When I was a child, I had always seen and heard the bell tingling. Most especially when it's the Christmas period like this. Then, I had no idea what Christmas was. I listened to the bell, and always enjoyed listening to it.
My parents were average in terms of finance. They have little just to cater for me and my siblings. Anytime it's December, we always forget the fact that December 25th is approaching. Although, the only time we had to eat rice was just during the December period.
It has not been so loud in my domain, but outside, Christmas is something everyone wants to experience. As I grew to become a young girl. I started school and this was when Christmas was valued in my life.
One day in school, I was given an essay to write on how I spent my Christmas. I was not too sure of what to write on as I don't really have an idea on how I spent it compared to my friends who lived in a glass house. They had a lot to say. Even the only day we had to eat rice, the rice was not available. Being a young girl, I had nothing truthful to say other than tell out the false stories. To me, that's how the essay was and is supposed to be.
It means that the only day we have to eat rice was when we heard the jungling of the bell reminding us that Christmas is at the corner. So, when I later proceeded to secondary school, things changed a bit. We ignored the fact that Christmas would be the only day to eat rice and face the reality of life. So, the giggling of the bell was not a big deal, but what matters was the season.
One day, I had to travel to the city to visit my Uncle. He was wealthy and has all it takes to take care of everyone in his house. He had two kids, Essie and Ello. They were so happy seeing me in their house. They welcomed me so well. Essie was the youngest and can play for Africa. He loves listening to music. In particular, he was a fan of cool and calm songs popularly known as evergreen music.
I only went there to spend the holiday with them. They had taken Christmas as everything unlike those in the villages. I'm used to the village style of behaving when it comes to Christmas and any form of celebration.
It's drawing closer to 25th of December, everywhere and all the gates to each estates were decorated with sounds of “jingle Bell gingle Bell gingle always”. Hearing this made me believe that Christmas was at hand. Essie was playing this song that got her carried away as we were on our way to buy some food stuff including the Christmas chicken. The market was so busy and she put on her ear pod. We were ahead of her. When we got to a Frozen shop, we asked the dealer if she had the big turkey. I looked back but I could not find Essie. I tried to look around but saw no one that looked like her. I told her elder sister and we began the search.
We searched and asked people by describing her nature and stature, yet no one seemed to know her. We went to the first shop we had gotten to before this present one, the lady said we both left together.
We began a deep search and this time I had to pick up my phone to reach my Uncle, her dad. The distance from the house to the market was a little far. One must drive a few kilometers before getting to the market. I asked him if Essie had gotten home, but he responded “what kind of question was that? Didn't you leave home at the same time to the same market and to buy the same thing?”
His countless responses to my question scared me. I had to tell him the truth about Essie being missing. The only question he asked was to give her elder sister the answer to where to find Essie. “Is there anywhere in the market the song "Jingle Bell "or any Christmas song is being played?” I kept quiet a bit and heard the sound. I answered”yes”.
Then Ello quickly recalled a scene that was similar to this last Christmas. We ran to where the Christmas song was being played and behold Father Christmas was right there sharing gifts and tingling the bell while the crowd began to sing the song “jingle Bell jingle Bell jingle always….”. We looked around and sighted Essie. She had removed her ear pod as she was smiling, feeling excited in the midst of the crowd.
A few minutes later, my uncle called and asked if we had located her. I had to tell him “yes” as he warned us not to go with her never again to the market.
“Why and how did you hear the sound of a Christmas song being played when you were wearing an ear pod?” I asked.
She said she did not increase the sound of the song he was playing.
This was how we were relieved and we bought the turkey and headed home.
I love how you contrasted village Christmas with city Christmas, It felt very real and grounded in lived experience, even though its been years since I went to my own village.