LOVE FOR CASSOCK

LOVE FOR CASSOCK.
A tall young gentleman swung off the bus terminal and walked hurriedly up the first dusty street. He was an extremely handsome catholic priest. He had strong, well chiseled features, curled hair and fine and attractive eyes. He walked with assurance as if this was something he had planned years ahead. As he had driven himself into sacred duty, he planned to do this before leaving for missionary work. He cast a cursory look up the street, and gosh! She was coming towards his direction. She still seemed to be like the angel she had been to him. The same light movement as if her feet had wings. The same fat cheek and the same grace of movement. She had a protruding belly. His heartbeat quickened as she got closer. The hug was that old soothing one with both hands rubbing his back. She had forgotten that he was in cassock. The look in her ever sexy eyes seemed so genuine that his initial plans for distant courtesy vanished. For a moment, he could only gaze at her glowing beauty and admire how beautifully she has grown, as she spoke, “I’ve missed you. Where have you been?” Conrad saw this as very sarcastic but gathered enough courage and answered, “In the seminary”. Suddenly he was himself again. “Aboagyewaa, I came to finish what we started some years back on KNUST campus”. Memories of yesteryears out of the blue flashed across Aboagyewaa’s mind and she felt like passing out. Conrad Villars and Aboagyewaa Marfo were course mates in school. Their first day in class, she gave him a smile, he returned it and that was how one of the most captivating love stories on campus began. Had Shakespeare been alive during this age, he would rethink writing another love story about this thin, fair gentleman and that dark, fat damsel, far enhanced than the legendry Romeo and Juliet. Like the pulling down of the twin towers, Conrad realized it too late that h wouldn’t be able to marry the nicest woman ever in his life. Ohyiren Kankam, a school mate of Conrad, came from nowhere promising Aboagyewaa more than Disney world. By the time Conrad realized that it was not a dream, Ohyiren was gone with his love. He then resolved that, if he has lost her, then he will turn to the seminary for solace. He knew his mother will never forgive him or such a decision, but he will not be able to love any other woman. He left campus in the middle of his second year. Every attempt by Aboagyewaa to get in touch landed on hard rocks. Exactly two years after that, she got married to Ohyiren and is now pregnant. She came out of her trance of a sort. He continued, “I am departing for my station in Uganda. But when I looked the fact in the face, I might not be coming back. I found that there was one person I wanted to bid goodbye. There was one person I wanted I wanted to see for the last time and that is the only lady I ever and will forever love and that is you”. Tears started trickling down her face. The only man she truly love, now a catholic priest had the impertinence to come and rekindle old love flames. She broke into uncontrollable sobbing and started striking his chest, “why did you do that to me? You never proposed to me all those years. I thought that we would come together one day and here you are in cassock and here I am pregnant for another man. I thought you didn’t love me after all. I thought I loved the wrong person , but I still had hope that one day…..” the sobbing seem to choke her very words. Conrad couldn’t hold back the tears as they reluctantly filtered down his cheeks. He was heart-broken himself. He didn’t get the courage to propose to his only sweetheart. He didn’t know the attraction could get stronger after all these years. All his life, Conrad has been self righteous and promised not to hurt anyone. But now, Aboagyewaa is hurt. His mother is also hurt. Above all, he is also hurt because he was human enough to love a woman but not man enough to propose and fight for his treasure. Separation has made their love keener, time has consolidated it. Maybe it wasn’t his for the keeping. Maybe the seminary was his place of service. But now, he can only love his priesthood and not his charming fairy. The End.
Written by: COURAGE AHIATI

I AM SCARED

I am scared.
I am scared of the world I live in. It has become a perilous world.
I am scare of the people I walk with. They have become venomous snakes.
I am scared of the friends I talk to. They have become gossips overnight.
I am scared of my religion. Intruders have taken over.
I am scared of my community. It has become contagious.
I am scared of my school. Bad influence rules.
I am scared of my country. We have lost focus and are aimless.
I am scared of my brother. He is full of envy.
I am scared of my sister. She is full of hatred.
I am scared of my leaders. They are extortionists.
I am scared of my girlfriend. She will break my heart tomorrow
I am scared of myself. I am scared to fail.
I am scared of my generation. We are all scary folks.

Written on 2nd July, 2009. By Courage Ahiati.