Part Seven H: I have to go away.
Nov, 1998
Kisha nikaenda kigamboni kumuaga my lovely brother na familia yake, sikumkuta nyumbani, nilimkuta shemeji yangu. Kaka alikuwa na watoto wanne. Catherine ,Careen, Charles na Caressa. Shemeji yangu anaitwa Edith.
Edson:" Shikamoo shemeji yangu"
Edith: " Marahaba mume wangu, karibu sana"
Edson: "Asante sana shem, mbona uko nyumbani muda huu, sio kawaida yako?"
Edith:"Leo nimeomba ruhusa, mwanao Careen anaumwa, nilimpeleka hospital ndio tumerudi sasa."
Edson: "oooh, pole sana shem, yuko wapi?"
Edith: " Amekunywa dawa, amelala, labda umwangalie kama hajasimzia, hapo chumbani kwake."
Edson: "Hakuna haja kumsumbua, acha alale nitamcheki nikitaka kuondoka, wengine."
Edith: "Wanao wako shule, kaka yako ameenda kazini ila ameasema ukija umsubiri atawahi kurudi."
Edson: " Sawa shemeji yangu, niliongea nae kwenye simu, acha tumsubiri".
Edith: " Karibu juice mme wangu, nilikubakishia ilitengenezwa jana." aliongea akiniwekea glass kwenye kitoto meza na jug la juice
Edson: "Asante shemeji yangu,ndio ulevi wangu huu."
Edith: "Umesha andaa mizigo?"
Edson: "Ndio, iko tayari, nasubiri tu kupepea ha ha haaa."
Edith: "Wewe tena, halafu nilisahau kukwambia zile picha nimeshaweka mambo sawa, maana bila hivyo ungezilipia kodi. Wangezani unaenda kuuza, na yale mashuka. Kuna mtu atakupokea pale airport.
Hutasumbuliwa , sawa mume."
Edson:" Daa, asante sana shemeji, nashukuru kwa upendo wako, maana sio kwa mipango hiyo mama. "
Edith:" Wewe nawe, Sasa nisipompenda mume nimpende nani tena, jipange tu nataka zawadi ya nguvu tu ukirudi. "
Edson:" Na nikizamia kabisa nisirudi?. "
Edith: "Subutu, kama mama hajakufata, asivyoweza kukaa mbali na wewe, sijui ukioa itakuwaje."
Edson: "Atazoea tu kulingana na mazingia."
Niliongea na shemeji yangu kwa mda kisha akenda kuandaa chakula cha mchana, shemeji yangu ni mkubwa sana kwangu, ila amezoea kuniita mume hata mbele ya kaka. Namheshimu sana na yeye analijua hilo. Anafanya kazi pale airport.
Mchana kaka alirudi, baada ya chakula aliniambia twende tukaongee na baba ili niwahi kurudi nyumbani kujiandaa.
Nilimpigia simu ya mezani Rosemary, bahati nzuri alikuwepo bado, nikamuomba anisaidie kufua yale mashuka ili yakauke mapema."
……….
Tulimpitia baba kazini kwake, tukaenda nyumbani kwake tabata bima, karibu na ' [emoji119]'. Mzee alikuwa amejenga nyumba ndogo tu maana hakuwa na plan ya kukaa dar aki retire, alisha jiaandalia Arusha, alikuwa amenunua shamba lingine maeneo ya 'njiro'.
Nilishuka nikafungua geti wakaingiza gari ndani, mzee hakuwa na gari la kutembele, alitumia la kazini. Sio kama hakuwa ma uwezo wa kununua, alikuwa nao ila hapendi 'show off'.
He enjoyed a simple but classic lifestyle.
Alipanga kununua gari mwezi mmoja kabla ya ku retire. Ila kaka yeye alikuwa na magari mawili, lake na la shemeji.
'Keep life profile low, be straightforward, be humble and stay out of trouble, enjoy life'……..
Mzee anaishi peke yake, kuna mdada wa kazi huja kumpikia na kufanya usafi,hakai hapo.
Tuliongea mengi, mzee litoa usia, wote tukashangaa, kumbe usilolijua ni kama usiku wa giza.
Mzee alimwambia kaka ni wakati wake kuongoza familia, ahakikishe ananiongoza vyema.
(kaka yetu mkubwa Edward alifariki nikiwa mwaka wa 2 chuoni. Walipelekwa kwa wakimbizi lubondo, wakiwa doria,boti yao ilizamishwa na majangiri waliokuwa wanawafukuza.
Walikuwa watu sita, ilipatika miili ya wawili tu wakiwa wametobolewa macho. Yeye na wenzake wanne wahakuoneka mpaka leo.Hakuwa na watoto)
Anthony: " Wanangu, nataka muishi kwa kupendana, mmebaki wawili tu, kaka yenu hatuane. Ni jukumu lako sasa Edwin kuongoza hii familia. Hamna ndugu upande wangu, kwa mama yenu wapo wachache, naomba msiwasahau hao ndio mlionao.
" Nilitamani kupata muongozo wa wazazi wangu, lakini mama alifariki nikiwa mdogo kabisa, baba aliuwawa nikiwa darasa la kwanza. Sikufaniwa kuishi nao."
"Nyinyi mna bahati mpaka sasa wazazi wenu wote wapo, jifunzeni mazuri mtafanikiwa mishani."
Alimwambia kaka kuhusu mali zake zote, mashamba ya kule kijiji 'X', nyumba za wapangaji sakina, nyumba yetu hapo sakina, shamba la njiro (hatukuwa tunalijua)na hapa tulipo.
Alimpatia kaka hati za hizo mali, kisha akaniambia
Anthony: "jukumu lako Edson ni kumtunza mama yenu , kwa vile hujaoa, hakikisha unaoa mke atakae kubali kumtunza mama yenu na mimi katika uzee wetu.
Tena ufanye haraka kuoa, ili niwaone wajukuu zangu na kunywa nao chai."
Edson: "Sawa baba nitafata maagizo yako."
Anthony: "Sipendi kuona migogoro kisa mali, hamkulelewa katika kuthamini vitu bali thamini utu. Sitaki kuwa hakimu wa kutatua migogoro baada ya kustafu."
Alinitakia safari njema niendako, nisijisahau, ni focus kutafuta mafanikio, ni practice nilichofundisha katika malezi yangu. Niheshimu kila mtu, Nisichoke kumuomba Mungu aniongoze.
Alinitemea mate kama ishara ya kunibariki, just as my mom did to me. And he did the same to my brother.
Niliahidi kumletea zawadi itakayompa company uzeeni, tuliondoka na brother akanipitisha kwangu, tukakubaliana kuja kunichukua mimi na baba kwa ajili ya kwenda airport kesho.
***
Nilimkuta Rosemary amesha nyosha nguo zote na kupanga kila kitu kwenye begi, tulipata tena muda wa kupitisha usiku ule tukiwa pamoja.
Edson: Asante sana mpenzi wangu, kwa kuniandalia mizigo.
Rosemary: " Usijali mpenzi, ni wajibu wangu."
Edson: "Nakupenda sana."
Rosemary: " Asante sana daddy, karibu chakula." alionge akiweka tray yenye sahani nuu yake ikiwa imefunikwa.
Edson: " Asante, leo umeandaa nini mama."
Rosemary: " siri yangu daddy."
Edson: " sawa, ngoja nikusaidie kuleta maji mpenzi. "
Rosemary: "Maji ya nini daddy."
Edson: "tutakula bila kunawa?."
Rosemary: "sitaki unawe, leo nakulisha mwenyewe, nihakikishe umeshiba vizuri, nikupe utamu wako usiku kucha."
Edson: "ndio umenipania hivyo?"
Rosemary: "usimalize nguvu kuongea, pokea hii"
aliongea skinilisha kipande cha rosti ya nyama na chapati. Kwa kweli sikuwahi kula chakula kibaya toka kwa mpenzi wangu, kungwi wake nampa heshima zote alifanya kazi. Rosemary yuko vizuri chumbani na jikoni.
Baada ya kula, nilipelekwa bafuni kuoga maji ya vuguvuvu yenye viungo,(mdarasini)
Nilikuta Rosemary ameweka stuli kule bafuni, nilisuguliwa na machicha ya nazi, alininyoa, kucha zote zilikatwa na kusuguliwa.
(hapendi nywele za chini, alikuwa ananyoa kila baada ya siku 3, hakupenda na mimi iwe nazo ndefu).
***
Tulirudi chumbani, nikawa kama mtoto naongozwa nini cha kufanya. (Mwanamke akipenda, hana kinyaa wala nini)
Rosemary alinipa kila aina ya ufundi anaojua, alitaka nimkumbuke huko niendako. Tangu nimefahamiana nae sikuwahi muona anajituma na ku enjoy kama siku ile. Hataki niongee full time anabembeleza yeye, analilia utamu, anaomba nisimuache, nk
(aliwahi nisimulia kuwa aliwekewa sindano chini, halafu yeye akiwa bila nguo anatakiwa azungushe kiuno hapo juu bila kushuka chini, akishuka anakalia sindano)
Kiuno lai feni inasubiri, Rosemary alinisisitiza nisimsahau, hataweza kuhimili hayo maumivu. Na mimi nikamuomba atunze uaminifu na upendo wetu.
Akiwa na shida akamuone kaka (nilimpa namba ya simu ya nyumbani kwa kaka). Kaka alikuwa anafahamu kuhusu Rosemary. Ndie alinishauri niachane na wale wahindi maana wazazi wakijua ninachofanya wataumia sana.
'Utanyimwa chakula tu, sio maneno, alipewa maneno na wale maaskari waliokuwa wananikuta beach' .
***
Kesho yake kaka alinipitia mapema, kisha tukampitia baba.
Tuliwahi Julius Nyerere International Airport. Rosemary alitamani sana kunisindikiza ila nilimuomba abaki maana sikuwa na jibu la kumwambia baba siku ile.
Pia bado sikuwa najua mstakabali wa penzi la Rosemary na Violet ndio maana sikutaka baba amuone Rosemary mapema. Japo kitendo hicho kilimuumiza sana Rosemary, ila sikuwa na option muda huo.
Song: You Need Love Like I Do (Don't You?)
Album: Greatest Hits
Released: 1970
Artist: Gladys Knight & the Pips
Genres: R&B/Soul, Classic Soul
Well, well, well, well
Seems like it was only yesterday
When my mama told me don't fall in love
With the first guy that comes your way
He was handsome and nice
But I took her advice and passed him by
Years have passed and don't look
Like love's gonna give me a second try
Boy the look on your face tells me you understand
Could it be your love life's like mine
Needs a helping hand well, well
You need love like I do (don't you).
Boy I can tell by the way
You look when I'm looking at you
I know it ain't fit and proper
For a girl to talk this way
But I can't cope with this loneliness
Not one more doggone day
Everyday has been an uphill climb
Keeping my hopes a-float
Judging from your silence boy
You must be in the same boat
Ain't it true now
You need love like I do (don't you)
Boy I can tell by the way you look
When I'm looking at you
Well, well, well you need love
Like I do (don't you)
Boy it seems like I'm looking in the mirror
When I'm looking at you
I can't begin to tell
The many nights I sit home lonely
Come on and tell me boy
Has it ever happened to you
Boy I'm gonna tell you something
And believe me it ain't no joke
My love life is just like a sinking boat
I can understand a person being without money
But there sho' ain't no reason
For a person to be without love
Listen to me now
I'm a girl and you're a guy
So come on let's give love a try
Tell me lil' boy
You need love like I do (don't you)
I can tell by the way you look
When I'm looking at you
Boy finding true love is a dream
That everyone wants to come true
Boy can't you see it's up to us
To make this dream come true oh.
******'**
Next
Part Seven I: Tervetuloa Helsinkiin.
🫂welcome to Helsinki.