This thread touches my heart.
Some few years back... kwa life la manati, nikawa nimehitimu O level. Matokeo yakatoka, nikachaguliwa kujoin A level kwenye shule fulani iliyopo pale Tabora mjini.
Tarehe ya kuripoti skonga ikafika. Ramani bado haijakaa mkao. Unga unga hapa na pale, nikapata nauli tu. Ada bado channel hazisomi. Nikakata shauri kuwa niende tu shule, ada itafuata.
Siku ya safari ikawadia. Saa 10 alfajiri nipo hewani, jicho kodoo... siku hiyo hata sikupata usingizi, shauku ya kusafiri na kwenda kuanza maisha ya 'boding' ilitawala mtima wangu na Wizara yangu ya kichwa.
11:30 sharp nipo stendi. Nina nauli tu mfukoni. Saa 8 alasiri tukashuka makao makuu ya Nchi na chama... Dodoma! Nina njaa na kiu si ya nchi hii. Nikanunua maji ndogo Uhai nikatuliza koo. Fasta nikaulizia gari la kwenda Tabora.... nikaoneshwa zilipo. Nikajongea pale, mbele yangu naziona Bus kadhaa zikiita abiria. Zikanivutia bus mbili... moja ni NBS Bus nyuma imeandikwa 'Tabora Kwetu'. Nyingine nyuma imeandikwa 'Mboka Manyema'.
I boarded the NBS Bus 'Tabora Kwetu'. Hapa ndiyo kuna mtu baki (a stranger) ambaye huwa sisahau wema wake.
Safari ikaanza. Nimekaa pembeni ya mdada, ni mchangamfu. Mtu wa Urambo. Kufika porini maeneo ya Singida, around saa 2 hivi usiku, bus likaharibika! Aisee nina njaa ya hatari sana muda huo. Nikashuka chini kwenda nje kupunga upepo, almost abiria wote wameshuka chini na story za hapa na pale, Suka & kondakta wanaendelea kurekebisha gari huku wakipakwa mbovu na abiria. Kufika pale chini, kumbe yule mdada ameshahisi nina njaa. Naye akashuka na kuja pale nilipo, akaniuliza "vipi husikii baridi hapa nje? hujabeba hata sweta"? Nikamjibu usijali dada, ni tumbo tu ndiyo nasikia linauma. Aisee yule mdada akapanda kwenye gari na kurudi chini akiwa amebeba kihotpot kidogo, na maji ya chupa. Akaniambia tukae chini tule. Ilikuwa ni kuku wa kukaanga, tamu to the fullest! Daah this lady touched my heart kwakweli.
Saa 7 usiku hivi ndiyo tunaingia stendi ya Tabora mjini. Tukashuka pale, nikamshukuru sana na nikamuuliza shule fulani ipo maeneo gani? Akanijibu ilipo ila akashauri ni risk kwenda usiku, na hakuna wa kunipokea muda huo pale shuleni. Akasema yeye safari yake bado, anaenda urambo, ila kwa usiku huo hakuna usafiri, so analala hapo town. Mie nikaanza kama kusisitiza tu niende shule nikapokelewe hata na mlinzi, the point is sikuwa na hela ya kulala guest. Nakumbuka yule mdada akafungua mkoba wake akanipa Tsh elfu 5, akanambia shuleni sio mbali ila kwavile ni mida mibovu nichukue taxi. Tukaagana pale, nikasema 'Ahsante' nyingi sana zenye adabu ilotukuka. Sikuwaza hata kumuomba namba ya simu coz sikuwa na simu. Akaita taxi, nikamsaidia kupandisha mizigo yake, akateleza!
Nami nikaita taxi. Nikaanza kusaundisha as if ni mwenyeji napoenda. Hapo nishaipigia mahesabu hiyo buku 5 kwamba niamke nayo asubuhi kuanza maisha mapya at skonga. Dereva taxi akataka buku 3, nikasema baridi, twen'zetu. Tukala mguu wa kuku, haooo kuelekea skonga. Hapo ni usiku mkubwa mida ya wanga! Kweli nilipokelewa na mlizi, tukaenda dormitory akanipa kitanda kimoja kilichokuwa wazi nikauchapa. Asubuhi kumekucha nina buku mbili mfukoni, freeesh. Saa nne asubuhi mara nasikia kengele kuuubwa linagongwa, nauliza ni nini, naambiwa ni mida ya uji. Wadau mbio mbio na vikombe/bakuli/visado mkononi. Nami nikaunga tela, hakuna kushangaa. Nafika kwenye foleni nasikia sauti kavu ya Mwalimu wa zamu: "Kwa wale wa form five... kama bado hujawa registered, haruhusiwi kupata uji wala kula chakula cha shule. Usijisumbue kukaa foleni, nishagawa kadi (koponi). Afu form five wote mlojisajiri leo, baada ya kunywa uji muende kufuata kuni, gari (tiper Jiefang) lipo pale Administration Block linawasubiri.. " nikajisemea moyoni duuh ama kweli maisha ya boarding noma, mtoto wa mama bora usome day Bongo DarSlum. Basi nikaenda canteen, ile buku mbili ilosalia ikasimamia shoo na kunilinda siku hiyo.
Maisha yakaendelea pale skonga. Mwaka ukapita. Nikaingia form Six. Siku moja mida ya mchana nipo na washkaji chini ya kivuli cha mti tunapata lunch... kitu dona, harage tatu mchuzi kisado! Nakumbuka was weekend. Mara gafla nasikia naitwa kuwa kuna mgeni wangu. Nanyanyuka na bakuli langu la ugali kuelekea kwenye guests guarden, namuona yule mdada wa kwenye safari. Daaamn, sikuamini macho yangu. Kashikilia kiparcel chenye machungwa na ndizi, na mche wa sabuni. Seriously kuna machozi ya furaha yakaanza kunilengalenga machoni mwangu. Sikuamini kabisa if I was still in her mind. I was so deeply touched, sio kwa vile kaniletea mazagazaga, ni kwa vile she still remembers me after a year to perish since our encounter. Kumbe siku ilee kwenye bus wakati namtajia jina langu na combi nilochaguliwa alinote.
Baada tu ya kusalimiana, nakumbuka kauli yake: "umepungua mdogo wangu, ila vumilia tu na kazana kusoma, ndiyo maisha. Naamini hapa shule unajifunza mengi". Tukaongea mengi na kuchukua namba yake, by that time tayari nishapata simu.
Tangia siku hiyo till todate hatujaonana tena na huyu mpendwa.
Towards completion of my A level, nilimualika na kumuomba aje kwenye gradu yangu japo aniveshe ua na tupige picha za ukumbusho. She cordially confirmed to attend the event. But too sad, closer to gradu day she informed me that hataweza kuhudhuria coz she had undergone miscarriage. She was not okay. Daaah. Eventually nikafunga dirisha la Elimu yangu mjini Tabora. I left Mboka.
Days months years have passed sina mawasiliano na huyu dada mpendwa. Namba yake haipatikani nearly two years now. I don't know, I don't have a clue what happened to this samaritan lady.
Dada angu wa hiari Farida, much love to you out there wherever you might be. You were a total stranger who turned being my best friend & sister. You are sincerely appreciated. You were the first & only person to visit me as ndugu at the school. Your warm kindness embedded in my mind & heart always always always. Popote ulipo nakuombea kwa Mola akuongezee nuru na kukulinda na akuzidishie riziki.
Mdogo wako nipo DarSlum kwa sasa, kicking and hustling. Bado 'sijatusua', still at the scratch. Ila have put it down in my diary kwamba siku Mwenyezi Mungu akinifanyia wepesi, I will come back to Tabora for you dada Farida, just to give hug and tangible thanking.
This world is sick, but watu wema bado wapo jamani. I learnt!
God bless the Woman.
# unconditional love #
-Kaveli-