A BEAUTIFUL STRANGER

David was arrested on Saturday night. On Sunday evening around 8p.m, a beautiful lady was passing by when she saw me sit­ting all by myself. I did not know that she had been watching me for a while. She came to me and greeted me. She asked why I was alone and enquired about my family. I told her I had none. She asked where I was staying. I told her that I have lived under the bridge for the past two years, and I have nowhere to go. She felt sorry for me. She asked if I have eaten. I told her I had not, and I equally told her about my adopted brother’s arrest. I could see that she felt sorry for me and she meant it. She brought out some money and asked me to look for something to eat. She said she would come back to see me the next day. She asked what my name was. I told her my name was Nkem, which means ‘mine’.

I heartily thanked her. Then I remembered my dream. I felt my mother was watching over me. The meal for the next day was assured by the benevolence of this beautiful stranger. I did not remember to ask her who she was, what her name was. I got carried away because of the as­surance she gave me to come looking for me the next day. I bought some bread and the normal bean cake. I felt I needed to save some money for other needs. I knelt down and thanked God for his providence, I thanked my spiritual Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

When I spoke out loudly to my biological moth­er whose presence I always feel, saying “Mother, I know you are nearby and always with me. You assured me of your guidance for a mother nev­er abandons her child. Ma, I feel your presence, your smile and your guiding spirit. Please, moth­er, do not leave me. Be with me in every journey I make.”  Before laying down to sleep, I prayed Psalm 23 ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’, and I asked our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary to watch over me. I learnt to befriend my guardian Angel. I prayed to my Angel for protection and guid­ance. I used my mother’s wrapper to cover my­self, and I slept with the assurance that tomorrow would be a better day.  

That night, I had a long conversation with my mother in my dream. ‘’Mother you said you would not abandon me when my aunty came for me. Why have you not kept your promise, moth­er? Presently I have no home. The bridge is my home. I am an outcast, insects are my companions and insecurity stares at me each day. Mother, now that you are here, will we be together again? Mother, you said yes that we are together. Will I wake up to realize that I am all alone in this strange universe though created in all its beauty, yet full of danger? I do hope I am not dreaming mother that you will not leave me all alone.”

Suddenly, someone was calling my name, shaking me to wake up. I did not know I was cry­ing in my sleep, pleading that my mother should stay with me. “Nkem, Nkem”, I heard my name. I opened my eyes, the lady who gave me money yesterday kept her word, she came visiting as she promised. It was day break, about 9a.m. It was very unusual. I normally wake up early. This very day, I was woken up by this ‘aunty’.