Alicia ran towards Mama Gloria in widespread arms. She wore an excited face beaming in happiness, laughter, and curiosity.
She had waited in front of the verandah since her dad dropped her. She refused to go into the house unless she sees her ever-loving adorable granny. Bukunmi the housemaid had implored her to come inside the house and have a drink but she refused.
She had learned to be hospitable to visitors after mama scolded her harshly and denied her of a month's salary. This was because she 'ill-treated' some elders who came visiting from the village. She didn't serve kola nut neither did she serve gin. The elders remarked badly after they returned.
Mama heard about that and according to her principles, she had her way of getting back at every bullshit.
Alicia brought out her 'Common Entrance Solution' textbooks and started to revise it to while away time.
"Auntie Bukunmi, where do Eskimos live?" She asked inquisitively to a Bukunmi who paid little attention.
"I have no idea, maybe a cottage or something."
Alicia burst into laughter.
She laughed to an extent Bukunmi felt slightly embarrassed.
"I don't think that's funny, don't Eskimos live in cottages?"
Alicia burst into laughter again. This time, uncontrollably.
"Hehehe, that was so soo off point." She chuckled.
"Eskimos live in ice-built igloos"
She replied with some sort of pride.
"Coooool, well I'm not an Eskimo"...
"Who made the telephone?"
"I think that shoulda been.. 'who invented the telephone?' I think that should be Thomas Edison. I've heard many people say he failed a thousand times doing that and succeeded at a final attempt."
Alicia laughed. This time, she was hitting her chest like a monkey in the jungle. Tears dripped out of her right eye because she had laughed too much.
"Auntie Bukunmi, what school did you attend?"
"You must be naughty" she tried to fake a smile. She knew she definitely missed the question.
"The man that invented the telephone was Alexander Graham Bell oooo. The telephone inventory patent was granted to Bell on March 7, 1876. Thomas Edison was the man who invented the light bulb and discovered 999 ways not to make the bulb. Now here's the mix-up. In 1876, Thomas invented a carbon microphone which produced a strong TELEPHONE signal."
Bukunmi was astonished. She was baffled at the exhibit of intelligence from an eight-year-old. She knew things she didn't know at the age of 22!
She tried not to allow that to make her feel less of herself.
"Omo olowo (Rich man's child)" she thought.
"After all, her parents have the money to send her to one of these big schools where they have crazy facilities to enhance learning. What do you expect? My parents are presently in the village either trying to fell firewood for sale or on some other kind of hustle. My father would probably be on a palm wine tree tapping from his only source of income and survival. They would start calling me next week to send them money. The money that I wasn't paid." She hissed.
"Auntie Bukunmi, who was the first man to ..."
"Don't ask me any questions any longer" she interrupted her. "Let me be, please. Excuse me of your rudeness" she added, pissed off.
Alicia knew she had offended her.
"Being knowledgeable is no room to insult or look down at your elderly ones" she said to herself.
She even had the guts to ask what school she went to. All these dawned guilt upon Alicia. She was self-convicted she was wrong and was feeling sorry already.
She stood from the bench and headed towards the entrance to go apologize to Bukunmi. Suddenly, she heard the loud blaring of the car horn from the gate.
"Granny!!!" She jumped with her arms thrown into the air in excitement.
Mama Gloria gently shot out her left leg she alighted. She paused a little, displaying her red classy Luis Vuitton heels in the process. Her driver opened the rear door for her. She was elegant, a woman in her eighties. She had wrinkles on some parts of her face. Eyebags hanged beneath her eyes and the stretched lines on her forehead shrunk. in spite all these, she was still pretty for a person of her age. She was presentable and Selena took a striking resemblance from her. No wonder, like mother like daughter!
Mama's fashion was still on freak. She never allowed old age to have a say on her swag. She wore a red shiny jumpsuit on a black turtle neck coupled with a black London skirt and red heels. She was so hot. Her fashion was so irresistible. She was in vogue. No wonder, she was a huge fan of Fashion TV. She always snapped pictures of models on her favorite television show. She always aspired to rock different styles and attires she saw on her next occasions.
"My Alice" Mama opened her arms wide to receive her granddaughter with a warm hug.
"I've missed you," said Mama
She was so overwhelmed by the love for her granddaughter.
She wished she could be in her arms forever.