7:17pm. A random day in October, 2011
Afi smelt the rain. Why does it rain in times when you need the sun the most? There is something about the unexpected and unwanted. It’s like God wants to show you the magic you don’t know you need. It’s how He tells us of the beauty of infinite possibilities. Afi was late as usual but the thing is, she wasn’t a few seconds ago. She picked up her worn out shoes and ran out of the building.
Z: Ah baybay, why are you running in this weather?
Afi: Mtchew, I don’t own a cellphone
Z: (bursting into a hearty laugh) What does that have to do with it?
Afi: I couldn’t tell the time and couldn’t ask my friend to hold up the PVTA for me. Never has a cellphone been all I need.
Z: Breathe. Just breathe. Where are you going?
Afi: To a gospel concert. Around the corner. By the time this bus gets there, I would have missed half of the show. Mtchew. I don’t know if I should just give up but I have been looking forward to this show this whole week.
Z: Ah, I’m sorry love. Don’t give up. There is a reason why you wanted to go.
Afi: I guess. I just don’t know where exactly it is so my friends were going to help me. Ha, none of them stayed behind or messaged to find out where I was. Where are you going?
Z: To study with a friend. I’ll be sleeping over
Afi: Eh, is that so?
Laughter. They both knew why this tickled them so much. Different accents, different goals for the night but one shared love for each other. It was like they had known each other for a long time but they just didn’t know. This was friendship. And laughter. And sisterhood. And it was not a secret.
Afi: What is your name again?
Z: Haha, acting like you already asked me. Forming like the people in this place
Afi: You know. I forgot that your sister is the one to always call you out. To bring you back home
Z: Tracy, and you are Seyiram. Ha, you have said it so many times whilst complaining about cellphones.
Afi walked back to the bus when she got to the campus because she didn’t know where the concert was. Z walked to her friend’s dormitory. They said goodbye to each other but walked away smiling. They both knew finding each other that night was the purpose of the night. Afi looked up at God and said ‘Once again, you show the beauty of the unexpected. You showed me the beauty of You’. She didn’t know when she’ll see Z again because she didn’t get her phone number or last name. But then again, when did that stop what was meant to be?
I wrote this a while ago when reflecting on some of the most divine moments of my life. Meeting my friend Zisiga that night was definitely one of those moments. I’m just grateful because this woman has been nothing but a light in my life.
Happy Birthday Z. Oh how I love you so!
