When ever it's 2nd August the story always come to me as it were told. It was quite acold day as the heaven's abundant reservoir of water poured generously on the leaking roof, with a somewhat gospel songs. Outside, ablack paint bucket drank its fill from the rain. Mum went out every few minutes to bring in the water. Sge almost slipped, trying to get around the basin in the middle of the small room that collected the water breaking forth through the ceiling. Her snail paced movement was to avoid spilling more water unto the bare floor. Tthought of learning over the massive protrusion of her stomach to mop the floor was anything but appealing. She was yet to recovered from the pain of yhe first attempt. The weight of the nine months old pregnancy was almost balanced out by that of little daughter who sat slung behind her back, fast asleep. She looked at the clock again. The day was far spent and Daddy is not yet back from his important functions.
"This man please don't leave me alone when.....Aaarghh" she felt another pain rumble withing her womb. This was different from what she had felt just yesterday. This time, it came with a greater immensity. With one hand griping her waist and her other hand on her stomach, she went to the low spring bed and laid the sleeping child.
"Aaaaarrrrggghhhh"
Mum stood at akimbo, gasping for breath as the pangs came in quick successions. A familiar voice called from the door, she sighed with releif in spite the pain.
Whats the matter woman ?
Please mum, mum said, panting, please no time to waste to the hospital."
In a country with one of the highest global maternal mortality rate mum knew the importance of proper health care, especially during child birth. Only last week, the talk was all around the place of the young lady who lost her life from excessive blood lost at child birth, assisted by one of those grossly inefficient Traditional birth attendant. Mum hoped her's will be a happier story. She hd prayed everyday for it. The neighbors where quite eager to receive this baby who, right before their eyes had transformed from mere weight gain into a horizontal prostrusion, and now was ready to be received as an entity in the society. A Peugeot car soon arrived for the journey to tye hospital and father helped mum in, amidst screaming and moans. The pain increased rapidly all through the journey. Mum could hardly wait for the moments when the climax would be in releif.
Finally they arrived at the hospital and mum was ushered into the gloved hands labor ward attendants.
Soon mum's voice was lost in the chaos of the labour room, with several other women also waiting for their moments of truth. The sound ranged from audible to ultrasonic cries, incoherent ramblings, heavy breathings, and the harsh persuasion from the midwives who thought it is necessary to give the women verbal and physical shoves in the right direction.
Unlike some counterpart mum didn't have to wait for too long. One final heavy push was what it took, and the releif arrived with the most rewarding gift. The tiny cries of the little bundle of humanity said it all, but the midwife thought it apt to lend a voice to the propitious air. "Congratulations Ma" the nurse said "it's a man!" I am living to tell the story.
