GOOD ENOUGH!

GOOD ENOUGH!

Josephat S. Hema

He was my first friend,crazy one. As a new boy in the street and school,he was assigned a role to take care of me since he was just my next house neighbour. I can tell you this was kind of a punishment to him, his lifestyle was totally being disrupted. I saw him really disgusted each and every time he was forced to hold my hand. Listen,it was like this,Michael was such a naughty boy,he used to be a common late comer and he never stayed at school waiting for the last bell ring,never. Michael used to enjoy making troubles with girls and bullies to all weak boys in class. Whenever he played local football he used to cause injuries and fights during the rough and rule-free football game. He used to get dirty every day and sometimes tearing his uniform or losing his shoelaces, shoes, exercise books, pencils and the likes, He used to avoid her yelling mother when coming back from School. He never got settled at one place in class especially when the teacher was out,he was a common noise maker. Now let's describe me. I was a tender,mama's boy,used to stay at one place,never talk never play anything. I never thought of being late at school or anyhow escape before class hours. I used to take care of my uniforms and every little thing of mine as my mother ordered me. I was afraid of other pupils and loved teachers. Now that can tell you how difficult was it to take care of me. In many aspects we were each one's opposite.

I remember the first day my mother brought me to Michael's home,he was being nagged by her mother by coming home late with bloodstained school shirt and so he was explaining a lot of how he injured his friend by a nose punch during a fight, I was scared. And so his mother wanted to punish him, to his lucky we arrived and he got the unexpected freedom when my mother intervened. He was told to get bathed and come back as my mother and his were talking in vernaculars. When he came back it is when he was told on each and every responsibility he had to take from the next Monday morning. Walking up early, come to my home,  pick me up and going with me to school while holding my hand and making sure that I don't get lost by being beside me every time.He was shocked but maybe he thought the work was to be easier. We had time to talk while our mothers were talking beside. So he asked my name and what game I like, I told him that I like watching cartoons. I can tell you he didn't like me on the first day. unfortunately, we couldn't match on the first day, he showed me how acrobatically active he was and kept watching before my mother grabbed me and we left.

What happened next Monday was crazy, I thought he left me so my mother took me to his home finding him being chased to school by his mother. So he held my hand, we were late already. On the ways, he showed me all his playing fields and hiding places and I promised to tell no one. He also showed me the easier way to enter the school compound without being captured when you are late. We climbed up the wall and went down on the toilets side, so in the first day at school, I didn't use the normal gate. It was realized later by teachers and they punished him in front of me but he didn't cry as I would do. They suggested that he didn't fit to be my friend that I would learn nothing good from him. But I'm telling you our friendship was for a reason. Michael's life would change a lot. At first, he wished to show me all the ways and then leave me to continue with his normal lifestyle but he stayed for one reason. I was every day being given 100 hundred shillings at home,50 for him and 50 for me and so he wouldn't let this chance go. At last, he used to come early at school, stopped bullies and noise making because I used to stop him. He also stopped making fouls in football as I also started playing. We also used to attend Sunday School Children masses in church together and I stopped him using the offering money for buying candies. He was at first not comfortable with me for that but at last, he agreed after promising to give him one each Sunday from my mother's shop.

We developed some common interests, however. We liked climbing trees and called ourselves Chimpanzees, eating raw mangoes, making kites, killing lizards, chasing butterflies, singing in Children's Church Choir, playing hide and seek, scaring girls and laughing at them, fishing in seasonal ponds, walking in rain, drawing cartoons and reading Children books to mention few. That was how Childhood showed the best part of our Friendship.

We gladly passed our Primary School exams and went to the same Secondary School. Michael grew taller so fast and started losing interest in Football. He then turned to Basketball and made new friends in the game when I was gradually losing interest in Football due to loneliness before I turned to play Music Instruments and Poetry. Our lives then revolved in two different Worlds of interests. We even couldn't study together for I majored in Science and Michael majored in Economics. He also developed the interest in Rap Music. We finally made it in our O level and fortunately, Michael got a fully funded Scholarship to study at Jeppe Boys High School in Johannesburg because of his Basketball talent. He developed and became a genius in it when we were pursuing our O level studies. He had a combination of all killing skills and physic. He got 7 feet tall and played as a power forward.He had good offensive stamina as well as man-to-man defense. He could easily dribble past the strong defense and shot as if no one else is playing, his shoots were never easily blocked due to his speed and he had accurate lay-up and slam dunk shots that would let the opponents hopelessly watch the Basketball falling through a hoop. He occasionally had some Circus shots that made him famous. They called him Jordan.

Ever since our Worlds started differing I was suffering from nostalgia. Our perfect Childhood made me feel like we had to go back, I wish it stayed that way forever, but it was impossible anyway. Michael seemed to enjoy his other side. I was happy to see him enjoying his success.We hugged bitterly and said goodbye before his flight left, I told him that I wish and pray to see something bigger than Michael Jordan, I told him that he was better than that. He wished me well in my Science journey. He added that I should closely watch his crush,Lina because he would come back to marry her after becoming a Basketball Superstar, I asked for payment as a Security guide and We laughed.

Two years passed without his whereabouts and I was worrying. His parents couldn't tell me anything.I wished to tell him about the Scholarship I received to Study Aerocraft Engineering in China, I also couldn't wait to see how higher he had risen to Success.I tried to search his name in internet and  could only saw his name in the Scholarship program as well as Jeppe School admission.I got so sad when my days to leave Tanzania was approaching and nothing about Michael was heard.

One Sunday morning I came from Church and my mother broke me into tears.He told me the whole story of how Michael got addicted to Crack and later on turned to drug trafficking and robbery in the foreign land.He was caught in attempt to bring the drugs in Tanzania and then he was put under security for further court trials.I ran to his home to find more details so that I could see him because I was leaving the next day for Guangzhou.

But I didn't see him,the police officers gave me a wrapped huge Bible that they found Michael with,it was glittering and looked expensive,they handed it to me saying that it was to be given to me and then chased me away.I went at home confused and unwrapped it finding a shabby written piece of paper.I closed my eyes and cried bitterly.

The next day in my flight I opened the Bible and read the piece of paper over and over.

I believe in human goodness found in each one's soul.Everyone is good enough regardless of whatever we happen to be doing.We have our good parts intact,somewhere in our hearts,calling us now and then to listen and act accordingly,we always know what good things we are supposed to do but don't due to different reasons.Michael,whom no one would be convinced to believe that he is a good person, was the one to bring me the newest Revised King James Bible and put on the inspiring message in my life.He wrote this way;

Haai Chimp.

Hoe gaan dit met jou?

Don't get scared it's just a bit of Afrikaans greetings.

I believe in this Holy book besides all the books we have ever read. All the times it has been the reference of all your goodness. Even though we grew and read it in hearts together, it had been so obvious that you were more serious than I and it made you better. I might look worse now but I encourage you to stay good, i will always be proud of you. The World needs good people like you for it loses good people every day like what happened to me. If possible be a part to make more good people like you and convert bad ones like Mike, please. Asseblief!

I believe in your God-given capabilities. You will the best wherever you are going to be.

Sterktel!(Goodluck!)

Regards,

Tall Chimp.