INTRODUCTION
Love seems to occur everywhere irrespective of the place or environment, the fact is, when your eyes set on that beautiful and gorgeous lady and you begin to feel that sharp internal signal indicating that she is the one, then everything about you changes towards that person. Forgive me readers am speaking from the perspective of guys. The most interesting of them is when you meet your lover at the village; the scene is different from that of the city.
This story is based on a true account that occurred when a young man decided to visit his small village in the Ashanti Region, it’s been a decade since he visited his hometown and so this time he decided to make a move. This young guy was studying in the university and he had been turned down by university ladies numerous times. These university girls were also demanding that their guys should be of a certain class or level; they were always of a certain hubris character. So looking for a lady to date was not part of his agenda during his visit to his village and even if he were to make it part of his agenda, he was not really known by the villagers … but he could go ahead and begin to make his choice by having a glance around. So that is how it all started… he shares his story.
I was happy to meet my grandmother and my great grandmother. But I saw something new there; it was a borehole near our family house. A decade ago there was only one borehole in the village, but now there are several of them. I was happy to see the scene. I always enjoyed it when the villagers came to fetch water and converse at the borehole, a whole lot of issues spring up there. The women discuss their family matters, husband troubles and the new hair styles they are planning to do. As for the young girls and boys, they talk about the love stories of their friends and laugh over it.
I would wake up very early in the morning to watch them and sometimes laugh with them, they saw me as an odd one since my actions did not portray a village guy, but more of a city guy. The villagers had different styles of pumping the water and the little children always fought over who should do it. Some of them also fought over who would come first or last to fetch. To avoid this trouble they sometimes formed a queue. Others also brought their buckets along when going to the refuse dump; they had one common place as a dumping area.
CHAPTER ONE
One early morning, I sat on the wall, this later became my usual routine. I would watch the villagers as they fetched the water at the borehole everyday. From a distance I saw this gorgeous, neat and well-dressed young girl approaching the borehole with her shiny bucket to fetch water. When young guys from the city spots a very beautiful lady staying in a village, they normally say “this lady does not deserve to live in the village” because of her beauty. Something inexplicable just ran through my heart – I guessed it was the adrenaline at work. She was totally different from the other girls I saw on the road, I began to look at her very closely and made sure that she saw me watch her. She gradually responded to my love calls through my eyes; she also began to look at me in a very romantic way. This was really “love at the borehole”, I met my love at the borehole and she was lovely.
I did not have to do the long talks the city girls always demanded, this was quick and smooth. She was doing everything possible to please me; in a day she would fetch several buckets of water just to see me. She would never do this under normal circumstances. I just adored her heart for me, it was always in her eyes; I saw it as she passed by the house either to fetch water or dump her refuse. She would watch me from the corner of her eyes to make sure am also watching. It was so lovely, so simple, the lack of words between us provided for a more instinctual connection of hearts, of love.
What I didn’t know was how to make that first approach towards her; I was clueless; should I suddenly call her by name to catch her by surprise? She would wonder how I got to know her name and this, I mused might jump start the conversation. Or should I pretend to be in dire need of water and go fetch when she is also fetching that way, I could go stand beside her and say hi to her. I was confused as to which approach was the best to use. I just needed someone to give the guidelines, but there was no one. Okay guys! If you were in my position what will you have done? The second or first approach? Oh! What a confused lover boy! Finally, I decided to adopt the first approach, which was to call her by name and get her by surprise, it was to be done in the evening. So let see what happened.
CHAPTER TWO
As evening approached, my heart beat started to increase rapidly, I was trying to figure out the right words to use so as not to offend her. There was a community jam that evening so I decided to catch a glimpse of that, I stood alone in front of a closed store just looking at how these guys in the village do their jam nights. While standing there giggling at the outfits the village boys and girls had put on, I saw my love coming towards my direction, not knowing what to do I also turned my face from her direction so she assumes that I was not looking at her. I was eagerly, humbly waiting for a touch on my shoulder by my love and hear her ask, “Please what is your name and are you from this village?” I waited and there was no touch, upon delay I decided to find out what was delaying her, not knowing there was a bread and egg seller close to me and she was coming to buy some from him. This was a common business in the village. She looked at me with her usual lovely smile signaling me that I should go ahead and call her, but I was shivering inside and could not respond to her signals. She walked down the streets with her friends several times and anytime she passes she would look in my direction and say something to her friends and they would all laugh and walk away.
It was getting late, so she decided that if I couldn’t, she would make the first move. As I stood there, she approached me and greeted me; I responded with a soft voice. She then asked me “Please brother, do I know you from somewhere, it seems like you’ve been looking at me everytime I pass by or come to fetch water near your house” “ No I do not know you from anywhere”, I responded, “I just admire you and like the way you are jovial towards everyone”, I continued. I introduced myself and she did the same, we then established a relationship and she promised to take me to the community football Gala on Sunday after church. I rushed home after that to sleep before my grandmother closed the door. As I slept I could not stop thinking about my love. I prayed to God that He should let that evening magically turn into Sunday so I could see her again.
CHAPTER THREE
Hmm! When expectations are your bench mark in the world of love, then you will always sleep with tears. Sunday finally came and I woke up with smiles and joy because my love would be coming to take me out to church. I took my bath and got dressed very early. This made my grandmother question my unusual attitude. I waited and waited till every person in my household had gone to church, still there was no appearance of my love. My cousin finally broke the news that my love informed him that she will not be attending church on that day, but she will later take me to the community football gathering.
The annual football gala approached and the whole environment was filled with beauty, as children and adult dressed in their best clothes and they showcased them around. They walked round the whole park, especially the children, so people could see their best Christmas wear. I was the odd one out since I did not get the dress code of the day as I went in my normal dress code for a football game.
On the park, I saw someone waving me, lo and behold, it was her and she was dressed in a sparkling yellow sleeveless shirt and a blue black three quarters tight fitting jeans with her sun glasses on…she was looking elegant and splendid! She drew closer to me and YES!!!… The chatting begun, she finally explained to me why she was not able to make it to the church that day.
I had no option but to forgive her because I was totally blinded by her beauty and elegance. And I have been blinded ever since – I found my love at the bore hole!!
