Ever felt like you were having an out of body experience yet still physically present? That was exactly what was going on. It was like experiencing a forthcoming dreaded prophesy.
"Gathoni...hmmm! Gathoni... Like GA- to the THO- to the NI!
GA-THO-NI! Au-wuu!" Gathoni was here in the flesh.
My thoughts ran Olympic style, record-breaking wild. Time both slowed and sped
up as I tried to process my feelings and next course of action. The anger and
hurt from the past came through in full force, but quiet thought.
I could not...I could not believe it. She was standing right in front of me.
Right there. She was close enough to touch... close enough to land a hot smack
in the face for touching me and all the pain she caused me...but
that...that would not be appropriate. I am not that kind of man, neither
was I raised like that. Men do not, under whatever circumstance hit women. So
what now?
UuuuuuH! I was so angry. Of all the days for her to appear, she picked today.
Where was she when I was searching for her and trying to reach out? Her
audacity to physically touch me on the shoulder! As who? Who did she think she
was? The rage I felt, I had never I experienced before.
She could have avoided me but she came straight to me. What did she want? What
sinister intentions did she have up her sleeve? I was just inwardly
dealing with my uncle's situation then this? This was too much, too soon.
"Mali, are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost," she said as
she reached for my shoulder, but this time, I neatly evaded her touch.
"Surprisingly, the only ghost I see is you," I responded as I
started to walk away.
"Is that how you speak to me after such a long time?" she
asked in a seemingly innocent voice. You, know the type that wants to dip into
a joke that old friends share...but I wasn't having it.
"Haha! Wow! Well excuse me your highness! How would the Queen Ghost
wish to be addressed? Wait, but ghosts don't exist, so again, why am I responding?"
The sarcasm was seeping through me faster than I could muster. Next
thing I found myself was doing a very sarcastic hand roll to acknowledge
'royalty'.
Unfortunately she persisted, "I saw you walking up and down the
street. I heard you mumbling out loud and just thought I'd check up on you in
case all was not well,"
"Surprises never cease. Now you suddenly care? Hilarious.
Keep on walking ma’am. Good bye," I said as I distanced myself from her,
but oh this woman was relentless.
"Mali...Mali...Mali Stop. Just wait one minute," she
yelled pulling at my arm and trying to cause a scene.
She wasn't going to trap me. Today my mental and physical collaborated
well. I was quite proud of my responses.
"Gathoni, I am not in the mood whatsoever. Kindly stop touching me
and leave me alone."
You know in cartoons when both the angel and devil sit on your shoulder
and the fight is real...that was exactly what was happening to me.
I wanted her to hurt like she hurt me. Make her feel absolutely irrelevant like
she did when she broke us off and kept walking. She sure had no problem walking
away. I tugged my hand and she just held on like a little girl hanging on to
her father's knee.
"I have tried to be as civil as I could muster but you are really pushing
it. What do you want?" I asked as calmly as I could afford.
She tried to put on a sweet voice but it was dead to me, "Look, I'm sorry.
I've been looking for you for the past year but haven't been able to reach you.
I called your parents, your uncles but to no avail. I even went to Uncle Mwaria
to find a way to reach you but didn't succeed..."
“Remind me again, why that should matter, better still, why I should care? You made your stance clear when you ended things. I’ve moved on. I suggest you do the same for your own good.” Why wouldn’t she just leave me alone?
"I can see that you are still upset but please grant me just 15 minutes and I'll explain everything," she pleaded.
"Upset? More like morbidly irritated by your presence. You’re the
last person I'd wish to see so nope. Not interested. I'd say it was nice to see
you but I'd be lying. Next time you see me, please don't stop. Just keep
walking, okay? Bye”
Never had I tried so hard to end a conversation. It was like getting rid
of a persistent allergic itch or one from eczema. The worst. You could scratch
till you bleed but the itch doesn’t go away. That was what this whole scenario
felt like.
"Mali please. Look I just want to explain myself. We don't even have to do
it today. Here is my number, I'm willing to wait till when you are ready. As
you think about it, ask your dad or Uncle Mwaria if I did reach out to them
then let's pick it up from there, “she said as she quickly placed her business
card in my hand.
“My parents and family tried to reach yours so don't try pull another
fib story. I ain't got the time hun," I crumpled the card and threw it but
she was quick to slide another one into my jacket pocket.
"Stop being so stubborn! I'm sorry for making a scene, I guess I was
excited to see you even if briefly," she said while checking to see if her
words had any softening effect on me.
She guessed wrong.
"Thanks for the recognition of your actions and your apology. Gotta
go. Bye!" With that, I sped walked
passed her, and crossed to the other side of the road.
"Too much...this is a little too much," I whispered under my
breath.
In just one day Uncle Mwaria gave me the scare of my life. I then
discovered his secret of his pre-existing condition. Add his failure to take
medications and then almost killing him, on his birthday. Then bumping into
Gathoni and the great escape and talks of her trying to reach me, but to no
avail.
It’s funny how time can make one desperate. Did she have to lie
though? I wasn’t in the frame of mind to digest it all.
I headed back to hospital since that was the safest place to be. Chances
of seeing more 'apparitions' would be closer to nil. I needed to gather my thoughts regarding this strange day.
👍
ReplyDelete