"My parents are moving to England. I will come back and marry you. Bye for now" - Joy Isi Bewaji

I think I was born fully fledged.

I didn't play in the rain. I played with sand though. Made plenty soups with empty Bournivta tins all by myself.

As a child I was always by myself even when I had people around. I talked to myself a lot. I think my folks thought I was a bit abnormal.

Nothing exceptional happened. Nothing tragic. I had the most ordinary growing-up with good parents.

I was the head of the Debating Society in Primary 5.I would close from school and walk to my mother's shop.

I am glad my parents didn't make me "suffer" for their separation. I legit enjoyed having two homes. When my mum upset me, I'd go stay with my dad.


I had zero curiosity. I was very out-of-touch. I didn't want to know anything I had no business knowing. You couldn't woo me with biscuits or whatever. I was hardly ever impressed by anything.


I didn't abuse my parents' separation. I could have been sneaking away for weekends with guys (when I was an older teen) without their full knowledge, but nothing like that ever appealed to me. There were no phones, and I was trusted. Especially by my mum. I am glad I didn't let her down so badly.


I was crazy about meatpies but children were usually denied what they wanted the most. Now I can't even stand the sight of it for too long.


Mum would buy stuff, put them in her wardrobe until there were too small for me to wear. I was always so angry about that.


I didn't have friends. And I didn't care for any.


Mum had a close friend then who visited with her two daughters. We would play. Then I would get tired of them around, and wish they would go home so I could be alone.


In primary six, after our last exams, the hottest boy in school who sat at the back seat, and whose voice we only had the privilege to hear when he laughed with his friends after class...


Wrote me a love letter.


I was 10 and "graduating" from primary six.


We never spoke the entire time we were in school. I was the girl in glasses leading the Debating team. He was the cool guy.


The letter was found and sent to the Maths teacher - a Ghanaian bully. He summoned me. Read it out loud in the presence of two other excited classmates.


It wasn't risqué. In the long letter was a simple request:


"My parents are moving to England. I will come back and marry you. Bye for now"


The teacher looked at me, he wore an uncomfortable smile.


"Please where is he?" I asked. I didn't care.


"Why are you asking me? You are lucky you have graduated. I would have punished the two of -"


I didn't even wait to hear his drivel. I left. Ran actually. Checked around the school. Looked around the neighbourhood. Hired one classmate still loitering the premises to help me find him.


He was gone.


He was an Igbo boy. Chibu-something. Can't remember. Hot brown leather.


I thought about him with a smile for an entire year before heading to boarding school.


I hope life has been kind to him.