Arts
Jimmy and I pass; pretending ignorance of each other
Hajji Ashraf’s Literacy series
“Hajji Ashraf, you can’t believe a girl from Kiwani delivered her baby from Kololo Hospital. The bill was UGX 1.7 million. Pastor cleared everything. That is how God works. Amen.
We stopped when I got at Pyne Yard was that Jimmy had unceremoniously disappeared, cutting off all his contacts, Kizito, the Pine Yard guy. All this time, Jimmy had enjoyed the fruits of Martha, who was a virgin to his satisfaction, who later found herself pregnant. Let us proceed:
“Hajji Ashraf, at first when the man told me that ‘Muwala, baakufera’ (Girl, you were coned), I thought he was joking; maybe because he was laughing.
“Another one added: ‘Girl, dayo osome bitabo byo Jimmy mwerabire. Gwe wawedde.’ (Girl, go back, forget Jimmy and read your books. For you are finished.) All of the men who were there in a group of ten, or more, taking tea and porridge in mugs, just laughed at me uncontrollably. I felt very very small. Another one shouted calling a Kaggwa to tell me the truth.
“To my surprise, Kaggwa was the one I knew as Kizito. I got completely confused and decided to leave and go back to the hostel. I thought I would get Jimmy in church and report him to the pastor, but he never appeared again.
“When three weeks later I realized that I was pregnant, I thought of abortion, but I had no money and our final exams were in a month’s time. I imagined meeting my Dad, Lyagoba of Kiwani and my step-mother with my pregnancy, and cried the whole week. I decided to meet my pastor and tell him the whole story. It is through this Muzungu pastor that God saved me.
“Hajji Ashraf, obulamu bwali bunsinye; nga nyenda kufa bufi (I only wanted to die). He counseled me and advised me to keep the baby. He promised to cater for my upkeep.
“Hajji Ashraf, I settled and concentrated in books. I made sure nobody in the hostel and at campus suspected me. I finished my course with a Second Upper degree. I worked at the church after my exams and kept my pregnancy away from Dad and Mom until after I delivered. I stayed in a church house around Kampala suburbs.
“Hajji Ashraf, you can’t believe a girl from Kiwani delivered her baby from Kololo Hospital. The bill was UGX 1.7 million. Pastor cleared everything. That is how God works. Amen.
“Mom and Dad saw my son on the graduation day. Because l was not doing badly, they didn’t bother the father, first. But they were happy for their grandson.
“The graduation was organized by the pastor’s wife. I was her darling among the church members. After two years the Pastor and his wife sent me out to UK for my Masters degree.
“I’ve met Jimmy on the streets of Kampala several times and he pretends not to know me. I inquired a lot about him. He has ever been in Police and Prison cells. I once saw his picture in a paper wanted for car robbery. It is good for me that he doesn’t know that I have his child.
“I’m happily married but a bit sad that I told my son that your dad is dead; when he is alive. And I don’t expect ever to change my mind to forgive that goon – ever. My kid is a son of the church. Period.
“Today, after 14 years since I met Jimmy in church, his son is a member of the church choir that has traveled the world. He is in S.2 in a very good school. For me I am a Civil Servant, a Commissioner in this Ministry of ….”
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