusker malt and I took Stoney.
He sipped on his drink as he told me about his journey, and then he
paused and said… “Clare I want you to first finish your Degree and then the
rest can follow.”
“You see the other day I attended a workshop and I shared a hotel
room with a colleague who told me of how he had been having an affair with a campus
girl.” My dad narrated.
“The man is married and he told me about how this young girl
actually believes that the two will get married. I could not believe what I was
hearing from this man, I actually called a friend,” he added as a tear rolled
down his cheek.
He was disheartened by his friend’s behavior and all he thought
about was his little princess Clare.
“Our workshop ended yesterday, and I thought I should come and pay
you a visit because my heart could not settle until I saw you,” he said.
I could not believe I was having this kind of conversation with my
dad, since we never talk about such issues. But I realized that while we out
there in the world, our parents are having sleepless nights thinking about us.
He could not hold back his tears, and I could see it in his eyes
that he was concerned and worried about me.
“When my friend me about their affair, I could not help but cry. I
thought about you the whole night and I could not sleep at all. And I said, is
this what you people do when we let you live as individuals?” he recalled.
But I told him to keep calm, because I love him to the moon and back.
One think I learn't
for sure that is that while am at school playing games, my parents are not
sleeping but thinking about how am surviving in in the big world.
How I wish and pray that my fellow girls and the boys out there should
appreciate their parents, because those people sacrifice a fortune to keep you placed
somewhere in the world.
