THE CLOCK

Episode9: FULL CYCLE

Dr. Nkechi Obinna beamed with smiles as she walked into the hospital room where Mama and Mgbafor sat waiting. She was happy that Mama Nwankwo was fast responding to treatment and could get up and walk around. She was grateful to God for the privilege of treating one of her old school mates, her senior for that matter, and a close friend of her dear school mother.

"Good morning, doctor," Mama and Mgbafor chorused.

"Good morning, seniors. Hope you had a peaceful night's

rest," the doctor said. yes, we did," Mgbaforresponded.

"What about you?" Mama asked.

"Fine, very fine," Nkechi replied.

Dr. Nkechi Obinna exuded charm and strength, which were obvious signs of healthy living. She demonstrated a proper balance of mind and body with her physical, mental and emotional sides in harmonium. Her charisma was unequalled and her gentleness had contributed to the quick recovery of her patients. She was one in a million when it came to tolerance and compassion for the sick. Her gentle looks, comforting speech and loving touch were healing balm for the sick. People regarded her as one of the best doctors the world had ever produced.

"I have a special medical consultant that has just arrived from Abuja to see Mama Nwankwo. She had booked this appointment three days back, but I decided to keep it till today;" Dr. Nkechi announced.

Mama was excited, yet confused at the visit of a consultant when it was evident that she was completely out of danger. In her secret heart, she had always had the conviction that Dr. Nkechi Obinna was more than twenty consultants put together. She was so professionally competent that Mama had referred to her as a spiritual healer.

Dr. Obinna was not only a doctor to Mama, but also a counsellor. Her useful suggestions and advice, as well as her composure in dealing with critical conditions, had endeared her in Mama Nwankwo's heart. She had rated Dr. Obinna very high and had come to the conclusion that her care and kindness had made her healing fast.

"There is something more than meets the eye about

Nkechi," Mama had once told Mgbafor.

"Very true, my sister. She mystifies everyone," Mgbafor

had concurred.

"She's so good. See how other medical personnel come to take instructions from her," Mama had remarked "Since my arrival, I've noticed the high level of kindness she and her team had demonstrated," Mgbafor had also remarked.

Mama had gathered beautiful memories of Dr. Nkechi that could last for a lifetime. She remembered the very day she cried so much and lamented on how time had passed her by, and how the doctor had comforted her with soothing words.

"Why are you crying, ma?" Dr. Obinna had asked, "Let me cry, doctor, let me cry. My heart is filled with regrets. I had good opportunities in life, but messed them up. Yes, let them slip through my fingers," Mama lamented.

"But you're here because of your health, not your past," the

doctor remarked cautiously.

Then she took a chair and sat facing her. Taking out a clean new multi-coloured handkerchief, she dabbed Mama's tear-sodden eyes. With her gesture, Mama sobered for a while.

"Yes, it's my health that brought me here" Mama admitted, "It's all linked to myself" she said solemnly. Get hold of yourself, ma. Once there is life, there is hope," Dr. Nkechi advised.

"I threw caution to the wind, spent precious time recklessly engaging in petty and unprofitable ventures, and here I am reaping regrets, Mama lamented and burst into renewed cries and violent sobs.

"Time also is the best teacher," Dr. Nkechi said calmly. "I may not know the story of your life, but I do know that your present time can open a door of vast opportunities. So take it easy.

There's no one without useful talents, only that humankind thinks in terms of money and measures progress in terms of the amount of material wealth they can amass. But the truth remains universally that a good name is better than money," Dr. Nkechi said, patting Mama's shoulder tenderly and then walked back to her office.

Those words of hers rekindled the flame of hope in Mama Nwankwo's heart. She came to realize that the lessons of her past could be translated into gainful ends, but how, how could that come about?" She wondered.

Two hours later, Dr. Nechi Obinna came back to Mama's hospital room. She smiled, looking happy as she noticed the radiance on Mama Nwankwo's face. Perhaps, she thought, the last discussion she had with her had made all the difference. She might have come to the realization that all was not altogether lost as long as life subsisted. Still holding onto the door knob, she cleared her throat and said, "Surprise! Surprise!"

Then, in came another young lady doctor looking a little older than she. She walked in with consummate pride, letting out a captivating smile. "Guess who this doctor is," Dr. Nkechi Obinna challenged.

Mama Nwankwo and Mgbafor were completely lost. But it wasn't entirely their fault, time had changed everything. Time and good living could bring about a lot of transformation in people's lives. So they just looked unsure what to say, but took the whole situation as another of Dr. Nkechi Obinna's way of keeping them relaxed. "Standing before you is another old girl from Akamu Community Secondary School. Please ladies, join me to welcome Dr. Nkiru Chinemere," she announced heartily and all of them applauded.

"Thank you ladies, I'm so very delighted to be in your midst this warm afternoon," Dr. Chinemere said appreciatively.

"Did you say an old girl from our school?" Mama Nwankwo asked.

"Yes, senior," Nkechi answered. "Your classmate, my senior;

remarked.

the choir prefect with the voice of the nightingale, Nkechi

"Oh, do you mean Nkiru Okafor?" Mgbafor asked.

"The very senior Nkiru Okafor," Dr. Nechi Obinna replied.

It was another moment of a happy reunion. It was like a meeting of the old girls association as they chatted about the good old days.

Dr. Nkiru Chinemere seemed to know where all their former students were located both home and abroad. All the while, Mama and Mgbator listened with wrapped attention.

"Why not we stand and sing our school anthem?" Nkiru

suggested.

"While on duty?" Nechi queried.

"Oh yes, duty, duty, duty, that's all they know and think about," Nkiru said in a sing-song. "I look forward to retirement," she said jovially.

"Retirement at this age?" Nkechi queried, and both of

them laughed heartily.

"What a day, gracious Lord!" Nkiru exclaimed.

Nkiru was very happy to see her old secondary school mates again, all in one room. She marvelled at that wonderful reunion.

"Another interesting figure I'll invite here someday is another old girl with whom we all associated very closely. She's no other than Miss Nweke," Nkechi announced.

"Miss Nweke, which of the Miss Nwekes?" Mgbafor asked.

"An Akamu girl, born and bred in Rivers State...". Niru

stopped short as Mgbafor interrupted her.

"Our classmate?" Mgbafor asked.

"Yes, an old dreamer," Nkechi dragged them again into memory lane, and they all roared with laughter at the recollection of that interesting period when nothing much really bothered the young.

It was really a wonderful moment for all four as they remembered the good old days. They recalled their Dreamer's Association of which Mgbafor, Mama Nwankwo, Nkiru, Miss Nweke and Nkechi were members. The first four were senior students and were called 'old dreamers', while the junior students among them like Nkechi, were called 'young dreamers. The association itself was led by Mgbafor because she was the most vocal and fearless of them all.

"Our able leader!" Nkiru hailed Mgbafor. "My joy is full to

the brim seeing you," she added.

"Thank you, 'old dreamer'," she hailed back, and all of

them burst out laughing again uncontrollably.

Nkiru remembered the day she walked out of their friendship for no apparent reason. She had attended their association meeting one day only to find a new girl in their midst without any of the members giving her prior information about the new students entry into the group by virtue of her position as secretary. Even though the members had intervened, telling her that the new girl attended at the instance of Senior Mgbafor, who was highly respected because of her boldness and intelligence, Nkiru had frowned at the whole effrontery, describing it as a slap on her face. She also remembered how she later rejoined the association. She recalled the reaction of the group the day she decided to bury the hatchet, how they all humorously shouted:

"Once a member, always a dreamer, and laughed and chatted happily. Since then, Nkiru and Miss Nweke had remained the best of friends. Up till that very moment of their reunion in Mama Nwankwo's hospital room, she had always been in contact with Miss Nweke.

Miss Nweke came on transfer from another school in Rivers State because her parents had relocated to Akamu. When she came for admission into Akamu Community Secondary School, the principal had ordered her to present a transfer certificate, which was readily issued to her by her former principal.

When the school authorities saw the brilliant comments made about her from the Legendary St. Rose's Academy, Port Harcourt, they were convinced that they had admited a quality student.

True to type, Miss Nweke had remained an enigma in the struggle for the first position in examinations and in winning laurels for the school.

Miss Nweke's membership of Dreamer's Association was regarded as profitable to the group because she was always liquid and had enough money to spend. Her parents had retired as police officers, and being their last born child and the only one still in school, Miss Nweke was always obliged with her requests for

money.

Miss Nweke's friendship with the group grew and blossomed, but like an empire met it's fall. With time, members of the group began to detect signs of indiscipline in her. Though smart and intelligent, she was always late to every activity in the school. She refused to recognize and respect those older than her; even though they belonged to the same class. Worst of all was her pride, which led her to disrespect a male teacher who had demanded simple courtesy from her. She had threatened to unleash the full wrath of her police parents on the teacher. whatever that meant. Miss Nweke was always seen serving one punishment or the other. But that was a long time ago. Time had changed all that.

Miss Nweke read Mass Communication and graduated with a first class. Subsequently, she enrolled and was admitted to read International Law in Oxford University, England. She had since been working with an international organization for the welfare of deprived women in developing countries of the world.

She had been to many places, seen many people and had used her international influence to affect the lives of many women, challenged or otherwise in overtly positive terms.

It was the same Miss Nweke that Nkiru planned to bring to see for herself the state of life of women in Akamu and her neighbouring clans, and to save them from engaging in a life of depravity.

"I can assure you that your lives will change for the better," she had promised Mama and Mgbafor. "Life will change for you d your children and for the Akamu community," she had said. roughout that reunion, Mama's hope kept on rising.

had observed improved health and increasing petite for food since she started recuperating. She looked righter and was full of thanks for the company and comfort she ad been enjoying from her friends.

When Nkiru finally took her seat, her friends applauded er for her wonderful words of hope. Nkechi had also commented on Nkiru's speech, pledging support to bring enhanced and better life to the rural women of Akamu clan.