I was resting in the afternoon when my BB informed me that I have received an email,, Couldn’t resist checking it.. I tapped with my fingers on the touch screen..
"Re: Park Photo" was the title of the email, and a HUGE smile was placed on my face..
That was not the beginning of the story, that email reply was chapter # 2..
The story started in…
Scotland, Edinburgh, TED.. July, 2011, Yes, not too long ago..
Greenery as far as your eyes can reach,, the sweet wind dancing in circles around and between TED attendees.. Intellectual people from all around the globe.. chatting,, laughing eating and drinking, saying their good bye(s) before heading back to their realities..
Holding my cup of coffee in my hand,, discussing with a nice intellectual lady "Health "Issues, my eyes wandered around the amazing scenery, trying to hold on to all what was around me till the last minute..
He turned around, holding a silver tray serving scones filled with fresh cream and jam, he offered us some,,,,,, and,,,, with "Much more.."
I said "Thank you", while my partner was still talking..
My eyes kept gazing at this "Much more",,, his smile..
All that happening while my head was arguing with my head.. "Ask him".. "Don’t ask him" .. "Ask him!!" "Don’t ask him!!"
So, I decided to ask him..
However, as he was leaving us heading to serve other people, me trying to be polite and not interrupt the lady next to me.. my head was screaming "YOU WILL LOSE HIM WITHOUT ASKING HIM!!!! AND THEN YOU WOUN'T BE ABLE TO FIND HIM IN THIS CROWED!!"
Excuse me!! Excuse me!!
He turned around and looked towards me, "Excuse me" I said, "You have a very nice smile.." the man was shocked, but still wanted to react in a polite way..
So, I interrupted his confusion with "more of me" asking:
"Do you mind if I took a picture of you?"
Now he was really surprised but immediately answered, "No I dont, of course you can".
He posed, I clicked, the moment was captured.. "Nice" I said, "Thank you".
Miss "Lady" was still standing next to me watching what I was doing, and I could hear her repeating.. Interesting.. Interesting .. Interesting!!!
Through that crowed of TEDsters, the cameras did not stop clicking, attendees wanted to go back home with printed memories of all the people they met.. However, taking a photo of the "unknown" waiter seemed "INTERESTING"!!!
The Eritrean gentlemen who suddenly was in our circle of action suggested an idea,
"Why don’t you send him the picture?..
"Yes", I said, "do you have an email address??" And I gave him my business card to write his address on it..
Nnamdi, was his name, the waiter with the nice smile, my email to him started with:
"Dear … sorry I don’t know your name"
All what I knew later about the unknown waiter was that his name is Nnamdi. A native name from an eastern tribe in Nigeria that means "My God lives" or "is alive". Nnamdi has just completed his postgraduate studies in Construction Project Management ,, he has dreams and wishes for his future.. and was generous enough to read my blog..
 |
| Nnamdi Eze "half shocked" |
He was also so thoughtful to teach me that the beginning of my name "Sola" " happens to be the short pronunciation of a native name from the western tribe (known as Yoruba) in his home country Nigeria. And that It is an unisex name popularly called
"Oluwasola" meaning "God Creates/Makes Wealth" or
"Monisola" meaning "I have you in wealth or you were born in Wealth".
Nnamdi is one of hundreds,, thousands or even millions of people who we walk by every day without seeing, not because there is a problem with our sight, but because we have numbed hearts.. our hearts stopped seeing those who live in the shadows of our life..
People who live in those shadows come in different names, statuses, backgrounds, colors, and importance..
Surprisingly, those people sometimes are the closest to us..
I have started narrating my funeral 20 years ago, a couple of months ago I decided to update the story of that day.. to make it more worth working for..
On that day I want my house to be filled with people who I have pulled out of the shadow of my life.. If not with their existence then at least with their souls..
On that day my spirit will be looking for colored tears, for prayers in different languages, for young bodies just as much as older ones.. for those who remember me as the lady who cared, who shared a smile..
A friend once stood in front of me with opened arms and told me.. embrace me..
Dear friend, I wish I did..
I wish if I can go back in time and embrace that request.
Thank you Nnamdi for smiling in my face,, for spicing my life with Nigerian meanings..
I have added a new objective to my existence..
My shadow will become smaller and smaller till one day it will dissolve..
On that day when my spirit will reach its eternity all those who I have pulled out of my shrinking shadow will be existing in my funeral..
Only then I will rest my case..
To Be Continued…
