The World As it Spins

My daughter and I often play a game of questions and answers some nights back. You know how it is, I ask her a question, she answers and then asks hers or serves me my question back. We talk about a lot on nights like these; friends, happy moments, regrets, future plans, dreams, God's plan for our lives and arguments. So on Monday night, reading from a card I asked her "What first came to your mind when you first saw me?" I just wanted to go and sleep. "That's a really weird question" she made a an equally weird face to show how deep her thoughts were. "I don't remember ever not knowing you, but my earliest memory of you was hearing sing to me from my sleep and I didn’t think much but I felt loved and I felt love. What did you think when you first saw me?" "Joella, I'm sleepy and it's a really long story". I tried to dismiss her with a wave, as I made to get to bed. "Well, say it in three sentences. I'm all ears...

Madam Shola had always been a very friendly woman ever since I knew her - which was like all my life. One of my funniest memories of her was when her humour made its finest appearance. It was a surprisingly rainy Sunday morning some Decembers ago, and we had just closed from church. My wife and I were dashing to the car hand in hand as it drizzled. "Mr and Mrs Lovebird", madam Shola called. I recognized her voice and stopped to say hello to her. "Good morning ma" "Sam, look at you! You're glowing" she exclaimed, turning to my wife she added "Mercy, you're doing a great job, I give you an A". She said using her right forefinger to make a swoosh in the air. We all laughed. First of all, my name is not Sam neither is it Samuel. Madam Shola had never called me by my name. Never. I'd gotten tired of correcting her and never bothered anymore. Sighting mercy's protruding belly she opened her mouth in mock surprise. "I see wh...