Maame!

Maame

A figment of imagination 

Dark, quiet…
The room partially crowded…
Tiny glimmers of lights from devices shine into their faces
Shadows partially shrouded
Occasional muffled expressions
Stifled by the unsaid rules of quiet organisation
Almost in battle formation
Neat rows of seats lined up in columns

I break the silence with my entry
Not so grand, but impressive anyway
(Or so I think – Call me humble)
Noisy shoes… slow calculated steps
I shake my keys… “cling-clang”
The noise reverberates in the dark auditorium
I stand with an 80s pose waiting for someone to get startled

But no one does… not one.
I shake the keys once more…
Still no response
I move forward slightly
Then I stamp my feet…
Still none. Nothing…
No one looks in my direction
They all look on ahead toward what looks like a platform

Someone’s there, speaking…
I can’t seem to hear what he’s saying
But it must be very important because…
Everyone seems so attentive
“Oops sorry”
I say in a regular, loud voice
Then cover my lips almost immediately
Now I’m actually concerned about disturbing
But no one is moved…
No one turns…
No one blinks…
A general expressionless vibe
And it all starts to feel creepy…

I make my way towards the crowds slowly
With a frown on my forehead and my eyes…
They narrow out as I try to make out what’s happening
I pull out my flashlight
Switch it on and throw it in the direction I’m headed
It hits an elderly man’s glasses and reflects back to me
But he isn’t distracted!

Something’s wrong!
This can’t be real!
What’s happening?
Am I living an illusion?

I take the first lane flashing the light in both directions
With rows of people on both sides, left and right
I start to grow confident with every second
Every step
Every moment
At least I know I can’t be seen
But…
I must be here for a reason
One I don’t have clearly set out
But I’m set to find out…
Real soon!

People of all sorts
Young, old, middle aged…
Teenagers, children, parents…
Dressed up neatly and formally
Beautiful people

“Hey Diggy”
A voice whispers from right behind me
Startled, I almost topple over and fall
“What are you doing here?”
She asks sternly

I’m absolutely speechless
I just stare blankly at her…
At the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen
The kind of beauty I don’t need lights to see
She holds my shoulders and shakes me up
“Hey! Diggy. It’s me”
“Maame!” I say with a smile as large as the river Mersey
“I miss you!”
“I miss you too Diggy, but you’ve got to go.”
“You can’t be here.”

Her face, stern but still gleaming
As I stare into her eyes, she loosens up a bit
Looks at me with a more assuring look and says…
“Your dreams and imagination are running too wild of late.”
“Please go back Diggy”

I take a glance at her again and…
I start to feel silly all of a sudden
I recognise the clothes she’s wearing
The picture! Yesterday’s picture…
What she sent me.
She was in these same clothes
In my favourite colours – green, yellow
African fabric with African designs
Hair, dark, silky and kinky with the same style she had…

Everything starts to fall in place
The setting, the occasion
The venue, the audience
The lights out…

I look at her once more and we both break into laughter
“Go back okay?” She says with a chuckle
“But I miss you!” I exclaim
“Don’t you worry okay,” she says to me. “You’ll see me soon, for real.”
“Okay Maame,” I reply

She opens up her arms to give me a big hug
I open up my arms too and close my eyes in anticipation of her falling into my arms
Just when contact is made, I feel her body fizzle out
My heart skips a beat!
My eyes bolt open again!
I can’t believe what I’m seeing!!!
…
…
…

I stare blankly into the ceiling
With my alarm beeping noisily on the 6th snooze
“On no! Not again” I mutter to myself
“I’ll definitely be late today too.”
-De-Graft, 2018