Independence day, Terrific Tuesday! I had spent the whole day at the cement plant providing logistical support to Scout Aerial Africa. As I drove home, I was met by the deafening sounds of motorists honking horns, in a festive mood which was somewhat infectious. I honked a few times occasionally as I passed groups of soldiers and people who literally mobbed the former. It had been a long day traversing the rough terrain of the Cement plant and the excavation site.
I avoided the central business district which was ground zero of the celebrations. I got home a few minutes after nine and my girls were sleeping. I checked Ruru’s bedroom and she was sound asleep. I tiptoed into the main bedroom, opened the door, careful not make unnecessary noise and went straight to Natsie’s cot bed. As is always the case, she was sleeping on top of her blankets. I covered her, she seemed peaceful, a different case when she is awake. Our little menace!
As I covered the cot bed with the mosquito net, the swooshing sound it made woke Rumbi up. She looked my way and smiled and said in a hushed voice,
“I told you it was a matter of time,” referring the events of the day.
I nodded in response and sat on a stool next to the bed. She looked up and asked if I had eaten to which I responded by telling her all I had eaten since morning and that I wish I had had. She looked at me with a confused face, the response I was anticipating. She knew I was fine. In a dreamy voice, she said,
“I meant dinner mhaaan!”
Almost immediately afterwards she drifted into a deep slumber, l looked at her as she slept and remembered how grateful I was to have her as my wife, partner, and friend. I left the bedroom to go to reheat my bathing water, turned the gas burner on. I took out my phone and scrolled through the social media sites as I waited for the water to be warm enough for a bath. The day Mugabe got deposed, I was too tired to celebrate. Maybe I did!
by Ba Ruru
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