There are some things I must make clear before you start this chapter.
Note that:
1. Italic font style is used to represent Characters thought. So, anywhere you see italic font style, it means that the character is thinking.
2. Normal font style represents the narration. While
3. Bold & Italic font style represents written words. Like what Miriam wrote down in her diary in this chapter.
It was Friday. Miriam loved attending mosque for prayers every Friday because that's the only day of the week that provided her the opportunity to spend some time with her friends, Musa and Rashidat in their home.
All school activities were normally concluded by 12pm on Fridays thus enabling students to participate in the prayer.
Miriam usually goes out with fewer products to enable her round up sales activities by or before 12pm as 1pm was the set time for the prayers.
Musa and Rashidat used to be her classmates back then before she stopped schooling at basic three. Now they are in basic six, preparing for their common entrance examination into secondary school.
Miriam trusted that they'd do well in their coming examination. They were bright kids and she was really happy for them but she envy them a little because like them, she'd love to continue schooling but it seems fate had something else planned for her.
Ever since that day three years ago when she saw a movie of an investigative journalist with the Abubakars, it had been her dream to become an investigative journalist.
She had been meeting regularly every Friday with Musa and Rashidat at their resident. Plus the other meetings at their spot, under the mango tree which they regularly held because it was the only way they got to meet with their other friend, Amed and kept their meeting more frequent than Friday based only.
For Miriam, moments with the Abubakar family were highly cherished as Mrs. Abubaka was the only person close to a mother figure in her life. This woman had a great deal of influence in the way Miriam conducted her affairs as her father in his carefree nature never bordered how she was doing. The time spent with the Abubakars always consisted of study and play time.
Miriam had a great time with Musa and Rashidat Abubakar today. Their voice could be heard from a mile as they ran around playing hide and seek.
"Hello children, that's enough play for today." Mrs. Abubakar's voice rang out from the kitchen interrupting their play. "Musa and Rashidat, bring out your home works, it's high time you do them.
"And for you Miriam, collect English text book from Rashidat and start reading from where you left off the last time and ensure to do the class work that follows. I will join you in a bit to mark your work and afterwards you will have to do dictation. Understand?"
"Yes Mma," they all chorused with Miraim emitting a radiance of happiness from her face. 'Mma' meaning 'mother' was how they often referred to Mrs. Abubakar.
All three of them scurried over to the living room, Musa and Rasidat having their school bags which they've collected from their bedroom with them. Each taking a spot on the center table, they made themselves comfortable as they started their work.
"Mma, I am through with the work," Miriam reported. She had the cover of her pen to her mouth while awaiting Mrs. Abubakar's response.
"Ah! So quick?" Mrs. Abubakar replied while cleaning her hands on her apron as she came out of the kitchen.
"Let me have it." Mrs. Aburbakar stretched out her hand to receive a rough notebook from Miriam. It was one of the old notebooks Rashidat used when she was in basic five.
Mrs. Abubakar stared at the work; a very neat handwriting stared back at her, forming the answers to the questions outlined 1 to 6 on the page. The questions were accurately answered.
She couldn't hold back the smile that crawled it's way into her face. She raised her head, her vision unfocused as her mind cast back to how tutoring Miriam began three years ago.
Flash back:
They just finished seeing a movie of a very smart and intelligent investigative journalist. The movie was action packed. And the major actor was trying to dig into a dangerous drug Barron whose great influence and connection to high profiled political allies made him almost invincible.
It took courage, intelligence and risks (almost up to near death attacks) to bring down the drug lord and stopped his activities.
"Mma, I like the actor very well. It is her kind of work I will like to do when I grow up," Miriam commented.
"You mean you would love to be an investigative journalist when you grow?" Mrs. Abubakar corrected.
Highly enthusiastic, Miriam nodded. "yes."
"That's very good but to be an investigative journalist, you have to study very hard."
With a face downcast, like a punctured balloon Miriam's enthusiasm deflated. Scratching her head in uncertainty, she replied, "yes, Mma but now that Baba (father) has said that I can't go to school again, I don't know how I can continue to study."
"Yeah, that is a problem but we can do something about it."
"Really?" Miriam's face suddenly lit up with hope and a smile that glows like the radiance of the Sun.
"Yes," Mrs. Abubaka responded with a smile of her own. "You can come here every Friday to study with Musa and Rashidat while I help in supervising your works. How about that?"
"I like that oh," Miriam said, bubbling and jumping. She could barely contain her excitement. "I will always come. Thank you Mma."
"Miriam, you know you are always welcome here, right?"
Still smiling, Miriam answered, "yes, thank you Mma."
.
"You are welcome."
A brief silence ensued. Breaking the silence, Miriam asked, "Mma, an investigative journalist must always write down on jotta like that actor?"
"Firstly, that thing is called diary not jotta," Mrs. Abubakar corrected. "And keeping a journal is not a thing only investigative journalists do. Anybody can keep a journal."
"Mma, what is keeping a journal?" Miriam asked, looking puzzled.
"Oh." Mrs. Abubakar chortled, "keeping a journal is what people do when they write down important things that happen everyday in their diary at the end of each day for record keeping. The way you saw the investigating journalist did in that movie."
"Oh I see." Miriam nodded.
Miriam was beyond surprised when Mrs. Abubakar gave her a gift of a diary and a dictionary the next Friday as she came for the first day of study. Yes, she was very intrigued by the investigative journalist in the movie and wanted to be one but she never anticipated this sort of support from others.
All these tears of joy flowing down her face and the magnitude of excitement used to express her appreciation just for a small gift of a diary and dictionary? Mrs. Aburbakar wondered. Like an imprint, the expression from Miriam engrafted a mark of satisfaction in her mind giving her the feeling that she'd done the right thing.
"Mma, I've finished my assignment." Musa's voice resonated through her thought, jostling her attention back to the present.
"Ok Musa, hold on a little let me finish with Miriam's work."
"Yes Mma."
She hurriedly dictated for Miriam and cross checked Musa and Rashidats’ assignments and then rushed back to the kitchen.
*** *** ***
Miriam had just finished her domestic chores for the day. She'd cooked, served her father dinner, eaten her's, cleared off the dishes after meals and had washed them.
She brought out her diary and made an entry for the day.
Today, I sold all the minerals I went out with. Mr. Tony, Alex and the other workers there bought everything remaining.
It has been two weeks since I found that place. Since then they always buy minerals from me and Mr. Tony has dash me the change three times now.
On the first day, when he ask me about my age, I didn't want him to know more about me because he is a stranger and Mma Musa has warn me and Rashidat to always keep away from men, especially strangers.
Today I told her about the change Mr. Tony has been dashing me and she said did you thank him?
I said yes. Then she said good but don't collect gifts from him ever again. Doing so will make you lost value.
When I ask what is lost value, she said it makes you look like a beggar.
I see Mr. Tony as a nice person but I will not collect gifts from him again because I don't want to be a beggar.
Musa told me today that they are going to write their common entrance examination next Saturday.
I am happy for them oh but I am sad because me too am suppose to write that examination with them on Saturday.
But what will I do. Abbah (a type of exclamation) I cannot come and kill myself nah.
Let me stop here today, she thought as she closed the dairy and kept it back in her money bag. She kind of had an attachment to the diary, she carried it with her everywhere she goes.
With her money bag properly kept, she took out a broom from behind the door, swept the floor, spread her mat and with an old piece of wrapper she made a makeshift pillow and laid her head to rest for the day.
A/N: Thanks for reading. What do you think of Miriam keeping a Journal. I would like to know what's on your mind.
Endeavour to like, share, subscribe and comment if you like the chapter.
Comments (0)
See all