tickles of bunna nostalgia
11 April, 2008 | 5 comments | Category: i.mmigration, nostalgia.personal, prose.tales
my eyes glaze as pupils dilate basking in the otherness of my past….
the things i remember are not expected etches within my memory, they are random recollections of flickering visuals, smells, tickles and sounds…
the clatter of coffee beans nosily scattering on a metal roasting plate. incense flitter flattering the breeze, caressing curves of air wafting upward and sideways; releasing smells of home, comfort and cosiness. smells that mingle with prickly acid tastes of long grass strands spread across the floor, the musky, spiciness of incense and, soil, freshly moist feeding the grass outside the door, by the veranda.
incense rising around us frames my auntie’s face already framed by the peach-beige shawl. my mom has owned, my auntie worn this shawl during all her over-night visits to our house ever since I could remember. The luscious red rose petals appear to dance across the shawl amongst tiny brown geometric patterns adorning the length of her legs which are stretched out on the mat. she sits near the coffee mini-table with 9 tiny white cups appearing to gaze adoringly at a glorious black clay coffee-kettle.
When my auntie speaks, her mouth edges to one side; the scars across her neck create protruding fringes hidden till she arches her head up; a head with thick silky short locks usually big-curled or in curling bigodins.
i remember a conversation in this setting about a girl who lived across the driveway. She went to america to school, she was something of a legend in our neighborhood circle. A neighbor told the stories of the girl’s trials to my auntie who was sharing it with the rest of us. I could sense that we all felt butterflies of anticipation about my departure. With nerves at tickling ends, each of us wondered…could my experience be like hers?
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5 comments to “tickles of bunna nostalgia”
Nani, April 17th, 2008 at 3:39 pm:
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AWESOME!
I remember my trials, the ups and downs, the anticipation, the rejection (let’s not forget that), the never ending forms, emails, frustrations of how poor I am (didn’t really realize that until I learnt I couldn’t even afford the minimum payments after tons of scholarships), and then the anticipation of what exactly awaits me, will i like it, will I not? will i be able to achieve my goals? … too many questions, i thought would have been answered by now, but haven’t! after years, I still don’t have the answers to what I believe are the most important questions in my life, and makes me wonder if they ever will be answered.
Wendu, April 26th, 2008 at 12:48 pm:
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60-some years ago a talented man wrote a series of books which, I’ve recently discovered as hundreds of thousands have, are filled with simply stunning observations on faith, God, life and human behaviour…
The man is C.S. Lewis. The particular book that has me astonished is one of his popular works – The Screwtape Letters. I have been trying to share it with people I know – but owing to turns of events in my life and my own at times unconscious and now deeply regretted actions, the number of my friends and acquaintances has been shrinking steadily to its current shocking level…
I thought perhaps unsolicited offers on the internet to blogs and forums I come across will be the best way to let more fellow habeshas know more about this guy’s books – and this work in particular. And since I’ve been reading this blog of yours… well, I thought I might try it with you…
I KNOW (does that make sense?
) that you can find many answers and many insights into your own life from reading this book… – well, perhaps that would be a difficult task if you are one of those militant athiests a la Richard Dawkins… but something tells me you’re not.Ibakish give it a shot ishi? You will not be disappointed.
peace…
W
Here are the links to download from:
I have both the audiobook (mp3) and the text (pdf) below… I suggest you start with the text and go to the audio afterwards. The audio version is a wonderful reading by a good actor – it gives even more nuance and color and highlight to the book if heard after reading the text…
TEXT – http://rapidshare.com/files/110603672/C.S._Lewis_-_The_Screwtape_Letters.pdf.html
AUDIO – http://rapidshare.com/files/109093265/C.S._Lewis_-_The_Screwtape_Letters.rar.html
shuka, April 29th, 2008 at 9:28 pm:
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great read.
tpeace, May 8th, 2008 at 4:41 pm:
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thanks nani and shuka! nani i hear u sistah!
great Wendu! i’ll definitely check the links out. CS Lewis’s children’s books were my favorite growing up so I really appreciate the thought
Afroman, June 12th, 2008 at 10:59 am:
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I love Coffee!