" Stop crying woman, if you as an adult is crying, what do you expect your children to also do?" The community women said, trying to console my mother. I was inside my room hearing this. When I heard those words, I burst into a loud cry too and the women who heard me started blaming my mother. This happened when my late Dad's body was taken to the mortuary.
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My father's demise was one of the events of my life that I would never forget even if my brain is taken out of my head by any means.
I lived alone with my parents from a young age. I was only six when all my four elder siblings left home in search of a greener pasture. The day my Dad died was a very memorable and emotional one. Though I was told to leave his room when the adults noticed he wouldn't survive anymore.
I left the room but not entirely. I stood by the door post which was shot against me. I could overhear them from my position.
" What's going on, can someone tell me?" I heard my Mom crying out loud. "My lady, stop crying, your tears alone can make this man give up the ghost". I think it was the community chief that said that to my mom. From what the chief said, I had the hope that my father was still alive.
"Let's take him to the hospital, I can't wait anymore", said my Mom shouting and stamping her fit on the ground. "My lady, the best thing for you to do now is to calm down first and wait, the ambulance is on its way", said one of the community leaders, not the chief this time. I crammed everything there said, including their voices. My brain was working at max.
"I will carry him on my head ooo, I will carry him on my head to the hospital, I can't wait again for this ambulance which hasn't arrived for over two hours now". My mother said this and I could feel her pain from outside. " My lady, do you know you too can develop high blood pressure from your restlessness here? Stop making the matter look as if the man is dead already", said Mr. Howard, the only known medical graduate of the community which everyone called 'Prof.". He was acting as the present doctor while we waited for the ambulance.
"He is not breathing again, he can't blink, ehh!!!!!!!!!!! He is dead, my husband!!!!!! He is dead ooo!!!!!!!! Someone should save him or I will also die". My mom's voice echoed through the whole community. I used this opportunity to sneak into the room. Anyone who would say he didn't hear my mom's voice in the community must surely need a thorough ear checkup.
My Mom cried very bitterly hugging my late dad very tight. She cried till the ambulance arrived. The ambulance meant to take my late dad to the hospital, took him to the mortuary. It was a very sad incident. When his body was being taken away, my mother struggled and argued that either her late husband stays with her and resurrect or she goes with him to the mortuary. She struggled till she was overpowered and held back for the body to be taken away. The community women then started consoling her while I was advised to get into my room and stay.
I felt like I was watching a movie that I would later turn off and return to the real world where my dad and mom will be living happily. Everything seemed like there were camera men around and everyone was acting. But till today, I still can't forget that scene. An immediate phone call was made to inform my elder siblings of the incident.
This is a norm and culture in my society. Whenever someone dies, the body is to be taken to the mortuary immediately for embalming. Some cultures believe in burying the body immediately after death.
I heard from an elderly person that the reason for the embalming is to let the person's soul rest and finally leave the human realm.
That's not the only culture observed when a person dies in my place. In my society, when a man dies specifically. The wife is expected not to sleep in that same house on the same date of the man's death. She is also expected to cut her hair and make it bald. For instance, if a man dies on 25th December, 2025, the wife or wives is/ are not expected to sleep in that same house on 25th December, 2026 and she/they must have a bald head to show respect. The belief is that the man's spirit for the last time is going to visit his past human home before finally resting in peace in the realm of the dead.
I remember the night this culture was observed for my late dad. I couldn't sleep that night. It rained heavily and thunder rumbled like never before. I didn't believe in this norm but as the rain, lightning and thunder made the night a sleepless one, I began to develop some feelings of fear and believe in the norms. That night, my mom didn't sleep in the house with us, she visited one of her friends, a widow too and spent a night there.
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I was very happy to see her in the morning. The two prayers I prayed for here were: first was that she should recover from the pain. Secondly, I prayed her hair would grow back so that her beauty would become full. My mom is a very beautiful lady, the first Mona Lisa before the real Mona Lisa. I'm happy we have walked past that time but we still have our late dad in our hearts.
Thanks for reading my story. This is my participation for the #mayinleo daily prompts organized by Inleo and the link of this post will be threaded to @leogrowth.
It's a great place to thread and make your day worth it by sharing your knowledge with everyone. Here is the link to the prompts.
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