Imwani, Imwani, Imwani ... ndi Kufa?

Achifwamba a mumseu adalumikiza mfuti zamakina pazenera lagalimoto yanu ndipo, akagwidwa, amaphedwa pagombe, atamangiriridwa ku ngoma zamafuta. Pofuna kuletsa mchitidwe wa kuba m'misewu, kuphedwa kumeneku kunawonetsedwa pawayilesi yakanema. Ndinawona bambo wina akuvina ndikukuweyula pamene anali kupita kukaponyedwa; anali wokondwa kwambiri kukhala pa T.V. M'mabanki, mudadikirira pamzere kwa maola ambiri pokhapokha mutapereka "dash" - chiphuphu chofunikira chomwe chidapaka mafuta mawilo ndikupangitsa kuti zinthu ziziyenda mwachangu. Nthawi ina, pamene wolankhula ndi maofesi adandipatsa kapu yamadzi oundana, ndidachita mantha: Sindinkafuna kufera pamalo ochezera kubanki.

Ngakhale kuti Lagos inali yovuta komanso nkhawa yanga inali yayikulu kuposa maphunziro anga a SAT, ndimawakonda anthuwo. Azimayi awiri adaluka tsitsi langali loyera, labulaonde kuti alowe chimanga. Munthu yemwe amagona pansi kunja kwa nyumba yomwe ndimakhala adandiphunzitsa mawu am'deralo monga, "Sanasangalale ndi tsiku," zomwe zikutanthauza, "alipo ngati kuti kulibe." Idalongosola bwino momwe zimachitikira kucheza ndi munthu yemwe kunalibe, wosokonekera, kudziko lakwawo, kuwonongeka kapena kuponyedwa miyala.

Nditauza aphunzitsi achichepere ofatsa, achichepere kuti ndimayendetsa gulu loyeserera ku Switzerland, adandikumbatira ndikundipempha kuti ndikawonere zisudzo zakomweko. Ndinavomera asanamalize kuyitanidwa. Kunali panja, ndipo ochita sewerowo ankasewera pasiteji, pomwe omvera amakhala pamabenchi pa matebulo amitengo, kuyitanitsa zakumwa ndikucheza. Masewerowa anali osokoneza, pang'ono pang'ono, osasinthidwa. Ndinamvetsetsa pang'ono chabe, koma ndinatengeka ndi chisangalalo chosaneneka cha ochita zisudzo, ndimatchuthi awo oseketsa, oseketsa komanso kukokomeza pamachitidwe ena achinyengo.

Ndinakhala patebulo ndi anthu am'mudzimo, omwe anali kugwedezeka mokweza. Mmodzi wa iwo adayitanitsa vinyo wagwalangwa, ndipo tidamwa magalasi pambuyo pagalasi, ndikukula mopitilira muyeso. Nthawi ina, mphunzitsi yemwe amaoneka ngati wosungidwayo adayimirira pabenchi pomwe tidakhala, ndikuyamba kulumpha. Ndinagwira pampando ngati kuti ndinali pa bronco wotsalira.

Botolo lina la vinyo wamanjedza linafika patebulo, ndipo, ndikumwa mowa, ndidafunsa woperekera zakudya ngati vinyo wagwalayo anali wosakanikirana ndi chilichonse, chifukwa anali wamphamvu kwambiri. Iye anayankha kuti, "Inde, zasakanizidwa ndi madzi."

“Madzi apampopi?” Ndidafunsa.

“Inde, muphonye,” anayankha motero.

Zinali choncho. Ndikufuna kufa ndi kolera ku Lagos. Ndidazindikira kuti zitha kutenga masiku asanu kuti ndiwonetse, ndipo ndikadatani m'masiku omaliza amoyo angawa? Ndinatuluka m'malo osewerera, ndipo mwanjira inayake ndinapeza wina woti andiyendetse kunyumba. Ndinalembera makalata otsanzikana ndi anzawo omwe ndimawakonda, ndikuwauza kuti pofika nthawi yomwe adzapeze zida zanga, ndidzakhala nditapita kale. Ndinasiya kutuluka. Ndinadya paw paw (papaya) ndi mangos ndikulira kwambiri. Ndinali wamng'ono kwambiri kuti ndifa.

Masiku asanu anapita. Ndiye zisanu ndi chimodzi. Kupatula kutupidwa ndi zipatso, sindimafa.

Ndinali nditakhala pagome lomweli mu malo odyera aku Lebanoni ndipo wamalonda yemweyo adabwera. Momwe timatolera hummus, ndidamuuza kuti ndamwa vinyo wamchere ndi madzi apampopi. Anandiuza kuti ndinaberadi imfa, ndipo mwina zikutanthauza kuti ndidzakhala ndi moyo wosangalatsa.

Iye anali kulondola. Ndipo ndinali ndi ngongole yonse kumadzi apampopi ku Lagos.

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Judith Fein ndi mtolankhani wapaulendo wopambana mphotho ndipo wolemba wa Life IS A TRIP: The Transformative Magic of Travel. Izi ndizokhudza zomwe adakumana nazo zaka zapitazo, ndimadzi akumwa ali panjira.