MYSTERIES AND STREET INSPIRATIONS

by Deborah AKong (Uganda)

I didn't expect to find Spain

Every night i dreamt, sometimes i had nightmares, other days i was at Super Bowl rubbing shoulders with Michelle Obama. This particular night, I had a presidential glimpse. I was in an airplane. Yes! Where i come from, we believe planes are for only presidents, but nevertheless we dare to dream. "Akong! the day has started." It was my mother's usually call for morning chores. You can imagine the frustration i had, knowing it wasn't an air hostess tapping me for a sip of fine wine. I was crushed but not bruised. I hoped again, i needed the presidential treat. December 26th 2018! A date with vivid memories. In my father's diary was a reminder. "Deborah's first flight. Unstoppable!" It was as if he needed to emphasize a curse was being broken. He had immaculately written it, way better than print, every letter seemed to be engraved with great mysteries. I knew my travel meant the world to him that i promised myself to have a double experience. "Eat life with a spade!" One for myself, and another for my dad. On the plane, Off to Spain! I fell in love, something i didn't see coming. I was in love with a white gentleman. As a woman of color, i didn't know what to expect on our first date, so i googled all night for mental preparation. I also tried to bribe God that he could paint us both pink for our date, I was afraid of everything and nothing. Boom! My Adam was on the streets of Vigo. He gently planted a kiss on my forehead and smilingly said, "we are just differently the same." I had never heard such powerful words. I loved him even more. We had a really good conversation, but he seemed to cling on my natural afro. Anyone who has seen my African hair clearly knows it disobeys gravity. It looks for its way through to heaven. I loved it that he didn't ask much about my hair. Here comes the problem. We had a skype call the following week. "Cute hair love! long, very long, but wait, one week, long.... aaahhh, but?" he stammered, not sure what to really say. In a million years, i had never heard a stupid curiosity, given that he had seen my hair pointed to the sky. I told him they were braids to which he responded. "I see, but where is the hair?" After 15 minutes of trying to solve the mystery for him, we figured out the second date could help. Surprisingly on this date, came mystery three when i choose to have a chit-chat with a street beggar. My God, this gentleman had a life! He seemed to live a dream of so many. A world traveler on the street! He had been to Holland, USA, mentioned all the streets in the UK. I adored his life. Something interesting happened, he did not let me pay for our coffee even when i pleaded. He gave out all his coins to the waiter he had obtained from begging. Suddenly, he leaned forward, stared in my eyes as if rebaptizing me with the next level wisdom. In my gut, i felt something life changing was coming through so I took off my glasses, squinted my eyes ready for nourishment. He asked me to forget everything but go home with this one line. "This money, we will die and leave" Indeed, i was reborn! However, I still wondered why he seemed to have a life, and support from charity groups yet he choose to sleep in the bone beating coldness. Final mystery solved. Nobody had told me i could be a millionaire. I converted my euros to shillings and with only 250 euros, i was a millionaire. This made me equally angry and thrilled. With 250 shillings i could not buy a thing in Spain, but at the edit to euros, my grandmother could have meals for the entire year. I resorted to finding joy in this. Everytime i looked at a euro, i converted it to shillings and there i was feeling like Oprah Winfrey's little cousin. Millionaires donate! Thus my first donation!