Aluta by Adwoa Badoe

Author:Adwoa Badoe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Groundwood Books Ltd
Published: 2016-08-19T15:47:01+00:00

11

By the second week of the exercise, we were working shorter days because the drivers opted to drive us back while it was still daytime. Our leaders agreed that it was safer, and I was much happier.

It felt good to wash the sweat and dust off my body even if the water was so cold. After my shower, I went to find Banahene and we wandered into the small town on whose outskirts we were perched. We bought fried yam and pepper from the first vendor we saw. I loved the crispy corners of fried yam, cut in geometric shapes and well salted. Already the pepper sauce was soaking through the yam and I smacked my lips with pleasure.

What was it about street food that was so satisfying?

The fried yam vendor told us that a drum ensemble played for the locals every Friday evening. We walked around and saw the chief’s house and two small churches, one Presbyterian and the other Roman Catholic. I wondered how Mass would sound in Twi. We passed by a school and some houses. A bank, a police station, a few commercial buildings and a row of kiosks made up the town center.

People greeted us affably and we responded. We strolled around until we got tired, then we headed back to the school. By this time the sun was just a reddish, purplish glow in the western sky, and we sat outside the assembly hall reminiscing.

“Do you remember how we met? asked Banahene.

“How could I forget? You knocked me over on the eighth-floor landing.”

We both laughed.

“You should have taken my advice that day,” said Banahene.

“I disagree. My subsequent ponding is a far better story to tell. Everyone gets such a laugh over it.”

Banahene did not mention the one kiss between us. It was something he never referred to. And I didn’t mention Asare and my passport.

It was strange how things had built up between Asare and me, only to fade over the first few weeks of the New Year because of the coup. Here I was now, in February, in the strangest place I could have imagined, high on the mountains of Kwahu, carrying cocoa bags by day and hanging out village style by night.

It was growing darker and mosquitoes were beginning to buzz and bite, so Banahene and I went walking to keep them at bay.

“I don’t think I have ever seen a moon as brilliant as tonight’s,” said Banahene wistfully.

I looked up. The sky was flushed with moonlight, and the moon itself seemed so close.

Banahene placed his arm around my waist. He pulled me a little closer and tighter. We walked on, and the pepper sauce was still burning on my tongue. Then the talking stopped between us, and all I could hear was the sound of crickets screeching.

Suddenly, a chill passed through me, and I shivered.

“Cold?” he asked.

“No,” I replied, even though the mountain air was cool.

But Banahene took off his cotton jacket and covered my shoulders. Then he drew me close towards him.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.