In this life, we meet to part and we part to meet, but some partings are not made to meet again, especially in the case where people come into your life to hurt and create a deep wound in your heart, parting at that moment gradually heals your heart and hope never to meet again. One quote I have loved right from time is that 20 children cannot play for 20 years and that saying is true because everyone got separated to follow their dreams, parted for a reason they could not change, and such is life. Many times, I have reminisced on the past and how my childhood played out with some amazing children in my life. Though we were so little to understand anything at that time, growing up and being made to reflect on our past, we start to realize how meaningful those days were and how we have come to be associated with some kids who we really do want to see again.
My childhood was fun with some set of children of my age. We played, walked, and ate together on a daily basis and because of this relationship, our parents bonded really well as they kept watching and monitoring our movement. I had these friends named Rukayat, Bilikisu and Loveth. The first two are Muslims and the third is a Christian. I knew Rukayat first, then comes the others. Ruka's mother sold bread, Bilikis's mom sold Pap being wrapped in green leaves and fruits of all kinds, Loveth's mom sold cooked corn while my mom produced and sold Nylon. All of them had a space in front of our house and this made us become so close to each other and we liked ourselves.
I got to move closer to Loveth so well because every night when her mother could not sell all corn/maize as she doesn't take it to the next day to resell as she loves selling freshly cooked corn to her customers, this is why she had a lot of people patronizing her. Every child including me would surround her at night knowing she would distribute those leftover corn to us while we happily munched some and others were taken home for our parents to cook with beans. I moved closer to Loveth so that she would always give me corn first before others. Also, she is an intelligent girl that could tell the time mere looking at the sky. Such a brilliant girl and our friendship blended so well too.
As for Bilikisu, we fought on many occasions and because of this, we would not talk for as long as she does not apologize first. Any time we fought, I made sure she was the one to apologize and if it takes years for her to do that, that is when we would talk. I would also convince other friends not to talk to her as long as I was not talking to her. With this, she was always scared of doing things alone and would come to beg me while we remain friends again, this doesn't stop us from fighting some other days, but those moments were fun to me as I would act as the boss, giving orders and dominating all children in the neighbourhood. I felt important and it made me happy to exhibit such an attitude.
Rukayat was my best friend and one I was close to and this was because both our mothers had their spot beside each other where they chat while selling their products. Whenever our mothers were not around, we would happily stay in the shop and sell together. We had an act we came up with together, we stole a lot from our mothers as we would use the money stolen to form big girls in school the next day. We were both partners in crime, going to fetch water in another street with money. Moving together with kegs and rubbers of water on our heads along the street was always interesting and this kept on for many years.
I remembered when we were both in school one day and my mom came to pick us up before the closing hour, informing us that Ruka's dad had a fatal accident where a big trailer hit and broke his head into pieces. It was the worst nightmare for my friend who never believed such fate would befall her at such a young age. At that time, we were both of the same age, around 11 years old. That day was a black day for everyone in the house because according to what we heard, it was the mother who forced him to go out to look for money to pay her younger brother's school fees whom they sent home. The man never wanted to go out, but he was pushed to go at all costs and he met his end. That incident affected the children's schooling as they had to stop which also pained me then.
After many months, our landlord gave everybody in the house quit notice with the excuse that he needed to sell his house to an organization which he did. That brought a big separation to us all. It was a hard time trying to forget my friends because I couldn't believe that would be the end of us seeing each other. We relocated to another state, from Lagos to Ogun State. Though Dad had to let me stay with his friend whose house was closer to my school so I could finish my secondary education so I don't get to keep changing schools. Throughout my education in Lagos, I never met my friends again.
I don't know where they are now and cannot say what has become each of them, but one thing I keep saying in my mind anytime I remember them is for them to be in good hands, be safe and enjoy a good life. If I should meet them today or cross paths with them, it would be my happiest moment on earth. Even though I cannot remember their faces again but I would be happy to meet them. I will ask a lot of questions about their lives, what they are up to, what they are doing now, and how life is treating them. We would gist about lots of things and what had happened since we parted during our childhood days. We would laugh over those times we used to fight, how I would try to prove stubborn to receive an apology and how we stole from our mothers to form big girls in school. I just hope someday we get to meet, perhaps they might remember me and after trials trying to remember our faces, we would hug ourselves, thank God for our lives and appreciate each other's resilient spirit to become who we are today.
