Special needs, journeys and lots more (..continued)

Little boy of three, 

with cares so free,

aiming for a life up in the tree,

Because I was born to be free.

Young Man of Fifteen,

Not as active as other teens,

See, my voice is locked up in a tin,

I am a child with a Special Need,

Autism is not a disease,

I live inside my mind with ease,

But y'all look at me with unease,

I was not bewitched, I am a Special Person.

Accept me as I am, I have accepted myself.
(c) Okunga July2014

..................................

We continue our Journey to DXB (the free Arab destination). Our boarding call finally came through and  by then I had been feasted on by all manner of mosquitoes, cold and hunger so I was so ready to move. Tried buying a chocolate bar, but I couldn't. The Uganda Shillings I had on me were not enough to be changed to Kenyan currency and oh no, I didn't wanna touch the USD I had on me. There was a long shopping list attached to that currency.

In the wake of terrorist attacks, I was wary of four guys all dressed in Moslem garb and rapping on in Arabic who were walking ahead of me. I have repented and repented some more for the feelings and all the things I thought about these guys. After take off, I wondered if my remains would ever make it to the burial spot next to my Dad's grave site. 

So, we are seated, and the flight captain has welcomed us aboard- Dude had a voice. I have lost counts of the times I have imagined him singing me a lullaby on many a sleepless night (my sleepless nights are very frequent by the way)

The meals were so cartoon, believe me when I say I was hungry. I had last eaten Katogo at 10 a.m!! And now here I was being served tiny things like as if I had written somewhere that I was dieting. Well, I ate everything I was served. 

Then I slept. A great dreamless sleep. Funny, with all the earlier worries about an impending terrorist attack, I didnt dream about anything. I guess flying close to the proverbial heavens had something to do with the no dreams.

Hours later I awoke to a loud announcement calling for us to fasten our seats. Then the Captain's voice came through. That wonderful voice. (enough about the man's voice- i don't even remember his name!)

walking

At that DXB airport, eh!!! Entebbe airport is like a toy house! Man we walked and walked and kept walking with no sign of getting anywhere. Until we got to the immigration desks or whatever they call them.
And this guy asks me to open my eyes for his camera. In my mind am like, 

"Swahba, I just woke up from a 3 hour sleep which 20 minutes of walking had done nothing to clear. It is 4:00 a.m for crying out loud, and you want me to open my eyes!!!"

He eventually figured out that I was not capable of opening my eyes any wider so, he stamped in my small book, took whatever picture he could and waved me on. There I was with my bags, and not sure what to do next. Could not call or text, my phone battery had died and now I was at the mercy of those other powers.

Excuse my malo!! naye Touch to flush? 

In my mind, since I was already delayed. I was sure the person supposed to pick me up had already given up and gone back or found another person to pick and drop off. So I decided to take a trip to the bathrooms!! I swear, I did malo in the bathrooms. Alright, I know a coupla friends who will say I should have swallowed and not even taken a picture of the Flush sign, naye nedda. Me it passed on me. (sic)

"who does that? who takes pictures of toilet flush signs?" Well, I do. and I did.

Walked out to the waiting area and you will never believe it. Someone was standing there holding a placard with my name on it!! Hallelujah of Hallelujah-est!! Did a small dance!! Phew!!! Now, i could happily welcome myself to Dubai. The city of lights.

Meanwhile, this is already Day two of my trip. After that, not much happened. Took a few pictures in the course of my stay..wait, Did I tell you about the sun in that place?

Eeeish!!! the hottest day in Kampala is not hot at all. It is hot and humid in that place (duh!!- it is a desert!!) Yessuh, I am just  a village girl. Excuse my ineptness.

My 3 day stay is shared below.

Yes, I stayed at Jaber Ali Resorts- wali ku Marina

My Room

View of the Marina from my room

 That whole day, I was busy flipping through TV stations until I landed on #breakingnewsalert. Watched the #Kenya #westgatesiege as it happened. At first, I thought it was a different Kenya these Arab TVs were reporting about. Because, my Facebook News-feed had no report of it whatsoever. Called home (i have a sister who lives in Nairobi) and they had not yet heard. 3 minutes later, Facebook started reporting.
Whatever happened to that Mary who was caught in that mall and kept updating her status all day... I hope she made it.
Within those three minutes, i prayed, cried and prayed some more. Hoped it was maybe a sick movie scene being acted out somewhere.
My sister was safe- she was home mothering my little ones (yes, she'd left a day earlier to celebrate her nephew's first birthday)
It was a shortlived celebration though as the gruesome images rolling off the TV screen got messier and messier. My three day stay was spent glued to the TV (the evenings and early mornings, since I was working 8a.m to 3p.m).

My last night however, I managed to step out a bit. Went to the Dubai Mall and very many other places. Nanti, i had shopping to do- which I failed to do anyway. Caught the Dancing fountain- My ka phone is low resolution but yeah, hihihihi, i did those malo things of capturing a video.

And many other pictures. Tried out the KFC, and was given very weird looking chicken- it's no wonder I have not asked anyone to take me to KFC -Uganda yet.

All in all, Dubai is a beautiful City. But I love home. I am in love with my Kampala with all the noise and things that make it Kampala. Things that make it home.

Day 4 saw me pick up my bags and head back to DXB Intl Airport.
Like most before me, I went through the Duty Free Shop.

 And then it was time to come home.

Thank you for travelling with me.
Until next time,
lots of love,
Village Girl

Tripping...yes I am

Miriam Makeba is on my play list. Surprise song! combined with the rain- this song sends me places. Think playgrounds and grass thatched houses. Lantern lit dinners and BBC News at 6p.m. Listening to guys talking through their 'noses' ;).

I was 14 years of age. Living with my Grand Parents. The Best Couple ever. The closest i ever came to living with Mummy, Daddy and Joy. Yes, there was Joy-in abundance.

At 14, I was exploring and learning and exploring and messing up. Had my first crush- yeah, had a huge crush on the neighbor's kid who seemed to be a ladies' man at my school. My crush all went and died the day he showed up at my school someday and everyone was around him. Well, I know it was a single sex school but everyone was so around him.
Suffice to say, my crush died that day- before I had had an opportunity to be exploited... :D
But, his Dad was a great guy. Had all these books in his study room.. The first time my Grandpa sent me to drop off Nelson Mandela's thriller I was blown away. Totally- I didn't want to walk out of that room. The Late Mr. Ochiengs was a smart guy (oh yeah, he was a lawyer and I was a teen wearing my heart on my forehead).. He looked at me once and told me to pick 5 books. And I could keep them. As long as I read each and gave him a summary- one a week.

He passed on a few months later though. I hope he is resting in Peace. I still have 3 of the five books. I have lost possessions in my life but I can't seem to let go of my Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham and Danielle Steele. The other two, I lost at school- trying to fit in circles by sharing...

So, the evenings with my GrandPa. My Best Friend to date. My Dad. The only Gentleman I've known in this walk of life. My Teacher. My Friend. We listened to Miriam Makeba sometimes- most times before the news came on.

Oh how I miss my Grand Pa. I miss you Jajja Dad.. Ok. So, we'd sit and listen to Makeba (RIP)- aaah, and he'd teach me things about life. Little things here and there.

He taught me how to bargain something to half price with a straight face.

He taught me that family is everything. He taught me that Love is enough. I look back (with tears) at the times he would come visiting me with nothing but his copy of the Sunday Monitor and a packet of family biscuits. We'd sit down and he'd tell me about my GrandMa who was bedridden at the time.
And he'd leave me a happy little teenager.

I remember a time I was suspended after just two weeks of school!! Two weeks! I got home, and fed him my story as was. He looked me in the eye and told me loved me very much. But he was a Teacher. So, he believed my story alright, but when we got to school he would believe the headteacher's story too. And whatever punishment would be dished out, I was to accept without any remorse. So, we agreed on that and fried egg that evening. The topic was never mentioned again.
Super GrandPa.

Oh wait, Its stopped raining- and I gotta come back to right now. Right now, aint so happy. Right now has responsibilities... Responsibilities.

If i could, If it were possible, I would have loved to spend a few more hours with him. ok. at least one hour a day with him. Just one hour a day.
Wait, he is physically gone, but still here,... so, why don't I, put aside one hour a day and write my GrandPa a letter. One a day...

Brilliant... Looking forward to that-we can do this Jajja Dan. We can.

Tomorrow morning- we'll hang out together. That I promise. Right now, I gotta go and do adult runs- Things... see people, take care of them...

I love you.

Perfection has become You.

Time check- 19:30 A.M. Walking along that road that we've walked so many times we practically know where the stones and ditches are without looking.

Can dodge cars with our eyes closed. Best bit, we aint saying nothing. It's a comfortable silence.
Hell, not comfortable, its a soothing silence. The vibe between both of us is just enough to keep us warm.

I am warm. I am warm because i have your jacket on. Who does that anymore? Thought that generation of men was extinct. You know what, you are an endangered species.

We talked, though i can hardly  remember anything we talked about.
Being around you makes everything else fade into oblivion.

I know you are seeing someone else. You and I will never be in love.
I am in love with someone else, you know that.
But this thing with you, is perfect. No fights, no silly arguments
The Chemistry is perfect. and you are perfect.

My one and only you.

So, as the sun sets on our perfect romance, I hold no pains or regrets in my heart where you are concerned.

You are perfect. My memories of you will always be perfect.

Au revoir mon amour parfait