Chapter 1-The End of the start (1)
I have been living with my Grandpa in a Village which is located in one of the poorest countries in the continent.Living with my Grandpa was a tough handle for me. Life wasn't that hard from the beginning,but all changed since my Grandma passed away. May she continue Resting in Peace.I have to be frank and confess that my relationship with my Grandma was not always the best,but I had no other family members whom I knew. As stories from my grandparents,they too don't know my parents. Welcome to my twisting life.
I came to know about this from one of the villagers. This happened when I once angered a certain lady n she cursed me for being a collected baby. But surely, laughing at her due to her walking style... is it really a crime. You know she used to walk in the famous "gully cripper " style. Her cursing was the origin of problems. I questioned my grandparents what the hell the lady was talking about and after too much of struggling n arguing they came forward with the truth.
Apparently, during one rainy night, when villagers were chasing away elephants which have a tendency of late night visit until today. The villagers came across a wrapped "something" The wrapped thing had a tag "Patrick Uter" and that's the source of my nickname "Pato ".As we will come to discover,Uter is a nation in a place I won't tell you more about it now.My grandparents who are now typically my parents volunteered to be my guardian angels because they didn't have any children. Elephants have been a normal occurrence through out my life. A night without their visit is not a worth night.
Back to the story,after my Grandma I was left to take care of my 138 year old grandpa.At times,being old is a blessing but being too old is a curse. Imagine taking care of an old person,no I mean the oldest person. He can't walk properly,can't cook,it's just like having a new born baby.But his age was the least of my worries, my biggest worry was how long we will be together.I don't know if it comes with age,but old people tend to know when they are about to transfer to paradise or eternal rest. I came to believe it's true because my Grandma had a apparently fore told her death.Now my Grandpa is telling me he is about to blow off his life candle.
This is just a process to show am becoming an orphan the second time.The bitter part is that you know wen you will become an orphan. Today is the day my grandpa will be blowing his life candle of an we are to meet so he can give me the so called inheritance. Not being rude,but an Inheritance....which inheritance,we have nothing except a vast land of bareness. The house we living in is a two room muddy house,with only three chairs n one table.During rainy days,it's safe being under a tree than inside the house.
Anyway, I ran into my Grandpa's house just incase not to be late. Even under his old age,My grandpa is a very time keeping guy. At times I am envious for his long life but most of the times I just wish for a hundred years at best. I don't want to be a nagging old man, telling my grand children endless stories and taking a nap every evening. Hahaaa.. but I love being around the old. After reaching my grandpas house,."Swagui Guka"(it's a form of greeting) "Swagui Pato,welcome n have a seat"Grandpa replied. "Why are you young people always in a rush,can't you just walk steadily and you will make in time"grandpa asked seeming to be mad about me panting to catch my breath. "Hey Grandpa,you should not say 'in time',it is 'on time'.I teased. "Don't you start your English lessons with me,don't I always tell you that The English language came on a ship and it sank somewhere in the ocean.And it is very rude to make a dying old man mad...The days wen I was your age,I used to be the nations translator between the natives and the colonisers"Grandpa rebuked. "Okay okay,I am just teasing you a little. You know how hard it is to see your only tooth.I must make you angry so that it can see the outer world."I replied jokingly.
"Enough of your jokes Pato,you talking too much like you Grandma,I don't want you to be the reason of my early death." "Now this is the funniest joke,how can I really cause a One hundred and thirty eight years old Grandpa an early death"I internally thought."Can you stop day dreaming,were you listening to what I have said."Grandpa hit my head with his walking stick bringing me aboard.
"As I was saying,Your name is Patrick Uter,I was the one who found you in the woods in the Nineteen nineties. When I found you,I found your name written on a tag." "Hey Grandpa....I know the whole story,you have told me of it a thousand an Seventeen times" " Can you stubborn child listen to me,I don't have a lot of time,I have been telling you the story but I left some things out because you were still a child. Not to mean you are an adult now, if not for my time coming to an end,I think I would take a hundred years before I deem you mature to hear the whole story."Grandpa rebuked."Hey, that's so rude of you,how can a handsome guy like me be a child"I angrily replied.
"Enough!!!could you check into the mirror before talking."grandpa said."Too bad we don't own one"I replied. It seems Grandpa is becoming irritated,I better cool him down."It's okay wise one,I am listening now."I flattered him. "Hmmm,It was on eighteenth April Nineteen nighty seven,when as always we had an elephant invasion.I and fellow villagers did as we always do and that is to prevent the elephants from moving to the village core area where the food stores are. We escorted our esteemed guests back to the forest. On our way to the forest,the Elephants became restless like they had seen their predator. The only thing that registered in our minds was that there was a pride of lions ahead.We panicked because Lions are very aggressive and are perfect hunters. Out of fear,we decided to retreat.As the saying says,' The fearful always go home,while the courageous die'.Just when we walked 100yards we heard a baby's chuckles and the baby was you.You made the elephants restless"Grandpa narrated. I also noticed he is becoming pale the more he talks.
