A MEMORY THAT STICKS LIKE GLUE

Everyone has that one (or more) holiday experience(s) that is so memorable. Mine is that which sticks like glue.

It was a season like this many years back. I was thirteen years old then.
Two weeks after we closed from school, mum said we'd go to the village for Christmas holiday as it was a culture in our family not to celebrate the Christmas holiday where we resided.

My siblings and I had always prepared before time while waiting for mum to announce when we'd be leaving. When once this statement is made I always took it upon myself to be the reminder 🎗️ 🙂. You can't blame me, it's the one time I only get to go to my village.

Festive periods in my village is always one of a kind,most especially during Christmas. People who do not reside in the village gets to come back with a lot of stuffs to keep them all through the period. The streets are always so busy with motorcycles and cars of returnees.

One of the things that made this particular holiday the fondest is that- that was the first day I ever went to the stream 😊. Yes! Dad never granted us such privilege at where we resided even though other compound kids used to go. Anyone who violated this order was to be penalized. So no one dared 😧.

I used to feel dad was strict because of this coupled with the fact that he didn't really use to be around- but - was good at giving orders. I only came to realize he was just protecting us when I turned 16 and a friend of mine got drowned in that stream which led directly to a large river. Rumor had it that the girl was taken by the village goddess because she was a stranger. Till today, I'm do not go to any stream elsewhere asides my village.

So on this particular day, my maternal aunty came with her children, who have not gone to the stream before as well and decided to take them there for the first time. She informed my dad and on hearing that, I asked my dad if I can tag along. Surprisingly, he approved!
Mhen... I was so happy because I had a new thing to discuss with my friends and compound kids when I get back.

We went with bathing costumes, soap, snacks and soft drinks. While working on the road we met other people coming and going to the stream as well. On reaching the stream, I was mesmerized by the number of people in the stream. I discovered there was a section for the male gender. No female gender dared to reach that part.
There was also a spot for pregnant women which children were not allowed to play to that axis, so as not to hit them mistakenly while playing.

Another fascinating thing was that there was a large area filled with sand which during this period will be very warm or hot. That served as a warmth for those who felt very cold while bathing. So once in a while people especially children climb up to the place and lied down on the ground until they felt the need to go back to the stream.

Even though we were not allowed to bath by ourselves, I felt very happy being in the stream for the first time because the sight was so captivating. Not just that of the human beings but of animals such as squirrels, butterflies, the tiny fishes and crayfish in the water 💦, among others.

I went home narrating everything I saw to my mum. I also just couldn't wait to get to were we resided to gist the other kids about my holiday adventure.

Ever since that day, the stream remains one of the places I do not fail to go to when I get to the village. The fun part of it is that I get to bathe by myself this time😜😜.