A) TITLE: The Tri-paternal son EPISODE: 14 AUTHOR: Mynd Babatunde was his name and for short, Tunde. He grew up with his father as his only guardian and the old women who sometimes came around to visit his father as his mothers. The women did not seem to have any business when they come to the house but to come say hello to him and sometimes, they bring food to the house. His father never mentioned a mother to him and once, he asked but was told that she died when he was very little. His father also told him that the women who came constantly were friends of his mother and one who especially came around a lot was said to be her sister which will make her his aunty but he never met any other family member. His father was an orphan who took over the job of doctor fromhis own father and that seemed okay but for some reason; his father did not want him to take over from him. His father had always said he wanted him to go to school and even if he would be a doctor, he should be one of those doctors that worked for the government and worked in the clinic instead of living in the hills plucking leaves and cutting roots for free. His father’s life had always amused him despite the fact that he was very important in the village, they was no physical wealth he could boast of. People came from far and near to seek treatment of him and he treated them for free he did so without demanding anything from anyone and the patients in return give what they can and most times it was food stuff and other petty goods. He never saw his father hold paper currency in his hands but the house was always filled with food. The form of trade his father was into only made sense when he got into his senior secondary school and he choose to be a commercial student rather than science. It was then he saw the significance of the service his father provided. While the chiefs got paid for doing nothing and fed off the people, his father was doing something beneficial to the people and the result was clear everywhere he went. Tunde was always treated well by everyone. Even people he never knew treated him with respect and he always received favor from everyone. He attended school without paying anything as the principal and teachers just did not ask him for fees. His exercise books and other study materials were given to him for free and these materials were not used but brand new. He got two new school uniforms every term and he had at least two school sandals with the uniforms. He had lunch form the women who served it free and he even had access to materials children of some of the chiefs could not get. He got to know that his father’s name went ahead of him everywhere he went and no one bothered him with anything. On one occasion, his father had gone to the school with him to say thank you to the management of the school but the principal met him half way when Tunde told him of his father’s intending visit. The principal said he was under instructions from the local government chairman to ensure that Tunde was comfortable in school as gratitude for his contribution to the community. He knew his father wanted him to be a doctor but the truth was that he knew he is hemophobic and what sort of doctor would he make if he so much feared the sight of blood? He was scared to tell his father as he was getting old and he did not want to disappoint him and so he approached his “aunty” to help break the news to him. His father surprisingly though took it well and just asked the boy if that was his choice. The boy nodded and it was settled. The only thinghis father asked was the steps that will be taken to ensure that he became an accountant and he answered that he would have to go to a university which the Local government chairman had already promised to sponsor so there would be no problem. Tunde too however did not disappoint as he studied his books without playing around. Well the fact that there was not much to disturb him at home also helped him. His only chores was to sweep the house, wash the dishes and wash the clothes belonging to him and his father. The cooking was mostly done by patient who had nothing to give but still felt obligated to do something. They werealways around looking for something to help with around the house and one once tried to wash his clothes for him. When the house needed some new beams, the beams were not replaced but the another one was built behind it for them while Tunde had the old one to himself ad he turned it into his library to disappear when he needed to study. To be continued.....
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 00:06:13 +0000
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