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Power
- LANGAA RPCIG
- Chapter
- Additional Information
249 P Power abi pulled her wine-red cardigan closer to her body. She buttoned it from the bottom up. She was back leaning her elbows on the ledge looking through the window to the hedge. The rays of the sun made the dark green leaves bright. They pierce through the morning dew. It shines like a glossy rich green coating of life. The leaves sparkle. Kabi says to herself, ‘there is the joy of life. There it is and it is tangible and inaudible’. She looked more keenly and saw that the leaves and branches swang ever so gently in the freshness of hardly perceptible breeze. She also saw the short and thick brown stump of a tree, deeply rooted in the ground. She added, ‘There is strength in that little shoot coming out of a stump of a tree. Green and leafy already! A shoot!” It was as if a large curtain had been drawn for her to see everything. Kabi could continue to watch this morning that greeted her and carried her to a world of poetry. But first, there was breakfast. The boys were coming back early that morning. Peter was still asleep. Ariani had fallen ill. Kabi moved here and there to get the cups, saucers, bread and butter. In a few minutes breakfast was on the table. When she glanced outside again the little bird’s song was back. Cheery and full of light. She walked to the window for a minute. A dream she had that night crept back. Train. She was on a train but this time, she was the train driver. Her children were part of the train crew. She remembered the start and stop screeches sounding, as the kettle whistled in the morning. She laughed at herself thinking she was far too serious about life. She recalled her passenger list and the very familiar sound… chu… chu… chu… chu… chu. She in a stroke of a woman’s fury made that long list. No classes. No First Class. No Second Class. No Third Class on her train. Not even listing of names in alphabetical order. Numbers even and odd mixed at different times in different places to infinity were her way. K 250 In that dream, she sang to the train as it sped on towards the sea. She remembered too the beautiful blue mass of water that kissed Mombasa. The Ocean from far was like a wide skirt that embraced the shores of the city like a waist and spread out far. It dominated the horizon before swallowing the blessing of a brilliant orange rising sun. She laughed out loud as she walked back to the kitchen. She switched off the kettle. She thought of the times she had witnessed the sun unable to pierce the dark clouds for their thickness. The sun seemed to return afresh daily with the dawn as if to confess that for all its might and power it must follow its path of love, sweeping the sky for the moon and other stars. But it was always there. In the end what are dark clouds but rain? Kabi’s heart is young and tender. Kabi feels so fresh and gentle. She wants to bellow a message for all. The sun’s rays disappear and reappear outside, to pierce the dew with light all over again; and to make the leaves glow greenly. It made them grow too, fall and die giving life. The boys were round the corner. Joe had to be the first one Kabi hugged tightly when the boys came home. He was the son that she worried most about. Joe immediately sensed that something was different this morning. He could feel his Mum’s heart was bubbling with life. Kabi looked at him intensely. She played with him later. When the boys awoke in the afternoon they found their ‘Mami’ looking deeply refreshed and jovial. They asked after Ariani. “Ariani is sick,” Kabi said. “Aaah!” said Amani. They wrapped up two winnowing trays made of soft banana fiber, one for Ariani and one for Rehema. On the trays, two loaves of bread, milk, a bottle of honey and some fruits. Amani carried one and Jugus the other. They knocked at Rehema’s door. Rehema stepped out and received her set with delight. In Ariani’s house some children were busy peeling potatoes for supper. She was in bed but smiled when the boys stood before her singing Joe’s favorite verse...