storytime with Ma

"i plan on taking a trip to Cameroon sometime in the upcoming months, i just thought i'd tell you now."

i know how Ma likes advanced notice. i didnt want to spring this up on her too soon so i brought it up during one of our silent moments.

"Cameroon?" she raised an eyebrow.

"yes. some of my family lives there, i want to see them while i'm here."

"okay." she said, as if she was allowing me to go.

i looked out the window behind her head at the laundry drying on the clothesline. someone had washed the sheets on all the beds. i was glad to see this. i was also glad to have walked in early that morning and caught Efreeyeh sterilizing all the medical supplies used in delivering. i questioned the sanitary conditions of the clinic sometimes, while also skeptical of my neurotic self.

Ma bent her head down low and drew in air, from her belly up. she was filling herself up with something reminiscent but i had no idea what. i thought it'd be best not to ask.

"Ccaaammmerrooonnn. ahhhhhh." she said. a slight breeze came in and left just as quickly.

i could feel something coming from Ma, if only i kept quiet.

"Cammeerrroooon, hmmmmmmmm."

she moved her head from side to side, slowly, like she was cracking her neck.

"i used to work in Ho. did you know that?"

i had no idea.

"yes, i was a midwife there for quite sometime. and also at a nearby village to Ho, some 17 miles. This was quite some time back."

i settled back in my chair, expectant and excited at the first story Ma was ever to tell me.

"i was transfered after my training to the Volta region, away from Kumasi." she spoke the way you'd expect an old experienced elder to speak, slow and deliberate, remembering first then telling.

"At first i was not wanting to go, i was married and my husband did not want to leave. So i took my child and left to be a midwife there, in Ho. I worked hard, veeerry hard. I spent quite some time there. The life of a midwife is not easy, i will tell you that. Hmpf. It is hard. But i became well known. People, they liked how i delivered."

she rolled her neck a little more and fidgeted her plump soft hands.

"one day a woman came to the clinic, in the village. she was from Cameroon. she was very pregnant, too close to delivering. she said she had traveled the distance to be delivered by me."

a self-satisfied smile crept over her face.

"some person in Cameroon had heard of me and told this woman to come. she was wanting a natural birth but she had torn badly from her last one. she needed hands that could help. she was inches away from being hurt seriously. true. she did not want to tear any further, it would be too serious. so she came to me, by bus, through Cameroon then Nigeria, she made her way across Benin and Togo to Ghana. Hmmmm. it is a long way. even longer at 9 months."

i soaked in her words and the way she was telling me her history. i felt regret at not having realized the treasure chest that i sat with everyday.

"well i delivered her nicely, gently. it was sweet and she was happy. she thanked me and promised to give me soooo many things in return. she said 'oh madame, how can i repay you. i will give you this and that...' she then returned to cameroon and i never heard from her again, promising but nothing."

i let out a little noise to let her know i was interested and listening.

"any way, she was a nice lady. Cameroon. when i hear Cameroon i think of her. she traveled so far, just to see me. she was brave. she never gave me anything. hmpf."

she took her fingers and tore back a rip in the plastic table cloth which covered her desk, making it larger. tiny ants lived in that tear, and marched their way out whenever we ate and left behind crumbs. Mas eyes were too old to notice, the ants here are small and resemble specks of dust. i've never took the time to tell her they were there, figuring she wouldn't care. but now they were coming out of their spot, using Mas fingers as ladders, climbing up onto her hands.

"thank you Ma for sharing with me. it seems you are good at what you do, if people will travel through 5 countries to get to you!"

she laughed, felt the ants, and brushed them from her body.

i thought i should buy her a new tablecloth. this one was ragged but festively decorated with bunches of strawberries and blooming flowers. it made the office cheery.

"well any way" she said "you should go. you will have a nice trip."

"i hope so. if i see your lady friend i'll ask her where your promises are."

Ma laughed again, once, and coughed three times.

"okay." she said, pleased at the thought.

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