DREAMS

Its been almost a year I decided to try this out, this blogging thing and its been all I hoped and more and even though I did not think I would write another blogpost this year, I had a dream and it moved me to try. 

Around this time of the year, my very moody persona becomes more so in a bid to reflect as deeply as it can on the year ending and try to use that as fodder for stirring myself to action in the new year. I ALWAYS need stirring. 

The reason is not farfetched, I am very self-involved (I remember saying that to a friend and she bristled) but what I mean by this is that I rarely engage on things that I feel are not my concern or not within my immediate purview or that I cannot do justice.

Anyway, I had this dream and it should have scared me, but it led me to thinking of relationships and how they are and why they are the way they are.

Here I was driving merrily to run errands and I needed to take this side road and I do, but as I do, I realise how rough and rocky a road it is and I am already telling myself this will require immense patience and all of my navigational skills. I spy an old model Toyota ahead of me and I slow down. Then I realise its reversing and already, I am shaking my head cos this is a very very narrow road. I am contemplating reversing but going backwards will do some damage to my car so I back down and to the side as much as I can. 

I remember the car coming at me being golden brown and mine being blue. While waiting for this car to do this manoeuver, I remember hearing giggles and trying to do a head count of those in the car, I counted 4 young ladies in NYSC uniform and one or two of them with hijabs on. All of this did not bother me as should be. They have as much right to use the roads as I. Next thing I know, they ram into me on the drivers' side, totally smashing that side of my car. 

The next thing that occurs seems surreal to me because once they ram into me, they keep going, giggling and its then I realise there's more to this than ordinary. I watch them slow down after separating both cars and do a slow down like they were going to come down to assess the damage. At this point, I am trying to get out of my car but discover the damage makes it hard to open my driver's side door. I am watching through my rear view mirror as they then pick up speed & careen down the road  at great speed. 

I'd been holding my phone in my hand when they rammed into me and I'd watched it scatter into its component parts on the floor in front of me after contact with the steering wheel. I managed to get out of the car from the passenger side and sprint after the car. I approached it as these four young ladies were exiting their car, obviously aware of what just went down & now (to my mind) determined to flee. I watch (stupefied) as they scrambled out of their car and down some precarious steps into a room, giggling all the way.

I make my way down said stairs and knock on the door of the room. No sounds, none, whatsoever. An old lady then comes out and asks what I want and I tell her my car had just been hit by a car and four girls who came out of the car had entered that room. She shook her head as if in pity and she said to me in Yoruba, 'ayo lo man pa eniyan'. I totally agree cos by this time, I was ready to break down the door and wring each one of their necks but I knew better. 

I ask the woman to please stand guard because I needed to get something from my car and would be back. I make my way back to my car which I had remembered to lock before leaving because it appeared to be a dodgy neighbourhood and saw a huge crowd peering into my car. They appeared to have heard the loud clash of metal on metal and were making sure no-one was trapped inside. Bless!

I opened the front passenger door and reached for a folder and bits and pieces of my phone. I manage to assemble my phone and begin taking pictures. I even made a video recording of a young man who seemed to have witnessed all that transpired as he narrated to others at the scene. He said it would be a good idea to try and push back some parts of the car that had been dented so as not to do more damage before I leave the scene. I agreed and he set to work with some mechanics who had then miraculously appeared.

I sat down and began to write;

Dear girls,

I watched with disbelief as you rammed into my car on this day, 31/12/2012 at about 9:30am on ------street all the while laughing like it does not matter. Well, I just want you to be aware of the issues involved so you can understand the consequences. I had my phone with me when you rammed me and it is no longer in the state I like it to be, so you have bought my phone for 88,000 naira. My car is also no longer in the condition I like my cars to be in and its all your fault, so you also have purchased my dear car at 3.8million naira. The emotional trauma I have experienced at your expedition is too costly to put a price on, but I will try, an undervalued sum of 10million naira will ease some of my pain at being rammed, laughed at and having to find the culprits. The gifts in the 'boot' of the car were to be delivered to friends, family and business associates, they will be conservatively valued at about 300000 naira and you will find them parked outside your door. This note serves as an invoice to you, a notice of intent to sue to the Police, a claims note to my solicitor (and husband) and a copy of an agreement reached by you four girls and I. All negotiations are now concluded and your laughter signifies agreement to these terms. Your receipt of a copy indicates your consent at this time. Within the next fourteen days of the new year, all the terms will be fully satisfied and any contact between both parties shall cease but failure to meet all terms of this contract within the stipulated time will attract a percentage increase in stated terms. Its been nice doing business with you,

signed, myself

cc :Nigeria Police

Office of the Attorney General of the state

Hubby's legal firm

Mama (who lives here)

Young man (who witnessed entire accident)

I slip this letter under the door (in my dream, its been photocopied, don't ask me how!) and I hand the woman who stood by me a copy as I make to leave. She smiles at me and nods in approval and we both turn around as the girls come out of the room, all ashen-faced, dropping to their knees. 'Please ma, ah! My father will kill me' said the first. The next one said 'I was not the one driving, ma' and I could not stop a giggle from escaping from me. I keep walking and they are now frantically begging and one of them begins to cry. I return to my car and open up the boot to a collective gasp from the thinning out crowd as they peer in to see hampers filled mostly with rich wines all broken and spilling all over bags of rice and other packs of similar food items. I noticed that one of the girls is following but not saying much or showing any emotion. 

And then I am awake! Darn! I want to go back to sleep but try as I do, sleep has said its final goodbye, for the moment, at least. When I do go back to sleep, its a different dream, this one with my two closest friends in it and I am still upset cos I would have liked to see where that other  dream led. 

I pondered  on my relationships from that time on and I just realised I am so blessed all over again. I have come in contact with people really and virtually, that my very self-absorbed persona could never have found if not for the internet and I am so thankful for each one.

In 2012, I have explored the fringes of madness and remained sane, spoken words through mouths of doppelgangers & remained me. I have collided with who I am while running from who I used to be and again, I come to the conclusion of my blessedness.

When the good book said you shall be blessed at home & in the field, I know I have been. When it says blessed when you go out and when you come in, I can relate, cos I have been. When it declares, all the works of your hand shall be blessed, I feel like its speaking proprietarily of me!

In 2013, I trust in God's unfailing goodness and grace to keep blessing me & ask for help to understand the reasons for all blessings.......to be a blessing!

To all who read me, here or elsewhere, who comment or just savour, who learn from me, good or bad, who engage or not, this one post is to tell you how much of a blessing you are and how great your influence has been on me, thank you very plenty!!!