Walks of life

Getting home

Joannah's POV

I left Mrs Okech's office at around 4pm, I had come to this agency at 1pm but am okay with the delay as long as have got what brought me here in the first place.

I finished my A-level high school one year ago but have not got any opportunities to join the University yet. So today due to lack of money I have been trying to at least get some scholarship or even bursaries for my younger siblings so that they don't have to sit at home and don't finish O-level and A-level high school respectively. My brother Joel is in his last year of A-level but our mum have no money for him to complete it. And our last born Joslin is also in her last year O-level.

Am glad I got these registration forms , it's been a long way to this but I give thanks to my high school teacher Mr Nkonge Henry who helped me and recommended me at this agency. they are going to be so happy because they had lost all the hope of doing their final years respectively.

I guess it's high time I officially introduced myself to you, and welcome you to the other Part of the world, welcome to East Africa in Uganda particularly. Here things are as different as they might be in Some other places where you come from but they might not differ that much.

Over 40 language are spoken locally depending on the tribe and regions that is Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western and Central then Swahilli and English being the official languages mostly used in most places including schools, hospitals, offices, airports, boarders etcetera.

Our capital city is Kampala and one of the local languages used is called Luganda mostly used in the central were the Tribe of the Baganda are. Am a Muganda and have lived in the central all of my 20yrz of existence. We live In a small village away from the capital but it's just a 30 minutes drive if your lucky enough not to be caught up in the compulsory traffic jam of every day in this busy city.

From Mrs Okech's office I opted to go straight back home as it's still in the afternoon so that I don't regret having wondered in the city for so long. It's just the right time as most people are still working and the roads are not so crowded with people and cars all over.

I make my way to a kiosk where I see soft cold drinks to get myself one as I haven't eaten anything since morning, I make my way to the kiosk and ask for a Mango juice from the attendant, I got my wallet and pulled out a 5000 note. I pay for the drink and make my way to the taxi park.

I board the first taxi I see and take my seat in the front with the driver on the passengers' side.

We wait for like 30 minutes for the taxi to fill up while the conductor does his work to call people who want to board.

My journey to home is filled up with thoughts of what am going to be doing next that I have got these forms for my siblings.

First and foremost I need to find a job. We need money and the income our mom earns isn't enough to cover all of our expenses including tuition for my university studies.

I reach home so tired and yearning to get to bed as soon as I enter the house but I know there is a very little chance of me getting there before my mom and my siblings starts asking me about the forms and how all the process went.

Here you are, says my mom who I see standing in the middle of the leaving room carrying a big basket of vegetables.

I was about to call you to know where you are ;she continues

I was coming mom ;you shouldn't have worry about me, I was coming and I wouldn't have received your call anyway ;I tell her while looking around for my siblings

Look who tells me not to worry;are you my mother or are you your own daughter? Says my mom who has been looking at me while I was not even fully paying attention to what she was saying 2mins ago.

OK, mom you are right. You should worry about me because am your daughter.

I tell her that because I know what this might lead to if I don't tell her exactly what she always wants to to hear whenever she says that.

Good to hear that you know that, now tell me about the agency and registration forms. Did you get them or we should go on with our plan B?

Mom ask and for the first time am looking at her as if she just spoken in a very foreign language.

Before I tell you about the forms mom, what's your plan B that I didn't get to know about?

I asked my mom because this is something we don't do at all in our home.

Everything is always discussed with everyone around.

She was about to tell me what they had planned to do with my siblings as their plan B that I only in this whole family didn't get to know about

When my bro and sis worked in with their bags on the backs looking so exhausted and tired.

My sis was even looking with hooded eyes as if she was sleep walking.

Good evening mom, they both greeted in unison

Hi sis, Jo greeted me while giving me a small side hug

HI lil bro, I greeted him back putting much emphasis on the word lil because I know how he hates it when I call him that but he doesn't say anything like he always do

he just gives me a small smile and sit on his favorite spot on the couch but I noticed a similar smirk on his face and that always" means you can go away with it for now but I will deal with you later".

I was still in my own little space thinking of my lil brothers wicked might be plan when my sis tapped on my shoulder

Hey, I just greeted you a minute ago but you ain't replying to me

Um sorry Lin I was just absent minded

Hey how are you? And how was your group revision meeting, I ask her as take my seat near mom across Jo.

Fine, just the usual things always, Joslin tells me while she makes her way to the coach where Jo was seated .

So, mom told me about your plan B. What is it that you guys are planning to do?

Jo and Lin glance at each other before looking at mom at once.

Hey, is it unspeakable or is it some kind of f*******n that you even plan or thought about it without telling me about it, I ask no one in particular but ask any ways

No no no Annah dear, it's just that you might not like it and we didn't want to trouble you anymore

Mom answers before any of my siblings get to answer the burning question I have just asked.

OK, OK with anything you have planned Just let me know about it. I know mom you can't decide any dangerous stuff for any of us.

I just want to know what is that kind of plan you have that you don't want to share, that's all.

It's gonna make you angry, sad, upset or even disappointed I just don't know where to start from , she continues

Mom, please just tell me

You all taking alot of time not telling me is already a waste of time too.

Jo gets up and walk up to me.

Look sis, I had decided to d- dro-drop out of school, look for a job and start working so that I can help you and mom with the bills especially lin's school fees... Jo speaks out before mom could continue with her beating around the bush like she always does when she is nervous .

I was listening to all of my lil bros words but I was looking at mom as if something really dangerous just fell on her face

I wasn't blinking at all

The tension I saw on my mom's face was a little bit more tense than the one on Jo's face

It looked like he had already made up his mind and he was going to drop out if that's what he could do to help out lil sis finish her O-level education and get her self a certificate.

Before I could say a word, Jo just look me in the face straight into my eyes and told me that he was the one who decided to drop out on his own

And no one forced him or anything

But your just Months away to finishing your A-level, doesn't that mean anything to you,?

I spat because right about that time I was feeling so disappointed and depressed at same time

And so does Lin, she is also months away from getting her second certificate. At least we both have two already but the only one she has don't even have any importance at all anymore.

Look Annah, I can drop out from here it's OK I can still get somewhere to apply for a job with my O-level certificate but she can't

And worst of all she is a girl child. I can't let her be stepped on in places when she is looking for a job with her Primary certificate.

Jo, I know what your worries are and I didn't say iam going to choose on who is going to drop out of school between the two of you.

You are staying in school both of you. Your finishing your A-level and she is finishing her O-level. I tell Jo and I was very sure mom and Lin also heard what I had to say.

I can't believe you had made it a final decision to let Jo drop out of school at the last minute mom,

I tell our mom who was now seated on the couch with her hand on her face.

I know she is stressed, helpless and hopless but that doesn't mean we should give up at this moment.

Ya'll listen I say and they all look up to me

Mom they are both going to school and Lin is going to finish her O-level and she will also join her A-level after. This is not the right time not even in a slightest to think of quitting school.

You all know I went to the agency to pick up the registration forms for the bursaries for both of you then why are you loosing hope that you might get the scholarships and finish your studies.

You have good grades and even Mr Henry's recommendations are enough to get you the scholarships

So you should as well erase and get rid of that mind of you quitting school.

I tell them and get from where I was seated and head to my bedroom.

Actually Iam so disappointed like you had predicted mom.but am not angry or upset there you where wrong.

I walk to my bedroom leaving mom, jo and Lin seated and looking at each without any of them saying any other word.

I can't believe they had such a decision in their mind.

Letting my siblings quit school at this point will be the worst nightmare of my life. And I can't let it happen because of not how I hate nightmares but because I know how this world works even if not all of the system but I know that basics and fundamentals. That's why I don't play or joke with education.

I get to my bed and drop on top of it like a log

Am so tired but I have alot to think about now.

Ri