It was a cold and fine evening; the children
soon gathered around the fireplace for yet another ‘moonlight tale’ (so it was called).
It was the favourite bit of their day. Despite
the countless playful ideas that have conveniently occupied their entire schedules; nothing could out-match the moon-light tales.
‘Mma’, was the storyteller. She is an average-height,
dark-complexioned lady, in her late forties. MMA had an elegant look, from which one could tell that she
had lived not only a grand life but also an
adventurous one. Click this
She was married to Mr. Philip, who is otherwise meager
in height and with a stern look.
He was more light-hearted than his looks implied.
However, only the few who knew him well had a pleasant rapport with him. Unlike his wife, Mr. Philip was reserved and made loose acquaintances with the children.
Occasionally, when he ensues to make an impression on children, it ends in a fatal fiasco.
Click Otherwise, on his lucky days he would make a fool out of himself.
In one particular incident where he offered to help the children retrieve their football, which was stuck behind a steel pole on the roof.
During his attempt, he jumped severally, plunging ferociously at the roof with a bamboo stick.
As the ball finally evades the pole, so did his pants,
loosely held upon his waist.
And there went at that instance, a dramatic scene for all the children as they burst into uncontrollable laughter. Mr. Philip had a gentle temper which proved most useful at such a time. Click this
Mr. Philip and Mma had basked in the privilege of raising four kids of their own, most of which were all grown and making their way in life.
Amongst their kids is Willard, their youngest child.
He was only a fifth-teen, hot-blooded and ambitious, rearing for freedom and independence, to be just like his siblings.
Willard, though sometimes heady and uneasy, had a soft spot for his mother’s tales, it melted him so much, that he could almost sink into the plot literally. A story
He is a small statue such as his father.
According to his siblings, at the time he was born,
they searched the entire bed repeatedly until one of them caught a glimpse of his pretty small head hanging
off a piece of white fabric, beside their sleeping mother.
He was so given the nickname, (SS) ‘short in supply’.
Up on till he became a teenager, he was receptive to the name and it teased him so.
Willard was tasked with the responsibility of readying the fire for the moon-light tale.
This he did with much excitement. Although on some days, he grumbled his way through the process. At other times his duty will ensue with a condition or two, having profitable intentions, which was evidential of his potential as an aspiring tycoon.
Click a story on Mute
The idea of a bonfire was Mama's. She somehow convinced the children that every great tale would mean nothing without a blazing fire to gaze at.
And apart from the fact that the act was traditional, she explained that the sounds of bursting flames and the dot-like fire which ascends to the skies were the essences of any authentic moon-light tale.
MMA had a ravishing cultural exuberance, which gives her an exclusive taste of things.
Story click Mute part 1
Soon before the story commenced, in came Joseph, Willard’s closest peer.
He was a dark-complexioned lanky fellow with a funny posture, one of which would pass for a keen flamboyance. He had an unfortunate habit of making a last-minute entry.
So this particular evening was no exception, neither did it pose any bit of surprise to the other children nor MMA as well.
Joseph was tasked with the duty of acquiring planks and mats used as seats for both Mma and the children.
He was clever with words, one with the tendency of a good negotiator. His articulate speeches and vivid gesture is stricken only by his twisted posture, which often made him one with melodramatic skills. Story part4
......To be continued
Written by Emmanuel Ngu
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