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dear friend

published: 2011-10-21

Dear friend. What do we make of the passing of time? How do we survive the years in which we remain unchanged? Affected, yes. But unchanged.
You sent me a photo of you. I haven’t see you for over eight years. We tried so hard to be in touch. You were in Nigeria, I was here. Once upon a time we lived the same dreams. We were going to change the world, weren’t we? Yes that’s right, we were going to make this world a better place.

These past years all you really wanted was a family. Were you hiding from me all that time? Now, you’re expecting twins and suddenly there you are, on the picture you sent me. Back into my life.
You have a small beard now. I find it pretty distinguished. Your eyes look a little tired. You used to wear really cool glasses. Now it’s just a simple frame, nothing special. I suppose we are getting old, my friend, aren’t we? Remember how you used to have dreads? And you’d wear combat pants? You’d run around New York feeling as hip and happening as the city itself was? Until they beat you up, the African Americans did. You were on your way home from work and you were wearing a suit. They didn’t understand who you were, why you had a British accent. And so they kicked the hell out of you.

Was it them, dear friend, that sent you home? Kicked you out of your dream and straight back to Nigeria?
You are more African than you were back then. And you’re bald. Your smile is still the same. I can almost hear your laugh. You’d always laugh and laugh and laugh and everyone would hear you laugh. But you were never happy. Are you happy now?






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